Welsh culture projects enjoy share of almost £100,000 funding

Welsh language and culture projects in Merthyr Tydfil are celebrating St David’s Day with a share of almost £100,000 worth of grants paid out by a local community fund.

The Ffos-y-fran Community Benefit Fund Intermediate Grants programme is supporting organisations ranging from Welsh medium playgroups to community groups and schools.

Welsh arts project Artis Community Cymuned has received £5,000 for choir tuition and other costs of its weekly Merthyr Crafty Cuppa group at Theatre Soar; and Pontsticill Community Group has been awarded £4,500 for its Welsh language projects, including courses on Welsh place names and celebrations.

Welsh medium preschool group Cylch Meithrin Pentre Bach is receiving £4,989 for soft furnishings, carpets, seating, dressing-up clothes and puppets; and Ysgol Santes Tudful received £5,000 funding to put on 50^th anniversary celebrations with art exhibitions and performances for the community.

The Ffos-y-fran Community Benefit Fund was established by the County Borough Council in collaboration with local mining company Merthyr (South Wales) Limited. 

It donates £1 for every ton of coal sold from the Ffos-y-fran land reclamation scheme, and since the site opened in 2007, more than £6m has been awarded to a wide range of groups and causes.

The Council’s Welsh Language Champion Cllr Geraint Thomas said: “We were delighted to receive applications from a range of projects involved with Welsh language and culture, proving the growing interest in its revival among Merthyr Tydfil residents.”

For further information or an intermediate application form please go to our webpage https://www.merthyr.gov.uk/resident/regeneration/ffos-y-fran-community-fund/ or contact the Ffos-y-fran Benefit Fund Coordinator on 01685 726225 or ffosyfran@merthyr.gov.uk