Cered: Ceredigion’s Welsh Language Initiative will be busy between 1 and 4 March with events to celebrate St David’s Day in Aberystwyth and Lampeter.
In Lampeter, a parade will be held on Friday, 2 March and hundreds of local residents of all ages are expected to march through the streets of the town, waving flags to the sound of welcoming Welsh music. Amongst the marchers will be schools, societies, clubs and members of the district churches. All the schools and societies have been asked to display their organisations’ flags and wear the traditional Welsh costume or something red.
The parade will begin at 12:45pm at Ysgol Bro Pedr and finish with a special seremony in the Orsedd park where Ben Lake MP, Elin Jones AM and Lampeter Town Council will greet the marchers. The entertainment will consist of speakers, Cwmann and District Choir and an ensemble from Ysgol Bro Pedr. Following the parade, there will be a dance session with Sally Saunders and Sioned Rees for Year 5 and 6 pupils of the district.
Owain Llŷr, Cered’s Senior Development Officer, explained how the plan to hold a parade was developed, “During 2017, Cered held focus groups as part of the Pwerdy Iaith Lampeter and District plan in order to assess the situation of the Welsh Language in the district and think about projects to develop that would boost the language locally. One of the ideas discussed was to establish a St David’s parade through the town by following similar examples in towns such as Aberystwyth and Carmarthen who’ve developed similar parades over the last years. Following on from the focus groups, members of Lampeter Town Council arranged a committee to go ahead and organise the parade. Cered has supported this work as part of its community work initiative.”
As part of the celebrations in Lampeter, all of the town’s café’s will offer Welsh food on St David’s day itself, 1 March. A competition is held for the town’s businessess for the best decorated shop window. The winning business will receive a prize donated by the Town Council. To close the celebrations, a gig will be held on Saturday, 3 March with Fleur de Lys, Mei Emrys a’r Band, Bwca and Ysgol Bro Pedr DJs performing. Tickets can be bought for £8 in advance by contacting Cered on 01545 572350 or email cered@ceredigion.gov.uk and £10 at the door.
The parade is being sponsored by Lampeter Town Council, Cered, LAS, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, W. D. Lewis, Lampeter Rotary Club, Pedr and Lampeter Lunch Club.
As well as playing a leading role in organising the Lampeter St David's Day celebrations, Cered has also been busy organising special activities in Aberystwyth. On Saturday, 3 March, Cered will be holding a day of Welsh activities and entertainment for all the family as part of the Aberystwyth Festival Parade day. ‘Cered on the Prom’ will take place between 9.30am and 4pm at the Bandstand and includes a performance by the Welsh Whisperer, the hugely popular entertainer at 2pm.
There will be bands performing from some of the district's primary schools who have been taking part in composing pop song workshops with Steff Rees from Bwca, also a Community Development Officer for Cered. A number of workshops will be held, all free to attend. Artist Meinir Mathias will be leading an art workshop, a story session for babies, a costume creating workshop with Arad Goch and a children's clogging workshop with Tasgu.
Ceredigion County Council Leader, Councillor Ellen ap Gwynn said, “The Council is proud to support Cered, who is working hard to influence and develop the use of the Welsh language in Ceredigion. Through events organised such as these, everyone who loves Wales and wants Wales to flourish, whatever their background, can have a chance to celebrate and enjoy St David's Day together.”
If you would like more information about these events or for the wider work of Cered, like their Facebook page @ceredmenteriaith, follow them on Twitter, @MICered, or visit their website at www.cered.wales.
12/02/2018