Welsh Learner of the Year 2025 announced

A Welsh learner whose grandparents arrived in Wales as refugees has been announced as the 2025 Welsh Learner of the Year.

This year’s Welsh Learner of the Year is Lucy Cowley, who lives in Llangollen. She was honoured in a special ceremony on the Pavilion stage on Wednesday, following a high-standard competition.

The other three finalists were Rachel Bedwin, who lives in the Bangor area, Hammad Hassan Rind, who lives in Cardiff, and Leanne Parry, who lives in Prestatyn.

Lucy Cowley is from Is-y-Coed, Wrexham, which is the home of this year’s Eisteddfod.

Sharing

Lucy’s grandfather was a refugee from Poland and her grandmother was a refugee from Ukraine.

Although she had some Welsh in school, she wasn’t confident, but while working as a teacher at Holt School, she realised she loved sharing Welsh with the children.

She went on to take courses and started using Welsh resources in the classroom.

She lives in Llangollen and has established a Welsh discussion group in the town, which attracts a group of people from various backgrounds—some new learners and others looking to reconnect with their Welsh.

She designs jewellery and brought a stall to the Llŷn and Eifionydd Eisteddfod.

Lucy’s win was announced on the Pavilion stage on Wednesday, 6 August, and Lucy received the Learner of the Year Trophy, donated by Spencer and Jeni Harris, and £300, donated by Ann Aubrey.

The other three finalists each received £100.

The judges of the competition were Steve Morris, Francesca Sciarrillo, and Ian Gwyn Hughes

Shock

Lucy said after the ceremony that she was still in shock. She shared: “I’m very proud. I never thought I’d win and to do that in Is-y-Coed is fantastic. I’m very emotional, there’s no word to describe how I feel.

“Winning this means the world to me. I live locally and work locally but I didn’t feel like I fit in. I speak with an English accent and I didn’t speak Welsh. People didn’t understand why I was learning Welsh but I’m so glad I did,” she said.

She added that he will carry on with Welsh lessons and hold jewellery lessons in the language.

She joked: “And we will have something to discuss in the next discussion group.”