I am interested in starting up a Welsh Sgwrs session in South Staffs. I live in Enville (between Stourbridge and Bridgnorth).Is there anyone out there who is in the main confined to Lloegr and would relish the chance to come and practice one or twice a month. If you live in the Wolverhampton, Dudley, Stourbridge Bridgnorth, Telford, Much Wenlock or wider afield. I’m prepared to find the venue - maybe a coffee shop. All levels welcome as we all have something to give or learn. Please contact me here or DM on the Slack group if you are. Cheers !
I know that @jason-art from Staffordshire was recently on the forum expressing and interest in finding Welsh speakers local to him. I’m not sure which part of Staffordshire he’s from, but maybe you two are close enough to meet for Welsh practice?
Hello Anne (and thank you to @CatrinLliarJones for kindly remembering me and putting us in touch), I live in in a village just outside Lichfield. So, like you, I’m in Staffordshire, but still quite a distance from where you are. I’m deaf in one ear and have some mobility constraints which would make it tricky for me to drive over to you, or be able to hear and converse properly (even in English) in a public setting such as a pub or cafe. Such, I’m afraid, is life! I started SSIW one month ago and am using the luxury of retirement to forge ahead as quickly as I can (just completed Challenge 12). I don’t believe it will be logistically very easy for us to meet up, but, who knows, perhaps there might be an opportunity at some time yn y dyfodol. That would be nice. I’m delighted to know that there’s someone else in Staffordshire who, like me, is enjoying the SSIW approach to language-learning. I’m a fluent German speaker who has always regretted not having had (or rather found) the time to learn the language of the country of my birth, but I’m giving it my best shot now, Better late, than never! I send you my best wishes and hope that your efforts to set up a group are successful. Hwyl am a tro! Jason
That’s great !! Are you doing anything on Friday this week ? We could meet up at the tea room at Dudmaston. I’m a NT member. have been to Dudmaston a lot.
Lovely to hear from you. Yeah, Lichfield is some way from here, but as you say, maybe we can meet up in the future. I certainly don’t mind coming over to Lichfield once in a while. Maybe if we get the group off the ground we can car-share and pop over to see you.
I really enjoy learning Welsh. It was initially because I wanted to speak with my 2 grandsons in Welsh, but now it’s become something I need to do for myself. I started with “Dysgu Cymraeg” in Feb 2021 and with “SSiW” in June 2021. I have finished the 3 levels and am now working my way through the Old Course. I try to join the sgrws sessions with Nia on “Slack” but it has been a bit hit and miss recently because we go away in our caravan a lot during the summer months. Like you retirement affords me the time to concentrate on Welsh and going away !!
Have you looked at any of the Mynediad novels published by “Amdani”? They’re good for getting your head around every day Welsh. Plus S4C4 or S4C Clic with the subtitles on are good. On Clic you have the options to click on the section for learners and there the programmes are more accessible. Apols if I’m telling you information you already know!!!
Hi I was excited to see Welsh learners wanting to meet up in Staffordshire!
I live in Yoxall so only a few miles from Lichfield - it would be great to be able to speak face to face - although faintly terrifying! I am not that familiar with the forum so hope I am posting this in the right place!
Susanna
Hi I live on the south staffs/Birmingham border not far from Streetly and I also spend time in and around the brierley hill/Stourbridge area so would be interested in meetings in either parts of the county with a bit of notice if that is of any use???
Hi Anne, that sounds great! Only problem is that Dudmaston isn’t open on Fridays. Quatt Farm Shop cafe which is nearby would be open if that would be ok. I’m moving house over the next week or so, but can squeeze an hour or two out of the schedule for some sgwrs!
Hello Anne,
Thank you for your very helpful reply. I will definitely be following up your recommendations about what to read and watch on tv to accelerate the learning process. And very well done to you on completing all three levels. Wow! Llongyfarchiadau!
I find most of the fast (mumbled) dialogue in Pobol y Cwm way beyond my comprehension skills at the moment. I’m tending to keep mostly to the standard Newyddion broadcasts on S4C. Plus, of course, the televised rugby. Occasionally dipping into some of the programmes for children (don’t tell anyone!) is also useful for someone at my level. I’m also getting into the habit of starting the day by listening to BBC Radio Cymru news headlines in bed at seven o’clock. I find it very frustrating that I can only understand a little of what’s currently going into my ears (and often straight out the other side) at the moment, but I know from having mastered German (including some of the more exotic Bavarian dialect variants) that I possess the basic learning ability and that it’s ‘only’ a question of giving oneself time and having the determination to stick at it.
