Mae’n anodd credu ar ôl bron i 5 mlynedd bod fy amser yn arwain Menter Iaith RhCT yn dirwyn i ben. Mae ‘di bod yn gyfnod arbennig iawn gyda chymaint o uchafbwyntiau ers Tachwedd 2021! Mae wedi bod yn fraint i weithio yn Rhondda Cynon Taf yn hybu’r defnydd o’r Gymraeg ar draws ein cymunedau, yn rhoi’r cyfle i bobl leol godi hyder a defnyddio’r Gymraeg sydd gyda nhw o ddydd i ddydd.

Dwi’n ddiolchgar iawn i holl aelodau Bwrdd Rheoli’r Fenter dan gadeiryddiaeth Hefin Gruffydd am ymddiried a rhoi’r cyfle yma i fi, am eu cefnogaeth a’u cyfeillgarwch – diolch.

Mae fy niolch yn fawr i’r holl bartneriaid sydd wedi ymuno gyda ni ar y daith dros y cyfnod diwethaf, yn fudiadau, sefydliadau, ysgolion, unigolion – mae gwaith tîm yn hanfodol yn y ròl yma wrth i fi fod yn ‘ffrind Cymraeg’ i bawb, a heb gefnogaeth a chydweithio byddai wedi bod cymaint mwy anodd i godi bwrlwm a chynnig mwy o gyfleoedd i bobl glywed a defnyddio’r Gymraeg ar draws y sir.

Tîm bach o staff sydd gan y Fenter a dwi’n ddiolchgar iawn iddyn nhw am eu cefnogaeth a’u parodrwydd i ni allu gwireddu’r syniadau gwahanol sydd gyda ni wrth adeiladu rhaglen amrywiol o weithgareddau, a dwi’n falch iawn o’r hyn sydd wedi ei gyflawni dros y 5 mlynedd diwethaf. 

Mae nifer o bethau cyffrous i edrych ymlaen atynt – gigs gyda Mwsog a Cadog a bandiau ifanc Dadleoli, Lan Star a Curiad fel rhan o Ŵyl Morfydd yng Nghlwb y Bont ar Hydref 9fed ac 10fed, gig Twrw Taf gyda Jess a Catsgam ar Hydref 15fed yn Yr Olwg, gig Pwdin Reis a Penbleth (enillwyr Brwydr y Bandiau yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol eleni – ma nhw’n wych!) yng Nghlwb y Bont ar Dachwedd 6ed a gig Nadolig gyda Delwyn Sion yn yr Olwg ar Dachwedd 28ain – gobeithio welai chi yna!

Dwi’n hynod o falch i allu rhannu fe fydd Parti Ponty yn dychwelyd yn 2027 yn ogystal â Pharti Pwll Ponty a bydd Band yn y Stand a’r traddodiad o gyflwyno torch ar gofeb James James ac Evan James wrth ddathlu Gŵyl Ddewi yn parhau.

Mae’r ap newydd ‘Use my Cymraeg / Defnyddio fy Nghymraeg’ sy’n bartneriaeth rhwng y Fenter a’r Cyngor Sir wedi derbyn ymateb arbennig – plîs lawrlwythwch e rhoi gwybod be chi’n feddwl!

Doedd hi ddim yn benderfyniad hawdd i symud drws nesaf i Gaerffili, mae cymaint o bethau da yn cwympo i’w lle yma, ond roedd y cyfle i allu ceisio gwneud gwahaniaeth ‘adref’ yn sir fy hunan yn ormod o demtasiwn.

Ond cofiwch, dyw Caerffili ddim yn bell, a bydd cymaint o groeso i chi ymweld â digwyddiadau yno, fel byddai’n annog pobl Caerffili i ymweld â digwyddiadau Rhondda Cynon Taf!

Mae’r Fenter mewn dwylo diogel wrth symud ymlaen i’r bennod nesaf. Dwi’n hynod o falch bod Aled Illtud wedi derbyn y rôl i arwain y Fenter ymlaen i’r bennod nesaf, ac yn edrych ymlaen i allu parhau i gydweithio ag e.

