Mae’n bleser mawr gennym groesawu Aled Illtud Humphreys fel Prif Weithredwr newydd Menter Iaith Rhondda Cynon Taf. Yn enedigol ac wedi ei fagu yn Rhondda Cynon Taf, mae gan Aled gysylltiad dwfn â’r ardal, ei chymunedau a’r Gymraeg. Gyda phrofiad helaeth o weithio mewn rolau cymunedol ac ymrwymiad cryf i hyrwyddo’r Gymraeg, rydym yn falch iawn ei fod yn ymuno â’r Fenter i arwain y sefydliad i’r bennod nesaf. Dyma ychydig eiriau gan Aled am ei gefndir, ei weledigaeth a’i obeithion ar gyfer y dyfodol:

We are delighted to welcome Aled Illtud Humphreys as the new Chief Executive of Menter Iaith Rhondda Cynon Taf. Born and raised in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Aled has a deep-rooted connection to the area, its communities and the Welsh language. With extensive experience in community-focused roles and a strong commitment to promoting Welsh, we are thrilled that he is joining the Menter to lead the organisation into its next chapter. Here are a few words from Aled about his background, his vision, and his hopes for the future:

Shwmae,

Fy enw i yw Aled Illtud Humphreys, a fi sydd â’r fraint o fod yn Brif Weithredwr newydd Menter Iaith Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Fel rhywun gafodd ei eni a’i fagu yn Rhondda Cynon Taf, mae’r ardal, ei phobl a’i chymunedau wastad wedi golygu llawer i mi. Ces i fy addysg drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg yn Ysgol Gynradd Garth Olwg ac yna Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen. I mi, roedd y Gymraeg yn llawer mwy nag iaith yr ysgol; roedd hi’n iaith gweithgareddau, ffrindiau, cymuned a chyfleoedd.

Dros y blynyddoedd, dwi wedi cael perthynas â’r Fenter mewn sawl ffordd: fel plentyn oedd yn elwa ar ei gweithgareddau, wedyn fel gwirfoddolwr, ac yn ddiweddarach fel partner proffesiynol. Ges i fy ngeni dim ond dwy flynedd ar ôl sefydlu Menter Taf-Elái, felly mewn ffordd dwi wedi tyfu i fyny ochr yn ochr â’r Fenter. Mae’n fraint enfawr cael y cyfle nawr i gyfrannu rhywbeth yn ôl.

Mae’r Gymraeg wedi rhoi cymaint i mi, a dyna pam mae’r gwaith hwn mor bwysig i mi. Dwi eisiau i fwy o bobl ar draws Rhondda Cynon Taf gael y cyfle i deimlo bod y Gymraeg yn rhan naturiol o’u bywydau, eu cymunedau a’u dyfodol.

Cyn ymuno â’r Fenter, roeddwn i’n gweithio mewn rolau cymunedol yn Rhondda Cynon Taf, gan gynnwys cyfnod yng Nghanolfan Garth Olwg, ac yna bron i bum mlynedd fel Cydlynydd Canolfan Calon Taf ym Mharc Coffa Ynysangharad, Pontypridd. Dechreuais yng Nghalon Taf ym mis Hydref 2021, cyn i’r ganolfan gael ei hadeiladu. Rhoddodd hynny gyfle i mi fynd allan i’r gymuned o’r diwrnod cyntaf, adeiladu partneriaethau a dod i adnabod y bobl a’r sefydliadau oedd yn gwneud gwaith gwych ym Mhontypridd a thu hwnt.

Cefais y fraint o helpu i ddatblygu Calon Taf o fod yn syniad ac yn safle adeiladu i fod yn ganolfan brysur oedd yn croesawu ysgolion, gwirfoddolwyr, dosbarthiadau Addysg Oedolion, grwpiau lles, haneswyr, artistiaid, garddwyr a phartneriaid cymunedol.

Un o uchafbwyntiau fy nghyfnod yno oedd Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Rhondda Cynon Taf 2024. Roedd cael gweithio gyda’r Cyngor i roi cyfleoedd i artistiaid lleol berfformio ar y Bandstand yn rhywbeth roeddwn i’n hynod falch ohono. Roedd hefyd yn brofiad personol iawn: roeddwn i’n cynrychioli fy ardal, yn fy ngweithle, yng nghanol y parc roeddwn i wedi tyfu i fyny yn ei fwynhau. Roedd gweld y Gymraeg yn llenwi Pontypridd am wythnos gyfan yn rhywbeth fydda i byth yn ei anghofio.

Roedd Menter Iaith Rhondda Cynon Taf yn bartner cyson drwy gydol fy amser yng Nghalon Taf. Buom yn cydweithio ar ddathliadau Dydd Gŵyl Dewi, Parti Ponty a nifer o weithgareddau eraill, felly dwi wedi gweld faint o waith, egni a brwdfrydedd sydd yn y Fenter. Er fy mod yn symud i rôl newydd, mewn sawl ffordd dwi’n parhau i weithio gyda’r un gymuned.

Hoffwn ddiolch o galon i Osian Rowlands am ei waith fel Prif Weithredwr. Mae Osian wedi gweithio’n galed ac yn frwdfrydig dros y Gymraeg a’n cymunedau, ac mae wedi gadael sylfaen gadarn iawn i adeiladu arni. Pob lwc iddo wrth iddo ddechrau ei bennod nesaf fel Prif Weithredwr Menter Iaith Caerffili.

