Oxford Welsh learners group

Helo bawb - still no change to the weekly pattern for our Zoom meetups:

  • 12:00 Tuesday 23rd March / dydd Mawrth 23ain Mawrth
  • 12:00 Friday 26th March / dydd Gwener 26ain Mawrth

As always, all welcome! :slightly_smiling_face: Post a message here or send me a PM if you’d like the login details or would like to know more before deciding whether to join us.
Hwyl a chadw’n iach
John
PS Don’t forget, too, WSP (Welsh Speaking Practice) via Slack also offers the chance to practise your Welsh

These boards have gone up around Florence Park in East Oxford. The streets are actually named after members of the East India Company, but I thought these notes on ‘Little Wales’ might be of interest to the group:

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Must have been the ghosts of Little Wales that were drawing us to Florence Park for our (sadly aborted) socially distanced Christmas picnic in the Florence Park bandstand :slightly_smiling_face:

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Helo bawb - it’ll be the same schedule as usual for our Zoom meetups (but see below)

  • 12:00 Tuesday 30th March / dydd Mawrth 30ain Mawrth
  • 12:00 Good Friday 2nd April March / dydd Gwener y Groglith 2ed Ebrill

Changes to lockdown rules:
Groups of 6 are allowed in the open air from tomorrow (29 March) and further relaxations are planned from 12 April with consequent likely changes to daily lives, so maybe it’s a good moment to think about possible changes to our pattern of our regular meetups? E.g. should we

  • Stick with Zoom only meetups for the time being? Or try Sue’s suggestion of alternate face-to-face (mask-to-mask?) socially distanced meetups outdoors (which could be walks) and those via Zoom?
  • Continue with lunchtime meetups or try mornings, afternoons and/or evenings?
  • Keep on with Tuesdays and Fridays or move to another weekday or weekend?

Suggestions and comments welcome! In particular, if you’re a newcomer do let us know any ideas you might have about how we could make it easier for you to join us. e.g. could intro sessions mainly in English help? :slightly_smiling_face:
Hwyl a chadw’n iach
John
PS Get in touch in you need Zoom login details :slightly_smiling_face:

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I am happy to continue with the current arrangements, Zoom Tuesday and Friday, for the moment.
When large groups are allowed to meet indoors, the Retirement Group will resume, and I shall be occupied on the second and maybe third Tuesday of every month. First and fourth are potentially all right though. (I could Zoom on first Tuesday, but not go to Oxford because I have a committee meeting in the afternoon and no time to get back.) Oops - just remembered. Tuesday exercise class which was 9am, and therefore not a problem, may move to a later time because the current 8:50 Zoom class will continue. I don’t really know.
Walks etc. will depend on what crops up. I’ll join in if I can/ not too long/ convenient start point.
Bluebells are not yet out in the woods though the leaves are doing well. I’ll let you know when they are out.
Sue

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I would be up for the odd walk, and once we’re able to I’d quite like to have a mix of online and face-to-face meetups. I think the current times suit me well enough, because with 2 a week I tend to get the opportunity to attend quite often between my shifts.

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Helo bawb - hope you’ve all had a good Easter and are looking forward now to this week’s Zoom meetups (get in touch if you need the login details):

  • 12:00 Tuesday 6th April / dydd Mawrth 6ed Ebrill
  • 12:00 Friday 9th April March / dydd Gwener 9ed Ebril

… and just to repeat last week’s post:

Hwyl a chadw’n saff
John

Helo bawb - re last week’s post, so far the current pattern of Zoom meetups seems to suit most people (but see below); there is, though, the possibility that we might have a few weekend meetups, so watch this space! :slightly_smiling_face:

  • 12:00 Tuesday 13th April / dydd Mawrth 13eG Ebrill
  • 12:00 Friday 16th April March / dydd Gwener 16eG Ebril

Let me know if you don’t yet have the Zoom login details

By the way, if you’d like to join us but the days/times make that impossible for you, do get in touch and we’ll try and sort something out (ditto, if you have any questions :slightly_smiling_face: )
Hwyl a chadw’n saff
John

Helo bawb - same pattern for this week’s Zoom meetups as for last week (contact me for login details):

  • 12:00 Tuesday 20th April / dydd Mawrth 20ed Ebrill
  • 12:00 Friday 23rd April March / dydd Gwener 23ain Ebril

At some stage we’ll be resuming face to face (wyneb i wyneb) meetups, probably in central Oxford and for the moment in the open air (yn yr awyr agored) with social distancing (pellter cymdeithasol), maybe following Sue’s suggestion of alternating them with Zoom meetups - thoughts and suggestions about this welcome :slightly_smiling_face:
Also …

Hwyl a chadw’n iach
John

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I’m sorry I won’t be able to join you tomorrow as I have a dental appointment. Bethan

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Helo bawb - the last week in April already! For the time being we’re still meeting up virtually via Zoom and following the usual schedule:

  • 12:00 Tuesday 27th April / dydd Mawrth 27ed Ebrill
  • 12:00 Friday 30th April March / dydd Gwener 30ain Ebril

… but, to repeat part of last week’s post …

Hwyl a chadw’n saff

Helo Bawb! Following on from our discussion on Zoom earlier today it seems that some people are keen to meet up face to face near the centre of Oxford once a week. ( While continuing with zoom .) Suggestions were made either for meeting in a park, and bringing our own refreshments, (although we may have to sit on the grass ) or trying to find a cafe/ pub with outdoor seating. We wondered what other people think and if there are any ideas for suitable places to meet? Florence Park, Christchurch meadow and ? Cafe near the Castle were mentioned. Also are there any newcomers in the area who would like to join us, or who have any ideas? You would be very welcome . Hwyl Bethan.

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I haven’t yet made it nearer to Oxford than Iffley Meadow, but will do so again some day. Central would be easiest for me (and perhaps for people on their lunch hours?). Therefore Christchurch meadow or the Castle rather than Florence Park. Cafes re-open fully on 17th May, but out of doors would be attractive in good weather.
Hwyl, Sue

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Diolch, Bethan! The Turf tavern might also be an option as they have a reasonable number of picnic tables outside. I had a quick look round University Parks - there are few benches on the grass, which could allow a couple of people to sit on a bench with the rest sat on the grass?

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Tuesday and Friday are my Oxford days so a meet up those days at lunch time is good with me (though Friday I’m most likely to be there as it’s a quieter day in work).

As long as it is a fairly quick cycle from Hythe Bridge Street I can can be flexible around where we meet in Oxford.

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I’m now back in the office five days a week, so I can meet anywhere in the city centre during my lunch break. Yes to any and all of the suggestions above! Wellington Square Gardens is another nice spot.

Once the colleges are open again, you’ll be welcome to meet in Jesus, but I don’t know whether or not that will happen this summer.

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Friday is likely to be best for me.
Sue

Another possibility, of course, might be the Head of the River pub, by Folly Bridge, with lots of open air seating …

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Since at least some of us will want lunch, maybe we need either a place that sells food, or a place out of doors where we can bring sandwiches.
Sue

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If we are planning a pub we will have to book a table for 6 in advance. Bethan

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