Any learners in the north-west? (Bolton area)

Welsh
#1

Hi all

I am a recent beginner of learning welsh and am wondering if there are any groups in the bolton area or other learners who are on the same journey as me and looking for somewhere to practice and learn.

Diolch

Dave

#2

@Deborah-SSi - maybe we could spread the word in the email? :slight_smile:

#3

Do you know about the Preston Welsh Club? https://welshclubpreston.org/

Also, we have a meetup in Manchester on 3rd Sat of the month, 10.30am, Café Siop Shop, 53 Tib St, M4 1LS

Would either of those be any help to you @pearsondave01?

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#4

Hi @pearsondave01,

When I’m not working away, I’m just down the road in Wigan if you fancy a Welsh-natter-brew sometime.

As Dee mentioned, there’s also a monthly meetup in Manchester. Details normally appear on the forum a week or so beforehand, and it’s a very mixed bag of abilities with both Cymraeg & English being used :slight_smile:

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#5

Hi @pearsondave01, I live in Farnworth, which you will know, of course, is to the South of Bolton. Not to be confused with the Farnworth in Widnes, or the @mikefarnworth who runs the Liverpool SSiW group! Though I did once meet someone on Farnworth railway station who wondered why they were not 30 miles away in Widnes.

Whether Farnworth is actually part of Bolton, or not, is of course a controversial topic and a subject of local political campaigning, so I will explore that matter no further. But I’m quite happy to meet for a chat anywhere amenable in Greater Bolton, if that’s any use to you.

I would certainly commend @Deborah-SSi’s suggestion of the Manchester SSiW group. Café Siop Shop is run by a Welsh couple (Iwan is from Dolgellau) and it’s great to support a Welsh business in Manchester. The group used to meet at the Art Gallery but have not looked back since moving to Siop Shop.

My own experience has been “the more, the merrier” regarding meetups. Depending how far you are ready to travel, there are groups in Preston (non-SSiW), Liverpool (SSiW) and others.And obviously Wales itself (less than 50 miles to the border). I go to groups in Wrecsam or Prestatyn pretty much every week (this week I went to both), but then I’m a bit crazy, maybe. But regular exposure to Welsh conversation has certainly been very helpful.

I should be at the Manchester SSiW meeting at Siop Shop on the 19th of May.

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#6

Bore da, @pearsondave01, I agree with Bob. The more meet-ups you attend, the better. I went to two on Monday: West Kirby (on the Wirral) in the morning, and our regular Liverpool weekly meeting in the evening. Lots of practice really helps. We’re very lucky in Liverpool, because we usually meet at a purpose-built Welsh venue. There are therefore other Welsh-language events in the same building fairly often at the same time that we meet, so so we get opportunities to socialise with people whose first language is Welsh.

You’re most welcome to visit us in Liverpool, if you don’t mind a long journey, but make sure that you check on our forum thread Liverpool SSiW 2018 in case we happen to be meeting somewhere other than Bethel, the Liverpool Welsh Centre, as we will be next week. We’ll be at the pub, and it’s cheap beer night.

Best of luck with your Welsh!

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