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Nation•Cymru A news service by the people of Wales, for the people of Wales.

Feature

The Englishman who wants to be one in a million Welsh speakers

By Stephen Price
Simon Gregory

Londoner Simon Gregory started learning Welsh in 2020 after he heard of the Welsh Government’s target to reach a million Welsh speakers by 2050 and is now helping to set up a Welsh Language Society in the UK's capital.

Simon, a retired bank worker, had no prior connection with Wales but felt he would like to learn the language in order to support a unique culture in Britain.  He now counts learning Welsh as his main interest.

Simon started learning Welsh in an online class with Learn Welsh Swansea Bay Region, run by Swansea University on behalf of the National Centre for Learning Welsh.

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Cymdeithas yr Iaith

Simon explained: “I find the Welsh language very interesting, and I’ve learned a lot about the culture and history of Wales.

“As I live in London, I don't see or hear the language often, but I make an effort to find opportunities to speak the language.

“I’m now helping establish a branch of the Welsh Language Society (Cymdeithas yr Iaith) in London and I also volunteer on the Peace Petition project, transcribing the names and addresses of those who signed the petition in 1923/1924.

“I joined the National Centre for Learning Welsh’s scheme to pair fluent Welsh speakers with learners, Siarad, and now have a Welsh speaking partner in Porthcawl (we speak via WhatsApp) and a learner who lives in my area (we meet in a café).

“I'm a member of Côr Gwalia, a men’s choir in London and I enjoy reading Welsh books and watching S4C, especially Pobol y Cwm!  I also visit Wales as often as possible.”

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Admiration

Learn Welsh tutor, Tracey Eccott, has been teaching Simon online for the last few years.  She’s delighted to have Simon in the class, as his enthusiasm is contagious, and he brings humour and positivity to the virtual classroom.

"I admire the way Simon has proactively sought opportunities to use the language socially,” explains Tracey.

"His willingness to take advantage of opportunities to practise his Welsh, face-to-face in London, during various residential courses in Wales and by participating in online activities, is key to his success as a new speaker."

Learn Welsh classes are available through the National Centre for Learning Welsh.

For more information, visit learnwelsh.cymru

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16 comments

Garycymru

Da iawn Simon! I've always been pleasantly surprised to see a sizeable chunk of our classes are our neighbours over the river. Beautiful to see a level of respect so rare these days.

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Y Cymro

Credit to Londoner Simon Gregory for taking the time & effort in learning Welsh. Far too often do we see those who move to Wales say they will not learn the language even though they move to areas predominantly Welsh speaking. A good example is one Reform UK candidate and former Ukip/Brexit party Senedd candidate Nathan Gill. This a man who moved to Ynys Mon in the early 1980s and arrogantly refused to integrate by learning Welsh. Also , I can recall Gill demanded that immigrants coming to the UK must learn English. Hypocrisy personified seeing his own narrow-minded bigoted attitudes to Britain's native language Welsh. See, I want more people like Simon Gregory moving to Wales and less pond life like little Englander Nathan Gill.

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Garycymru

Nail. Head. Perfectly put.

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Dave

Simon won't be counted in the statistics..it's one million Welsh speaker IN Wales.

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Zarah Daniel

Maybe he won't be a statistic. So what? He can still be an inspiration to others. In the middle of London he has managed to become a successful Welsh learner AND he's been brave enough to use it socially - in LONDON!! I, however (sad case that I am) have been sporadically trying to learn it through apps off and on for years but I've never had the courage to join a class or try to speak Welsh with actual Welsh speakers......and I'm born and raised Welsh!!!! Okay, I did grow up in a completely English speaking area and spent a lot of my adult life outside of Wales' but Simon found a way to get it done. To be completely honest, maybe I feel a little bit shamed into feeling that I've let my culture down by not trying to show at least as much respect for it as this distant Londoner. Maybe SIMON won't be counted in the stats but I suspect that there's going to be a few learners in there who were inspired by him and I'm very glad that NC took the opportunity to tell his story.

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GravG

Respect to you Zarah.

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Philiip Evans

Da iawn Simon. Cadw ati.

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Len

Ie. Da iawn Simon.

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Alan Thomas

Pob clod i Simon. 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

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John Ellis

When, for family reasons, I left Wales to move back to my native north-west of England in 1984, I was rather surprised to discover that my new local authority in Greater Manchester was running adult evening classes for people who wanted to learn Welsh. As I recall, they didn't last that long because the Thatcher government imposed restrictions on local councils funding adult education which was predominantly 'recreational' rather than focused on equipping participants with work skills, but it was interesting to discover that there was enough demand in an English town to make Welsh learner evening classes viable.

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Paul ap Ioan

I started to learn Cymraeg in Welsh Chapel in Manchester. There was a good size class, and a reasonably sized congregation who worshipped at the chapel. I performed in an eiddstedfod as well. Dwi'n byw yn Sir Gâr nawr a siarad Cymraeg bob dydd.

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John Ellis

Would that be the Eglwys Bresbyteraidd in West Didsbury? If so, I lived within about a mile of it between 1997 and 2016.

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GravG

Ardderchog Paul.👍🏼

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GravG

I've often said that some of the Welsh language's greatest supporters come from outside Wales. There are very many Muslim Welsh learners also who even compete at the National Eisteddfod. Top marks to you Simon for your respect and your dedication to Welsh culture. Excellent. Diolch yn fawr Simon.

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Simon Gregory

Diolch am eich geiriau caredig

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Steven Green

Good on you Simon! You always were a mad bastard.

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Credit to Londoner Simon Gregory for taking the time & effort in learning Welsh. Far too often do we see those who move to Wales say they will not learn the language even though they move to areas predominantly Welsh speaking. A goo...

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