Watch: Cerys Matthews voices BSL storybook ‘Gelert, a Man’s Best Friend’ in Welsh and English

Iconic Welsh singer, broadcaster and writer, Cerys Matthews has contributed to a special British Sign Language (BSL) video of her storybook ‘Gelert, a Man’s Best Friend’ in Welsh and English.

Cerys’s participation comes as part of a BSL Storytime project for the Welsh Government’s free ‘Hwb’ Digital Learning Platform resources.

Inclusive

Since 2022, Wales became the first country in the UK to include British Sign Language in its Curriculum.

And to help learners, the innovators at Atebol have helped to introduce new BSL adaptations of some of Wales’ most treasured legends and stories – from Gelert to the Mabinogi.

Commissioned especially by the Welsh Government, the unique resource, ‘BSL Storytime’, puts BSL at the forefront of the storytelling.

Produced by Atebol and Deaf Friendly, this collection of 38 trilingual videos supports the local and national cross cutting theme in the Curriculum for Wales.

Engaging

The aim of the resource is to provide practitioners with engaging content they can use with young BSL learners. The videos are appropriate for ages 5-11 and can be viewed for free on the Welsh Government’s digital learning platform, ‘Hwb’.

The videos feature striking background illustrations from the original storybooks published by some of Wales’s leading publishers. Each story is interpreted engagingly in BSL with a voiceover in Welsh or English.

‘Delighted’

Cerys Matthews said: “I’m delighted that my children’s storybook, ‘Gelert’ is now available as a British Sign Language adaptation too.

“BSL is such a vibrant and expressive language, it really brings the story to life. I loved voicing the story in Welsh and English and watching it being interpreted in BSL for the first time.

“And best of all, it’s free for everyone to enjoy on the Welsh Government’s ‘Hwb’ website.”

A host of other books have also been include in the project, such as Atebol’s popular take on the Mabinogi’s  ‘Branwen’ (pictured above).

View more free digital content on the Welsh Government’s ‘Hwb’ here.