Winners of Grŵp Llandrillo Menai Welsh Language Awards 2023/24
Members of staff from across the Grŵp were celebrated for their commitment to the Welsh language
The winners of Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s Welsh Language Awards 2023/24 were celebrated in an awards ceremony recently.
The annual awards recognise staff who have shown a commitment to learning Welsh and improving their language skills.
Each year there is also an award for the ‘Welsh Champion of the Year’ - recognising a member of staff for their commitment to supporting others with their Welsh and promoting the Welsh language and culture within departments.
Staff members are nominated by their managers, with a panel then selecting the winners. The panel was chaired by Aled Jones Griffith, Principal of Coleg Menai and Coleg Meirion Dwyfor, and also comprised Angharad Roberts, Director of Bilingual Development, Learning Resources and Skills; Leusa Jones, Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Branch and Bilingualism Officer; and Siân Pritchard, Sgiliaith, Bilingual Development and Equality Manager.
This year there were 12 winners chosen from 24 nominations. The winners were:
Welsh Champion of the Year
Iona Jones, ACL Conwy & Denbighshire Lecturer (Hwb Dinbych)
Work Welsh Learner of the Year - Management
Jake Halstead, MIS Manager
Work Welsh Learner of the Year - Academic Staff
- Ruth Ann Jackson, Health & Care, Sport and Public Services Lecturer (Coleg Menai)
- Alison Mercer, Computing & Creative Industries Lecturer (Coleg Llandrillo)
- Becs Conant, ILS Facilitator (Coleg Menai and Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor)
- Ian Marshall, Sport & Public Services Lecturer (Coleg Llandrillo)
- Matt Morris, Sport & Public Services Lecturer (Coleg Llandrillo)
Work Welsh Learner of the Year - Support Staff
- Andrea Holmes, Corporate Services Personal Assistant, Rhos-on-Sea
- Stephen Roberts, Study Skills Facilitator, Rhyl
- Hannah Ibbotson, Health & Safety SHE Officer, Rhos-on-Sea
Work Welsh Learner of the Year - WBL Staff
- Laura Standish, Busnes@LlandrilloMenai Assessor, Llwyn Brain
- Jan Sowtus, Busnes@LlandrilloMenai Assessor, Abergele
The winners were recognised in a ceremony at Coleg Llandrillo’s Rhos-on Sea campus, where they were congratulated by Aled Jones-Griffith. He presented each winner with a piece of specially designed artwork depicting a map of Wales interwoven with words and images representing Welsh language and culture.
Aled said: “Once again this year it was a pleasure to be part of the awards process as we as a Grŵp took pride in the efforts and dedication of our staff to use and improve their Welsh language skills on a practical level.
“Although it isn't possible to reward all the candidates, it is important that we recognise the effort of everyone who came to our attention.
“May I also remind all members of staff to continue to support the excellent efforts of our colleagues who are learning the language, and to make every effort to help these new Welsh speakers on their journey.
“Thank you very much for your respect for the Welsh language, and for your perseverance and desire to learn the language. We are all very grateful to you and extremely proud of you all.”
Angharad Roberts, Director of Bilingual Development, Learning Resources and Skills, said: "We are immensely proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our dedicated staff members.
“Winning these Welsh language awards not only recognises their commitment to learning Welsh but also their dedication to championing Welsh within our college community.
“Their passion for the language enriches the learning experience for both our staff and learners, contributing to the Government's ambition of reaching a million Welsh speakers by 2050. These awards are a testament to their hard work and unwavering enthusiasm, and we congratulate them wholeheartedly on this well-deserved recognition.”