New series will uncover the stories of the families who made Wales home

Nation Cymru staff

Presenter Seren Jones will explore the personal stories behind the families who have made Wales their home after arriving from around the world in a new series on S4C.

Cyrraedd Cymru follows Seren as she uncovers stories of migration, resilience and belonging, meeting families across Wales whose journeys began in countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and beyond.

From families whose ancestors arrived centuries ago to those who have made Wales their home in more recent decades, the series reveals the lives, histories and lasting contributions of people whose journeys have become part of Wales’s story.

Cyrraedd Cymru, produced by Cardiff Productions, is the first series Seren has presented on S4C since being named Presenter of the Year at the 2026 RTS Wales Awards.

“In this series, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with contributors, to conduct interviews too, to understand the stories and experiences of people who have arrived in Wales and chosen Wales as their home,” Seren said.

Looking ahead to what viewers can expect from the series, Seren promises: “A lot of emotion. A lot of understanding. A lot of learning.”

Rhys Ruggerio is one of the contributors who have shared their family stories in the series.

His grandparents moved to Wales after his grandfather spent a period as a prisoner of war near Cerrigydrudion during the Second World War.

“After he was released, he returned to Italy and married Nain and had a child and then he came back to live and work on the farm where he worked as a prisoner, and Nain followed afterwards,” Rhys said.

The programme follows Rhys as he retraces his family’s journey, revisiting the farm where his grandparents built a new life together and reflecting on the impact they had on their local community.

“We went to the farm where they would have been after coming to Wales. Just sharing memories and trying to understand the effect they had on the society around them at the time in the middle of nowhere in North Wales.”

Rhys said taking part in the series meant a great deal to him and his family.

“It was just lovely being able to go to different locations and follow Nain and Taid’s journey. Getting to know them better because they came over years ago now, so it was nice to reconnect with our Italian roots,” he added.

“Something we discovered during the filming was a portrait someone had made of Taid on a wall in the farm shed just outside Cerrigydrudion which was still there after 70 years. That’s what I treasure most, getting to see that it’s still there and that people have tried to keep it safe throughout the years.”

Llinos Wynne, S4C’s Head of Docs and Specialist Factual, said: “Who better to tell the story of immigration in Wales than Seren Jones. Her mother’s family had to flee to Britain from Rhodesia. This is a series which reveals new stories about people from all over the world who have called Wales their home and enriched our history.”

Cyrraedd Cymru will be broadcast on S4C, S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer later this year, with Welsh and English subtitles available.

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