‘CROESO’ was the message as a ground breaking Welsh Language Centre of Excellence opened its doors on Monday, in a building once burned down by Owain Glyndwr.

The Centre - Canolfan y Degwm, based in the Tithe Barn in Abergavenny, will now be home to various Welsh language groups in the town and the surrounding area and is the result of a joint effort by St Mary’s Priory, Aneurin Bevan Health Board and Criw’r Efail - a group formed at the 2016 National Eisteddfod, held on Castle Meadows, to celebrate the use of Welsh in the area.

With a target set by the Welsh Government of one million Welsh speakers by the year 2050, Canolfan y Dewgm will be instrumental in propagating the language and encouraging its everyday use in North Monmouthshire.

Rhiannon Davies, Welsh language officer with the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, has been instrumental in driving the initiative forward, the first of its kind for NHS Wales.

Rhiannon said, ‘Visitors to the NHS stand at the Eisteddfod told us how pleased they were to see the Health Board there and how important it was for them to have their voices heard.

‘It is a well-known fact that Welsh speakers feel more confident in expressing themselves in their first language so effective communication is key to this. For many, it is not a matter of choice but a matter of need.

‘Canolfan y Degwm will provide a warm and welcoming environment that will be fully bilingual. It will help our staff to better understand the needs of Welsh speakers and will provide training at all levels.’

Speaking at the official opening, Judith Paget, chief executive of Aneurin Bevan Health Board, stated, ‘We have been set Welsh government targets on the use of the Welsh Language and, whether our staff and users are already fluent or, like me, a learner, the aim is to meet our targets and make Aneurin Bevan Health Board a truly bilingual and welcoming place.’

Canolfan y Degwm aims to offer the opportunity for the community to visit and join Welsh speaking groups and become involved with activities locally that take place through the medium of Welsh.

The plan is to make it particularly helpful to parents whose children are being educated through the medium of Welsh and who wish to improve their own command of the language along with them. It will, say the organisers, be somewhere to hear Welsh being spoken as a normal part of day to day life.

Providing a musical dimension at the opening was renowned harpist Katherine Thomas and the children of Ysgol Gymraeg Y Fenni (pictured above) whose rendition of Ar Hyd y Nos in the heat of the day was warmly received.Rhiannon stated, ’The last census showed an increase of Welsh speakers in Monmouthshire. Children and older people who are Welsh speakers are vulnerable when they do not have the opportunity to converse in their first language. This is particularly true for someone who has had a stroke or who has dementia.’

‘This centre will be a place of coming together, We will hold events with Welsh speakers to hear what matters to them. Time and time again, they tell us how important it is to be able to speak to somebody face to face in their first language and to hear those words of comfort when receiving health care.’

Canon Mark Soady said, ‘I am very excited to be working in partnership with the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and other interested parties to create this legacy of the National Eisteddfod in Abergavenny.

‘When the Church took the Tithe Barn back in to its ownership 10 years or so ago we did so with the intention of creating a heritage centre; adding a Welsh Language Centre of Excellence to that seems a natural and appropriate progression.’

Rhiannon added, ‘The Welsh language belongs to us all and we all have a part to play in enjoying what it has to offer. If you would like to know more about this exciting new initiative or if you just simply want to come and see what is on offer, please contact us at [email protected]’.