This is an invitation for you to be a part of a brand new performing arts club for years 6 and above. It will be held every Tuesday between 18:30 0 20:00 in Stadwen Youth Centre, Bethel Road, Llansamlet, SA7 9QP. The club will re-open 13/09/11.

Twrw Tawe leaders
Elfair Jones is a teacher at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Ynyscedwyn. She has a wealth of experience, including adjudicating singing competitions especially the ‘cerdd dant’ in the Eisteddfod numerous times.

Emyr Jones is the headmaster at Ysgol y Bannau, Brecon. He specialises in the field of folk and clog dancing and has also adjudicated numerous times.

Emyr and Elfair live in Cwmgiedd, Cwm Tawe and both were leaders of the folk society ‘Reit i Wala’ for years.

Cath Price is a teacher at Ysgol Gynradd Pontyberem and is an accomplished accompanist and has conducted various choirs.

The club is being run in partnership between Menter Iaith Abertawe and Menter Iaith Castell Nedd Port Talbot who hope to entice pupils of all ages from both counties. Come and enjoy!

A crew of young people from Ysgol Ystalyfera have shown great entrepreneurial skills and have established a jewellery company called ‘Gemwaith o’r Galon!’. Menter Iaith was so impressed with the new venture that they invited some of the young people to conduct a jewellery making session at a project called ‘Mae Dy Gymraeg Di'n Grêt!’. This is a project that helps young mothers meet on a weekly basis to do various activities through the medium of Welsh. Menter Iaith would like to give a big thanks to Jodie Kedward and Elin Phillips for giving their time and conducting the session. A great time was had by all, and beautiful jewellery was created, perfect timing for giving at Christmas…or maybe to keep for themselves!

Menter Iaith took another crew of young people to be a part of the audience in the Christmas edition of the popular programme ‘Jonathan’. Even though the bus was stuck in a traffic jam for nearly 2 hours because of an accident, when we eventually got to the studio at the Ffatri Bop, Porth, Rhondda a cracking time was had by all. The young people really enjoyed the Christmas feel to the night and were more than happy with the guests who included Shane Williams, one of the worlds best rugby players, and Caryl Parry Jones one of Wales’ most prominent performers.

Menter Iaith and the Urdd organized a residential trip for the young people of Neath Port Talbot to Pentre Ifan, Pembrokeshire.
The young people enjoyed whilst relaxing, cooking, playing games and socializing as well as visiting Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber, Waldo Williams’ commemorative monument, and Thomas Rees’ (Twm Carnabwth) grave. Also a Welsh Language awareness session was had, where the young people had a rare opportunity to discuss, share feelings and state their opinion on the Welsh language.
Everybody thoroughly enjoyed and the group is eager to arrange a similar trip in the near future.

The opening night of Twrw Tawe, an exciting and new performing arts club, was very successful with 21 young people attending. Menter Iaith and the club leaders were more than happy to see such a good turn out, and seeing the young people really enjoying themselves as well as learning some new performing techniques. Don’t forget that Twrw Tawe is held every Tuesday evening from 18:30 – 20:00, so come along and join the fun!

Menter Iaith wanted to feel a little more festive, so they arranged a trip to go Ice Skating at the Waterfront Winterland, Swansea. The crew of keen year 7 students from Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera and the Menter staff left straight from school on Tuesday the 14th of December, and after arriving the young people had a chance to wander around the ‘Winterland’ tasting the various foods and sweets available, not to mention going on the exciting rides. Some of the young people had obviously skated before, where some might just a little more practice….including the staff!! A good time was had by all, and everyone is looking forward to a similar trip soon.

Menter Iaith and the Urdd took a bus full of young people from Neath Port Talbot to the Millennium Stadium on the 19th of November to watch Wales take on Fiji. The young people consisted of pupils from Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera and Cwmtawe School.
Everybody was on top form, some losing their voices from singing songs like Calon Lan and Delilah on top of their voices, and others by expressing their satisfaction (very loudly!) that the ‘Saturdays’ were singing as half time entertainment!
The game itself was disappointing with a bad performance by Wales, ending as a draw game. However the trip was successful with the young people thoroughly enjoying and glad to have the opportunity to support the national team at the Millennium Stadium.

On the 18th of October, Menter Iaith arranged for Arad Goch Theatre Company to bring their most recent show ‘Cwrw, Chips a Darlith Deg’ to Neath Port Talbot.
‘Cwrw, Chips a Darlith Deg’ is a comedy in the company of Gary Jones, a fresher student from the valleys who is trying to become a man. We meet Gary at the end of his first term in college and we get to know his family and his friends, we also hear about his pub crawls, lectures and girls! The drama will remind past students of their mad youth, will hold a mirror to the lives of present students, and will be an eye opener for students of the future.
It was a fantastic evening with Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera’s main hall jam-packed.