Mae un apêl fach gen i cyn gadael…

Mae eich cefnogaeth chi yn hanfodol nid yn unig i waith y Fenter, ond hefyd ar ba mor effeithiol gall y Fenter weithredu o fewn y Sir.

Plîs cefnogwch y sefydliadau a’r mudiadau Cymraeg lleol arbennig sydd gyda ni megis Clwb y Bont (ydych chi’n aelod?) a’r Hen Lyfrgell, digwyddiadau blynyddol megis Gŵyl Mabon a’r Eisteddfodau lleol a’r papur bro Tafod Elai, pob un yn ddibynnol ar wirfoddolwyr i’w harwain, ac anogwch bobl sydd falle heb ymweld neu brofi digwyddiadau Cymraeg fel hyn i ddod gyda chi – y peth gwaethaf all ddigwydd yw wnewn nhw joio a dod nôl eto!

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It is hard to believe that, after almost five years, my time leading Menter Iaith Rhondda Cynon Taf is coming to an end.

It has been a very special period, with so many highlights since November 2021!

It has been a privilege to work in Rhondda Cynon Taf, promoting the use of the Welsh language across our communities and giving local people the opportunity to build confidence and use the Welsh they have in their everyday lives.

I am extremely grateful to all the members of the Menter’s Management Board, under the chairmanship of Hefin Gruffydd, for placing their trust in me and giving me this opportunity, and for their support and friendship. Thank you.

My sincere thanks also go to all the partners who have joined us on this journey over recent years, whether organisations, institutions, schools, or individuals. Teamwork is essential in this role as I have sought to be a “Welsh-language friend” to everyone. Without the support and collaboration of others, it would have been much more difficult to build momentum and create more opportunities for people to hear and use Welsh across the county.

The Menter has a small team of staff, and I am very grateful to them for their support and willingness to help bring our various ideas to life as we developed a diverse programme of activities. I am very proud of what has been achieved over the past five years.

There are a number of exciting things to look forward to: concerts featuring Mwsog and Cadog, along with the young bands Dadleoli, Lan Star and Curiad, as part of Gŵyl Morfydd at Clwb y Bont on 9 and 10 October; a Twrw Taf gig with Jess and Catsgam on 15 October at Yr Olwg; a gig by Pwdin Reis and Penbleth (winners of this year’s Battle of the Bands at the National Eisteddfod, and they are fantastic!) at Clwb y Bont on 6 November; and a Christmas concert with Delwyn Sion at Yr Olwg on 28 November. I hope to see you there!

I am especially pleased to share that Parti Ponty will return in 2027, alongside Parti Pwll Ponty. Band yn y Stand will also continue, as will the tradition of laying a wreath at the memorial to James James and Evan James during St David’s Day celebrations.

The new “Use My Cymraeg / Defnyddio fy Nghymraeg” app, a partnership between the Menter and the County Borough Council, has received a fantastic response. Please download it and let us know what you think!

It was not an easy decision to move next door to Caerphilly. So many good things are falling into place here, but the opportunity to try to make a difference “at home” in my own county was simply too tempting to resist.

But remember, Caerphilly is not far away, and you will be just as welcome at events there as I would encourage people from Caerphilly to attend events in Rhondda Cynon Taf!

The Menter is in safe hands as it moves into its next chapter. I am delighted that Aled Illtud has accepted the role of leading the organisation forward, and I look forward to continuing to work with him.

I have one small appeal before I leave…

Your support is vital, not only to the work of the Menter, but also to how effectively it can operate within the county.

Please support the wonderful local Welsh-language organisations and groups we are fortunate to have, such as Clwb y Bont (are you a member?) and Yr Hen Lyfrgell; annual events such as Gŵyl Mabon and the local Eisteddfodau; and Tafod Elai. All of these depend on volunteers to lead and sustain them. Encourage people who may never have attended or experienced Welsh-language events like these to come along with you. The worst that can happen is that they enjoy themselves and come back again!

Diolch yn fawr i chi gyd! Thank you once again to all of you!

Osian Rowlands