2014

This is the prize for the Pembrokeshire Shwmae Award Ceremony to be held on October 15th. The Urdd, YFC, Twf, Merched y Wawr, Twf, County Council and Menter Iaith all sponsored the competition which will  honour those who have strived to promote and use the language within the county. The trophy was designed by the talented blacksmith Eifion Thomas. What about organising a similar event as a joint venture with other organisations in your county in 2015?

Merthyr College are holding a photographic exhibition and Pembrokeshire College have produced a special video. Numerous schools in south Wales are holding Welsh language themed activites to encourage staff and pupils and raise monies for charity.

Also getting on board this year is the Big Lunch who have adopted Shwmae Day to hold their celebration, for more information on how to organise a soiree go to  Link    .

We only have a few weeks to go so let us know what you’re going to be up to on the day.

Give it a go!

The Big Lunch is pleased to be supporting this year’s ‘Shwmae Sumae Day’ – the annual Welsh language celebration day on October 15 2014.

The Big Lunch is all about connecting people and strengthening communities, so what better way to practice your Welsh, have fun and share the language than to hold a Big Lunch in your street, school, workplace or local park?

Ideas for celebrating ‘Shwmae Sumae Day’ with a Big Lunch:

• Follow these 5 simple steps to organise your own Big Lunch
• Use our bilingual posters and invitations to promote the event
• Follow our tasty cake recipes and decorate them with the word ‘Shwmae’
• Form a street or office choir to perform the national anthem or sospan fach!
• Request a Big Lunch resource pack from gwybodaeth@thebiglunch.com (limited numbers available so get in quick!)
• Share your events and pictures on Twitter and Facebook

Monday August 4th will see the launch of Diwrnod Shwmae Sumae Day 2014 in the Maes D pod at the National Eisteddfod which his being held in Llanelli,Carmarthenshire. The umbrella group Dathlu’r Gymraeg will launch the campaign in to celebrate the second Shwmae Sumae Day (DSS2014) which once again will take place on October 15^th.

The launch will also introduce this year’s language ambassadors who will include Martyn Croydon, 2013 Learner of the Year, renowned bard and brewer, Myrddin ap Dafydd, S4C presenter Angharad Mair and the author Bethan Gwanas with many more to be confirmed during the campaign.

There was an overwhelming response to the first Diwrnod Shwmae Sumae Day in 2013. Up to a 150 activities took place from the Andes to Ysgol Brynmawr. Schools, businesses, Welsh learner groups and various societies took the day to heart, infusing the events with boundless energy.

There were rapping workshops in Ceredigion, flashmobs in Crymych and coffee mornings from Creigiau to Dyffryn Nantlle. Things are simmering away nicely for this year’s celebrations with an awards ceremony in Pembrokeshire to recognise the achievements of those who have contributed most to the Welsh language in the county. Whilst at Archbishop McGrath High School, Brackla the pupils are already brimming with ideas for October 15^th.

It is a grassroots campaign that operates without any sponsorship showing that the Welsh language belongs to everyone.

Catrin Dafydd, of Dathlu’r Gymraeg said: “Last year was an inspiration and has had a positive knock on effect. As a result of one coffee morning the parents in a school decided to hold Welsh classes to encourage each other to learn the language.

“Dathlu’r Gymraeg hopes that communities across Wales will take ownership of day once again. Some Welsh Adult Learning Centres are already busy organizing events for the day. Shwmae Sumae Day is a day when everyone is encouraged to have confidence in speaking Welsh.

“The Welsh language belongs to everyone who has chosen to make Wales their home, and we, the people of Wales have the power to keep the language alive. Everyone can be a part of the journey from the moment they say “Shwmae” or “Su’mae” at the beginning of a conversation, however fluent we are. ”

For more information, or if you would like to attend the launch, please contact: Gaynor Jones, 07775 847710/ 01554 833902

Dathlu’r Gymraeg Membership:

CAER, Coleg Cymraeg, Cronfa Glyndwr, Cwlwm Cyhoeddwyr Cymru, CYDAG, Friends of the Earth, Cymdeithas Alawon Gwerin, Cymdeithas Bob Owen, Cymdeithas Cerdd Dant Cymru, Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru, Cymdeithas y Cymod, Cymdeithas yr iaith Gymraeg, Eglwys Bresbyteraidd Cymru Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru, Merched y Wawr, Mentrau iaith Cymru, RhAG, UAC, UCAC, UMCA, UMCB, Urdd Gobaith Cymru

Follow us on: www.shwmae.org

Facebook: Diwrnod Shwmae Sumae 2014

Twitter: @shwmaesumae

#DSS2014

Croeso i Shwmae Sumae. Last year there was a fantastic response to our campaign with over a 100 events taking place all over Wales and Shwmae even reached Argentina! Hopefully this year will see the event grow further with celebrations in England, America, infinity and beyond …

Take a look at our website for more information about Shwmae Sumae, to keep tabs on “what’s occurin” in your patch and for ideas to inspire your celebrations this year. You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Organise a coffee morning to practise your Welsh with others, take the opportunity to raise money for a good cause; decorate your shop window with Welsh products; offer a discount in your cafe for the 10th person who comes in and says “Shwmae” that day. Organise a day of quizzes and baking at school. These are all things that happened last year. Let’s make it bigger and better this year- give it a go!