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 50th 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.”
