Company bosses urged to use Welsh language to revitalise rural economy

Companies in the Welsh speaking heartlands of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire will be urged to make more use of the language to revitalise the rural economy.

The call will come at a special summit in Llanelli to celebrate the achievements of the Bwrlwm ARFOR project that’s reaching out to businesses, from village shops to multi-million pound operations.

The aim to create opportunities for young people and families to help them stay in or return to their home communities.

The project part of the £11 million Welsh Government ARFOR Two scheme that’s targeting the Welsh strongholds of Ynys Môn, Gwynedd, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire to create opportunities for young people and families to help them stay in or return to their home communities.

The keynote speaker at the ARFOR24 event at Llanelli’s Parc y Scarlets on Thursday, November 28, will be Welsh Government Minister for the Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans.

There will also be exhibitions by jeweller Elen Bowen, of Gemwaith Elen Bowen in Newcastle Emlyn, who has benefited from Lafan’s Llwyddo’n Lleol project, and brewery Bragdy Cybi, from Holyhead, who have been supported by ARFOR’s Cymunedau Mentrus – Enterprising Communities scheme.

In addition to the summit there is the Ffair Fasnach – Trade Fair exhibition sponsored by law firm Darwin Gray which has offices in Cardiff and at Parc Menai, Bangor.

The event is being organised by fast-growing Ynys Môn-based consultancy Lafan as part of the Welsh Government’s Welsh language strategy, Cymraeg 2050, which aims to ensure there are a million Welsh speakers by 2050, and runs until the end of March.

It will be compered by TV personality Angharad Mair, and there will be short presentations by four businesses from across the ARFOR area explaining how they embrace the Welsh language and benefit from its use.

Zoe Pritchard, who’s been leading the project for Lafan, said: “The Welsh language is a business advantage in Wales and our aim has been to create a buzz around the use of Welsh in the commercial environment.

“Our aim is to showcase the economic benefits that speaking Welsh and promoting the language in businesses can have and boost your bottom line.

“Conversely, the fact is that not using Welsh or at least having the language on show can cost money by losing out on that Welsh audience.

“The language is a key part of life in our communities and can help businesses thrive and provide careers for our young people so they don’t feel they have to move away.

“We have been delighted to identify so many businesses across the four counties which make good use of the language to offer great service, employ Welsh-speaking staff and provide a unique selling point for visitors.

“Visitors like history and heritage and to learn about different cultures and in Wales we have a living, breathing language and culture so using Welsh is a massive benefit.

“If we don’t use Welsh or have the language actively seen or heard in shops and businesses across the ARFOR area, then we will be losing out as an economy.”

She said that businesses across the ARFOR region are actively engaging with the project and earlier this year their Gwobrau Mwyaf Cymraeg (Most Welsh in the World) competition attracted hundreds of entries from the four counties.

The trailblazers included Tetrim Teas, of Trimsaran in Carmarthenshire, whose wellbeing teas include exotic flavours like lion’s mane mushroom where the mushrooms are encouraged to grow by being shouted at in Welsh.

Business manager Kelly Stockwell said: “We have discovered that the mushrooms respond to shocks such as shouting at them or playing loud music by growing more quickly so of course we shout at them in Welsh.

“Sustainability is at the heart of our business and we would like to source all our ingredients in Wales as much as we can to lower our food miles and our three mushroom units funded by ARFOR grow Lion’s Mane, Shiitake and Wood Oyster varieties.”

Sglods, a fish and chip shop in the village of Llanon, between Aberaeron and Aberystwyth, in Ceredigion, scooped the Most Welsh in the World Award for the Best Welsh Brand for Aled and Nia Roberts.

They serve up as much locally-sourced food as they can source along with healthy helpings of the language and local history and culture.

Aled said: “Welsh is an important part of our business because Welsh is very much in use in this area. From the signs outside and the menu boards inside to our social media pages we make extensive use of the language and are proud to do so.”

Nia added: “We wanted to name the business in Welsh and it’s an easy name that anyone can understand and say.

“Our success has been that we get people coming in and they may be learning Welsh and they look at the board which is bilingual and so they can order in Welsh because they want to try.”

Cabinet-maker Geraint Edwards, from Llandeilo, in Carmarthenshire, who won the Individual title at the inaugural Most Welsh in the World Awards this summer, said: “The Welsh language is part of me and my story and it definitely helps with my work.

“When I was living in Cardiff and in the building trade I was different from most builders because I spoke Welsh and even here in Carmarthenshire not many have their name and what they do in Welsh on their vans.

“I think customers really appreciate it and like to use a Welsh speaker particularly those who are first language Welsh themselves and who can talk to me in the language they are most comfortable in.

“The Welsh language is part of who I am – just like my red hair. It’s a constant in my life. I was born and bred speaking Welsh, I did my work in school in Welsh, my degree in Welsh and now I’m a carpenter and cabinet maker.

“Welsh has always been there on every step of my journey – it’s what anchors me.”

Sion Fon, of Darwin Gray, said: “We’re delighted to support the event at Parc y Scarlets. Darwin Gray as a company has a reach across Wales with offices in Cardiff and Bangor and and are fully committed to offering a bilingual service from both offices.

“We believe the Bwrlwm ARFOR project can play a vital role in strengthening the Welsh language in its rural heartlands and in ensuring there are jobs and careers for young people from those areas within the communities they have grown up in.

“It makes good business sense too because the Welsh language is thriving and can have real benefits and relevance to businesses across the four counties and this event celebrates the many businesses across the four counties which make good use of the language and use it with confidence and pride.”

ARFOR Two was part of the Welsh Government Co-operation Agreement with Plaid Cymru and followed an earlier ARFOR programme launched in 2019.

It is intended to provide economic support to communities that are strongholds of the Welsh language, increase opportunities to see and use the Welsh language on a daily basis and help young people under the age of 35 to stay in or return to their communities.

For more information about Bwrlwm ARFOR and the support that’s available contact Lafan by emailing post@lafan.cymru