‘It’s part of my identity’: Learner takes leading role in Welsh-speaking village life

After moving from Manchester to a Welsh village in 2021, Anthea Fowler decided to learn Welsh, and now uses the language daily as she plays a leading role in her local community.

Anthea and her husband moved to Wales in search of a more community-focused way of life, and were drawn to Llanystumdwy by the village’s close-knit feel. Another draw was the local pub, Tafarn y Plu, which is owned and run by local people.

However, the use of the Welsh language in the area provided much to consider.

Anthea explains: “We wanted to move somewhere with a strong sense of community, the kind of place where neighbours know each other and there’s plenty going on.

“But we also knew it was important to do our research – when we saw that 80% of people in the area spoke Welsh, we knew that learning the language was going to be a priority.

Anthea committed to learning Welsh twice a week through online classes with Learn Welsh North West, delivered by Bangor University on behalf of the National Centre for Learning Welsh.

She has received a warm welcome from the community. Soon after arriving, Anthea was invited to be deputy treasurer of Tafarn y Plu, despite not yet understanding much of the discussion at the annual meeting.

Anthea says: “I was interested in the pub, and the fact it was community-owned, so I went to the annual meeting just six months after moving here.

“Naturally, the meeting was in Welsh, and I didn’t understand much at all. But at one point, I heard my name being said – and a question being asked to me. My friend whispered in my ear, ‘Just say yes’ – so I said ‘ydw’.

“I didn’t realise I’d just agreed to join the committee!”

Since then, Anthea has grown in confidence, understanding the discussions and contributing regularly. She now sees herself as an integral part of the Welsh-speaking community.

In addition to her role at the pub, Anthea has organised a range of local events, including clothes-swapping evenings, traditional lobsgóws nights (a Welsh stew), and even a New Year ‘Fari Lwyd’ celebration featuring folk musician Gwilym Bowen Rhys.

“I bought a horse’s skull and decorated it, and Gwilym came dressed in traditional clothes, singing old Welsh songs.  It was a brilliant night – such a unique experience.”

Looking ahead, Anthea remains passionate about learning Welsh and is excited to see the pub reopen following major renovations taking place over the winter.

“It’s very hard to imagine living in Wales without the language,” she says. “It’s now an important part of my identity. Everything would be completely different without the language.”