{"id":12520,"date":"2022-07-08T10:07:51","date_gmt":"2022-07-08T09:07:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mentrauiaith.cymru\/walking-wil-iolo-williams\/"},"modified":"2022-10-06T13:34:36","modified_gmt":"2022-10-06T12:34:36","slug":"walking-wil-iolo-williams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mentrauiaith.cymru\/en\/walking-wil-iolo-williams\/","title":{"rendered":"Walking with Iolo Williams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Mentrau Iaith have collaborated with the National Centre for Learning Welsh (Canolfan \nDysgu Cymraeg) over the spring and summer months offering walking tours all over Wales \nwith none other than the famous naturalist Iolo Williams leading four of the tours. The trips \noffered opportunities for people who are currently learning Welsh together with people who \nalready know the language, to be able to walk and talk together in Welsh. Daniela Schlick, \nProject Coordinator with Mentrau Iaith Cymru says:<\/p>\n\n

“The Mentrau Iaith specialises in providing opportunities for people to be able to use \ntheir Welsh, encouraging everyone to speak a little, no matter how little, but that everyone \nhas the opportunity to use the language wherever they are. The National Centre for \nLearning Welsh specialises in language learning and offers a range of classes for new Welsh \nspeakers, so it was a natural step for us to work together on being able to offer these \nspecial opportunities.”<\/p>\n\n

Outdoor trips were organized in very diverse areas with Iolo Williams leading trips in \nMargam (NPT), Denbigh, Cwm Idwal (Gwynedd) and, most recently, at the Beacons \nnational park in Libanus. Iolo says:<\/p>\n\n

Listening to the people speaking Welsh around me while walking has lifted my heart - \nthe future of the [Welsh] language is in their hands, we need more people to learn Welsh. \nIt has been a pleasure working with the Mentrau Iaith locally on these trips and also with \nthe National Centre for Learning in order to ensure these additional opportunities to \npractice the language.”<\/p>\n\n

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Walking in the Beacons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Discovering birds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Iolo Williams<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Walking crew<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n

Susan Lewis from Deganwy was one who walked in Cwm Idwal, Eryri \/ Snowdonia. Susan \nsays:<\/p>\n\n

“I learned so much about wildlife and the area with Iolo Williams and I enjoyed \nspeaking in Welsh with everyone else. The walk was very organised. Today I speak more \nWelsh in my work.”<\/p>\n\n

The Welsh Government has set a challenge to increase the number of Welsh speakers to \none million by the year 2050 and also double the number of those using the language. \nThese walks have also set a challenge of a million steps. Helen Prosser from the Welsh \nLearning Centre explains:<\/p>\n\n

“16 various walks were organised and a million steps were taken by the 12th trip! The \nresponse has been great and the interest in walking and visiting these places has been \ngreat to see. We look forward to continuing to work together with the Mentrau Iaith in \norder to offer more diverse opportunities to use the Welsh language. One thing that is \nplanned is the Cwis Mawr [Great Quiz] that will take place at this year’s National Eisteddfod \nin Tregaron, and we look forward to seeing who is the best quiz minds among our learners \nthis year!”<\/p>\n\n

The Quiz will take place on the 30th of July at 4pm in Maes D with Lisa Gwilym and Alun \nWilliams asking the questions.<\/p>\n\n

For more info re: who your local Menter Iaith is, visit: https:\/\/mentrauiaith.cymru\/en\/find-a- \nmenterfind-a-menter\/<\/p>\n\n

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