Wrth ddechrau yn y swydd, y peth sy’n fy nghyffroi fwyaf yw cael mynd allan i gwrdd â phobl. Dwi eisiau clywed beth sydd yn gweithio, beth hoffech chi weld mwy ohono, lle mae’r bylchau, a beth allwn ni ei wneud gyda’n gilydd. Dwi hefyd yn lwcus i ymuno â thîm sydd yn llawn profiad, egni a syniadau. Dwi eisiau gwrando a dysgu gan y tîm, y Bwrdd, ein gwirfoddolwyr, ein partneriaid a’r gymuned leol.

I mi, llwyddiant y Fenter fydd gweld mwy o bobl yn teimlo bod y Gymraeg yn perthyn iddyn nhw. Does dim rhaid bod yn rhugl i fod yn rhan o gymuned Gymraeg. Dwi eisiau i ni gynnal a chreu cyfleoedd sy’n rhoi hyder i bobl ddefnyddio a chryfhau’r Gymraeg sydd ganddyn nhw.

Tu fas i’r gwaith, dwi wrth fy modd yn mynd am dro o amgylch y cymoedd, yn enwedig ar Fynydd y Garth a Mynydd Gelliwion. Dwi hefyd yn gwirfoddoli yng Nghlwb y Bont ac yn helpu i gynnal digwyddiadau yno.

Fel rhywun sydd wedi elwa ar waith y Fenter ers pan oeddwn i’n ifanc, mae’n teimlo’n iawn cael y cyfle nawr i roi rhywbeth yn ôl. Dwi’n hynod falch o’n cymunedau ni yn Rhondda Cynon Taf, ac yn edrych ymlaen at weithio gyda phobl yn yr ardal i helpu’r Gymraeg i ffynnu, tyfu a chael ei defnyddio’n naturiol yn ein cymoedd ni.

Felly, os welwch chi fi o gwmpas Rhondda Cynon Taf, dewch draw i ddweud shwmae. Dwi eisiau clywed eich syniadau, beth rydych chi’n ei garu am y Gymraeg yn ein hardal, a beth hoffech chi weld y Fenter yn ei wneud nesaf.

Dwi’n edrych ymlaen yn arw at y bennod nesaf. Mae’r Gymraeg yn perthyn i bawb!

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Shwmae,

My name is Aled Illtud Humphreys, and I have the privilege of being the new Chief Executive Officer of Menter Iaith Rhondda Cynon Taf.

As someone who was born and raised in Rhondda Cynon Taf, the area, its people and its communities have always meant a great deal to me. I was educated through the medium of Welsh at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Garth Olwg and then Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen. For me, Welsh was much more than the language of school; it was the language of activities, friendships, community and opportunity.

Over the years, I have been involved with the Menter in several ways: first as a child taking part in its activities, then as a volunteer, and later as a professional partner. I was born just two years after Menter Taf-Elái was established, so in many ways I have grown up alongside the organisation. It is now a great privilege to have the opportunity to give something back.

The Welsh language has given me so much, and that is why this work is so important to me. I want more people across Rhondda Cynon Taf to have the opportunity to feel that Welsh is a natural part of their lives, their communities and their future.

Before joining the Menter, I worked in community roles in Rhondda Cynon Taf, including a period at Canolfan Garth Olwg, and then almost five years as Coordinator of Canolfan Calon Taf Centre at Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, Pontypridd. I started at Calon Taf in October 2021, before the centre had even been built. That gave me the opportunity to get out into the community from day one, build partnerships, and get to know the people and organisations doing excellent work in Pontypridd and beyond.

I had the privilege of helping to develop Calon Taf from an idea and a construction site into a busy centre that welcomed schools, volunteers, Adult Education classes, wellbeing groups, historians, artists, gardeners and community partners.

One of the highlights of my time there was the National Eisteddfod of Rhondda Cynon Taf 2024. Working with the Council to create opportunities for local artists to perform on the Bandstand was something I was extremely proud of. It was also a very personal experience: I was representing my area, in my workplace, in the middle of the park where I had grown up enjoying myself. Seeing Welsh language and culture fill Pontypridd for an entire week is something I will never forget.

Menter Iaith Rhondda Cynon Taf was a constant partner throughout my time at Calon Taf. We worked together on St David’s Day celebrations, Parti Ponty, and a number of other activities, so I have seen first-hand the amount of hard work, energy and enthusiasm within the organisation. Although I am moving into a new role, in many ways I am continuing to work with the same community.

I would like to sincerely thank Osian Rowlands for his work as Chief Executive Officer. Osian has worked hard and passionately on behalf of the Welsh language and our communities, and he has left a very strong foundation to build upon. I wish him every success as he begins his next chapter as Chief Executive Officer of Menter Iaith Caerffili.

As I begin in this role, the thing that excites me most is getting out and meeting people. I want to hear what is working, what you would like to see more of, where the gaps are, and what we can achieve together. I am also fortunate to be joining a team full of experience, energy and ideas. I want to listen and learn from the team, the Board, our volunteers, our partners and the local community.

For me, the success of the Menter will be seeing more people feel that the Welsh language belongs to them. You do not have to be fluent to be part of a Welsh-speaking community. I want us to maintain and create opportunities that give people the confidence to use and strengthen the Welsh they already have.

Outside of work, I love going for walks around the valleys, especially on Mynydd y Garth and Mynydd Gelliwion. I also volunteer at Clwb y Bont and help organise events there.

As someone who has benefited from the work of the Menter since I was young, it feels right to now have the opportunity to give something back. I am immensely proud of our communities in Rhondda Cynon Taf, and I look forward to working with people across the area to help the Welsh language flourish, grow and be used naturally throughout our valleys.

So, if you see me around Rhondda Cynon Taf, please come over and say hello. I would love to hear your ideas, what you love about the Welsh language in our area, and what you would like to see the Menter do next.

I am very much looking forward to the next chapter. The Welsh language belongs to everyone!

Diolch,
Aled