I shall send off my final cards this week when I get a moment. Again, happy to get replies, but not expecting anything so no problem if people don’t want to.
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Apologies, haven’t been very well - hoping to catch up with mailing people above very soon.
Including response to your lovely card @charlie-o 
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Hope you’re feeling better now and that it didn’t spoil your Christmas
Hi folks - I’ve finally got a minute to say thanks to those who’ve sent me (#452) cards over the last couple of years but especially if you wrote to me late 2024, as life got a bit mad and I didn’t get a chance to respond before the closure.
I’ve deleted my list now so unless you’ve specifically given me permission to keep writing to you, I won’t be sending any further cards. I’m happy to chat through PM if anyone’d like, or you can say hi on Goodreads (profile) as I chatted with a lot of fellow readers yn y Gymraeg - as Charlie says, I’m not expecting anything so no offense taken if not.
It’s been a ton of fun and a fantastic way to practice - diolch yn fawr iawn to the volunteers for running it all! Here’s a picture of my chunky postcard albums… I ended up collecting about 250 in the end.
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Shwmae pawb! Missing writing cards in Welsh! Anyone still want to exchange cards?
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I’m still writing postcards to 3 people every couple of months, happy to add one more to the list if you like. Let me know and I’ll send you my address
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Bendigedig! Yes please!
Anyone else want to exchange postcards in Welsh? Am a learner but welcome both learners and fluent speakers. Also happy to send international but would want to exchange the correspondence, not just receive a card from me! 
Before we closed the Clwb Cardiau Post Cymraeg we met with representatives from Dysgu Cymraeg https://learnwelsh.cymru/ to see whether they would be willing to take it on as so many people were finding it useful for learning and using Welsh - and they were! 
. I contacted them back in July to see how they were getting on and at that time they were hoping to launch a club in a new email format on their website this term. I don’t like to keep pestering, but they said they would let me know when its ready. As soon as I hear more from them, I’ll let you know here! 
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Amazing news!
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I haven’t heard from Dysgu Cymraeg, but I spotted this today and I think this might be their version of the postcard club:
Maybe its been on the website for a while because it says ‘Registration is now closed’ 
. There’s an email address for any enquiries, so please contact office@learnwelsh.cymru if you’d like to know more about registering.
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In the end I found it too onerous to write postcards (and stamps sre madly expensive!) do I kind of faded out from the clwb.
However… there are a couple of people I WhatsApp with yn Gymraeg, and I find it really helpful and enjoyable! So… I wonder if it’s possible to reinvent the Clwb on WhatsApp?
All that would be needed is a list of phone numbers for people who would like to receive occasional messages in Welsh from people they don’t know. Then… just pick a number and send off a message?
Ruth
@ruth-32 there could be a privacy issue with unknown people being able to see others’ phone numbers, but I did a quick google on the topic, and it looks like there could be a way to set up a WhatsApp “Community” where phone numbers are hidden unless someone is already in your Contacts. I’m not sure though as some people said it wasn’t possible. It would need more investigation, but a good idea!
Yes I was a bit unsure about that too. But no worse really than having one’s name and address being circulated to a list of unknown people?
Maybe it could be tried with a small group to see how it works? As long as everyone consents and the lust of numbers is only shared within the group then I can’t see a major problem?
On the other hand, a WhatsApp community might work although like you I am not sure quite how to do it. I shall do a bit of research.
Ruth
Yes, I was thinking that too, but there’s a lot less chance of getting spammed through the post as it takes more effort, whereas phone numbers are immediate, so I can see people being more reluctant about that.
Have to be honest I don’t like electronic communication like text and email, I only use it when I absolutely need to, so wouldn’t use the electronic chats , I am still a pen on paper ( and postcard!) girl lol.
Hopefully more people will see these new posts on this thread ,and some may add their names to those interested in continuing, whichever option they choose🙂
Bore da bawb
Well I took a close look at WhatsApp and I don’t think it will answer: you have to be an admin to see all the members of a “community” and admins can see the phone numbers alongside the names.
I guess there’s nothing stopping people sending “e postcards” using private messages on here, really. So maybe (noting Catherine’s reaction!) people should just write postcards if they want to, to people whose addresses they already know?
Thing is we all deleted the list, so I only had one address of someone who was a "regular " writer. I have been an international penpal writer since being in school in the 80s, not had any privacy issues with addresses. I think if someone asks for correspondents and says their preference for either “e-mail, text, or postcard etc” then hopefully that should be fine. Is great some of us are practicing writing Welsh and making friends at same time
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WhatsApp/text doesn’t appeal to me either. I’m always happy to send/answer postcards or emails, but I wouldn’t want to join a WhatsApp group because I’m already in so many groups/chats - various family groups, work chats, Welsh class, dog training/walking groups, a couple of business contacts, and of course friends. Somehow, I always feel pressured to reply quickly with WhatsApp, whereas I feel I can reply to a postcard/email in my own time - and I already spend far more time than I want to checking my phone!
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I’ve been thinking about how this could be a self-sufficient group, with individuals using their own preferences, so no one has to organise it and you maintain privacy. How about this?
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Anyone who wants to participate posts their Forum Name here (e.g. mine is @Deborah-SSi) and states how they are willing to exchange messages, e.g. WhatsApp, Email, Postcards, etc - as many as you are happy to use.
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Others first of all contact them by Private Message here on the forum to say that they would like to correspond with them and request their phone number or postal address. The first person then replies to the Private Message with their details and you could agree on a possible frequency, so you’d both know more or less how often you’ll receive correspondence.
That way, everyone’s details remain private and are only exchanged between the two people setting up the correspondence, but everyone can see the Forum Name of those who wish to communicate and how they would like to do it.
Does anyone see a problem with that? Would it work?
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