A Prestatyn-based artisan cheese shop has aided in Welsh translation service Helo Blod’s one million word milestone after using the service to connect with their customers.
The Little Cheesemonger shop is a specialist cheese shop stocking Welsh cheese from North to South Wales as well as fine British and European cheeses, and Welsh gin. In an effort to use more of the Welsh language in their business, The Little Cheesemonger sought support from Helo Blod, a free translation and advice service provided by the Welsh Government that helps businesses benefit from using more Welsh.
Run by passionate cheese and fine food expert, Gemma Williams, The Little Cheesemonger uses Helo Blod to ensure that shop signage and cheese labels are in both Welsh and English, as well as using the service to translate and check copy for the Little Cheesemonger’s social media platforms.
Helo Blod is celebrating translating 1 million words this month having introduced more than 1000 businesses across Wales to the benefits of using more Welsh as part of a push to help double the daily use of Welsh by 2050.
Launched in March 2020 to support the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 strategy, Helo Blod offers businesses and charities up to 500 words a month translated, free of charge.
The fast and friendly service also offers text checking of up to 1000 words as well as practical advice, guidance, and support to help businesses use more Welsh. Including providing bilingual signage or lanyards and badges, which let customers know that businesses have staff who can speak or are learning Welsh.
Over the past two years, 1,121 businesses across Wales have said helo to Blod either online or by phone, with the service proving popular among cafes, shops, professional services and food and drink producers looking to use more Welsh into their website content, product signage, social media posts or advertising.
Gemma says that the practical support that Helo Blod provided has made a tremendous impact on her business and has helped her connect with customers from Wales and beyond.
Speaking about the benefits of incorporating more Welsh in her business, Gemma said: “Using Welsh helps you reach more people – I get real enjoyment from tourists being immersed in the Welsh language when they visit the town and the shop.
“Using the Helo Blod service has helped me with my confidence in using Welsh within my business. Sending off the text for a social media post ahead of an event reassures me that everything is going to be correct when it goes out online. “
Celebrating the milestone million words announcement alongside Helo Blod, MS Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, said: “Helo Blod, our free Welsh translation and advice service for businesses and charities, has helped thousands of people to use more Welsh in their daily lives. Just using a little Welsh can help you spread your message further, turn customers into regulars and bring communities together.
“So, if you’re a business, charity or community enterprise, try our service today, and let us help you to use more Welsh. Together we can double the daily use of Welsh by 2050.”
Businesses can say helo to Blod on 03000 25 88 88 or by searching ‘helo blod’ today to use a little more Welsh in their business.
