The local Menter Iaith (Language Initiative) has been incredibly busy over the past few months organising numerous events under a new project, Llwybrau Llafar, in Wrexham and the surrounding areas. And that is thanks to funding from the Wrexham2029 fund (UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund)
From the ghost-filled, dark and chilling walking tour Taith y Tolaeth, to the paths of Bellevue Park with local schools in Bwystfilod y Bwrdeistref, and a history-packed escape room in Amgueddfaaa! — there was truly something for everyone.
The aim of the series was to show that Wrexham and Wales are full of legends, history, and countless stories, bringing those stories and history, along with local and national heritage, closer to children, young people, and communities in Wrexham in an interactive, creative, and playful way that engages interest and sparks the imagination.
Taith y Tolaeth
It was decided to hold a series of pilot events that would allow us to experiment with styles by adapting the activities depending on the age and background of the participants, their language abilities, and the location. All of this is an opportunity for people to learn about their local area, to practise the Welsh they have, and to celebrate Wrexham.
Our first event was our ghostly tour, full of dark tales and stories of the city’s supernatural occurrences as we wandered through the streets of Wrexham on Halloween night under the guidance of the storyteller Chris Baglin. In fact, Taith y Tolaeth was an event that succeeded in both delighting and frightening those who were brave enough to take part at the same time, with stories and legends about characters such as Judge Jeffreys and Richard Gwyn sending chills down the spines of everyone who joined our tour under the moonlight. Will you be brave enough next year?
Beasts of the Borough
Also in November there was an opportunity to hold a pilot activity with schools local to Bellvue Park in the city. Beasts of the Borough was an opportunity to raise children’s awareness of folklore and local legends, with Chris Baglin (creator of the ‘Here Be Dragons’ legend podcast) and Fiona Collins (author of Wrexham Folktales) guiding the pupils around the park while telling colourful, adventure-filled stories in an interactive and exciting way. There was also an opportunity to take part in a craft activity on the tour, with pupils receiving an educational pack at the end of the activity.
The project emphasized the importance of legends as a record of our history and traditions as Welsh people, presenting them orally in a fresh, unique, and creative way, inspiring children and young people to share the magical charm of the stories with others.
We feel extremely fortunate that the fund has enabled us to create social situations that normalise the Welsh language, place it in a different context, and ensure that the children in the area have positive Welsh experiences, with the aim of influencing their attitude and language use.
Amgueddfaaa!
Activities such as escape rooms and outdoor adventures are currently very popular in several towns and cities, but there is certainly a gap in the market for some Welsh and Welsh-based activities that are mainly focused on a specific area of Wales, namely Wrexham. Amgueddfaaa! is suitable for learners, so it was a fun way for new speakers to use Welsh and practice with others. The escape room was held on the 15th of November at Chapter Court in Wrexham. We hope there will be an opportunity to hold it again in the future.