Your reply is in itself a great inspiration. Thank you so much. Knowing someone who has completed all three levels is a great motivation to me to follow your good example. I’ve set myself the personal goal of becoming a fairly confident Welsh speaker in time for my 70th birthday. That gives me just a couple of years and a few months, so I’m really going to have to get cracking. In the meantime, I’ve spotted that the Eisteddfod 2024 will be staged somewhere in Rhondda Cynon Taff. Not sure yet exactly where. Coming originally from Tylorstown, Rhondda Fach, which has been in the headlines for many of the wrong reasons in recent years (slurry avalanche, drugs, social deprivation, arson etc.), I can’t believe that the Maes will be anywhere near my birthplace, but who knows. I will be following their plans with interest.
I look forward to keeping in touch. If you and anyone else in your group ever wishes to come to Lichfield (well worth a visit in itself), I would be very happy to meet up. I can recommend some suitable meeting locations.
I’m within a very travellable distance to Lichfield too - learnt to drive around it, but I haven’t had a nose around the city since pre-pandemic days!! I work full-time but I have accrued some holiday, so I’ll keep an eye on this thread with bated breath.
Shall we meet on Friday afternoon at Quatt Cafe…I don’t know it but I’m sure Google Maps will help. Or there’s Archie’s Attic in Enville ( great coffee!! ) . You choose. Say 2 p.m
Golly you’re doing brilliantly to listen to so much SO early on !! And yeah it’s a tad frustrating not being to access it all and catching a wird or phrase here and there…it gets better though !!
2 people near you have replied on this thread who live near you, so may e you would be able ti meet with them more regularly ??
Goid luck with it all. It’s such a beautiful language ( and challenging !! ). It’s like musuc and poetry rolled into one !!
Quatt cafe would be better for me if that’s ok with you. It’s about a mile to the south of Dudmaston on the A442. 2pm is fine for me. See you then? Looking forward to a chat!
Hi Jason. I live in Yoxall - you must be the nearest person I know learning Welsh!
I started with SSiW in May 2021. Having been scarred for life being taught French in the late sixties I always thought I couldn’t learn a language but then I found SSiW and their method works for me.
I wanted originally to learn a language for a brain work out but chose Welsh because my father’s family came from Barry and I feel an emotional connection with Wales.
I have completed levels 1am 2 and am working through 3 at a much slower pace but try to do some every day and also try listening to radio Cymru/ do some reading.
I try to go to the SSiW chats on Slack but get very nervous so sometimes chicken out! On Saturday mornings I meet on line with a learners group through a link on Slack. This is very supportive and we try to chat, read a little and do a few structured tasks - whatever anyone suggests really. Lots of laughs too!
If you would like to meet sometime to try our fledgling Cymraeg that would be great.
Best wishes
Susanna
Just took a sneaky look at one of the Byd Tad-Cu video clips on my iPad. Thank you for the recommendation. Pitched at my current level and right up my street! I’m not yet able to converse properly in Welsh, but I look forward to meeting up with you and other South Staffs dysgwyr in due course, perhaps even in Lichfield (Cathedral, which has an 8th-century manuscript containing the oldest surviving examples of written Welsh - mind you, it’s only written, not spoken, Welsh, so don’t tell @aran).
Hi Susanna,
Yep, it looks like we are about the nearest SSIW learners to each other in this part of South Staffs (this county’s gotta be bigger than Texas😊). It would be great to meet up. I’m barely a month into the SSIW journey and not even half-way through the Level 1 challenges, so I’m not yet able to contribute much linguistic value to any virtual or face-to-face conversational meet ups. Mobility constraints mean that my preference would be to meet up somewhere in Lichfield itself. I can suggest a few places that might be suitable. No pressure from my side. Let me know in due course, if, where and when you think it might be convenient and I’ll get back to you. Best wishes Jason
That sounds great. We are off to Norfolk for a week this weekend - so I’ll get back to you after that. Any real conversation however little will be very helpful I’m sure. Are you doing the North or South course?
Susanna
Wela a ti yn fuan. Anne.