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Nursery movement receives lottery grant to help introduce Welsh language to Roma and Traveller communities

29 Jun 2021 3 minute read
Picture by Mudiad Meithrin

A nursery movement that provides Welsh-medium early years education has won a grant to help introduce the language to Traveller and Roma communities.

Mudiad Meithrin has received a grant of £9,715 from the National Lottery Community Fund to start Ti a Fi provision on sites in the south-east of Wales.

June is Travellers, Gypsies and Roma month and Mudiad Meithrin said they wanted to share the history, culture and language of these communities and raise awareness helps to tackle prejudice and challenge myths about them.

This project will be a first step towards breaking down barriers to Welsh-medium education, as well as encouraging the rebuilding of early years provisions on sites following COVID-19, they Leanne Marsh, Mudiad Meithrin’s Head of Services Development, said.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to start working with Traveller, Gypsy and Roma communities, as well as receiving guidance from the Travelling Ahead movement, and we thank you for the warm welcome,” she said.

“We want to continue to ensure that children and their families from all communities in Wales come to enjoy play and learning through the medium of Welsh through Cylchoedd Ti a Fi.

“We hope that, as a result of the support of the National Lottery and the People and Places grant, this is the beginning of a journey creating links between minority communities and the Mudiad, proving that the Welsh language belongs to everyone.”

‘Inspired’

Vikki Alexander, Traveller, Gypsy and Roma Sites Mobile Ti a Fi Officer, has already started holding Ti a Fi sessions on a site in Merthyr Tydfil, and there are plans to hold sessions on other sites in south-east Wales in the future.

“I want to bring together the traditions of the Gypsy and Roma communities and the Welsh language to create Ti a Fi sessions that are inclusive and inspire the children and their families to learn Welsh,” she said.

“I use music, dancing and story to bring the language to life for the children and their carers, and Daisy the horse is on hand to help with learning the names of the parts of the body!

“They have inspired me to learn more about their culture and history, and I hope that I can do the same for them in presenting the traditions of Wales.”

To find out more about applying for a grant to help your community, visit here.


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