A special partnership between Wrexham AFC and the National Centre for Learning Welsh is being celebrated this week at the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham.
A series of events across the Maes will showcase the partnership, which is supporting players, staff and fans of the club to strengthen their Welsh language skills.
With the support of its local course provider, Coleg Cambria, the Centre has placed a full-time tutor, Huw Birkhead, at the STōK Cae Ras stadium, working alongside the Wrexham AFC Community Trust.
Huw provides one-to-one lessons and group sessions with staff across several departments, including those in public-facing roles. He also supports Wrexham AFC Women with Welsh-language interviews in the press and across media platforms.
An online taster course is available for fans, alongside more than 1,500 free digital learning resources. The club also helps direct supporters to the wide range of local courses available both in person and online.
Huw Birkhead said: “I’ve supported Wrexham all my life, so working as a Learn Welsh tutor with the club is a dream come true. It’s a pleasure to work with both staff and players, and to see their confidence in using and enjoying the Welsh language grow, along with an increase in Welsh being spoken within the club’s wider community.”
Jamie Edwards, Head of Community at Wrexham AFC Foundation said: “This partnership with the Centre and Coleg Cambria means a great deal to everyone at Wrexham AFC. Our club is proud to represent Wrexham and Wales on a global stage, and the Welsh language is a vital part of who we are and where we come from.
“Having a tutor embedded at the club is already making a huge difference – it’s brilliant to hear more of the Welsh language being spoken around the ground and in our community every day."
The National Centre for Learning Welsh leads a number of sports-related programmes, including partnerships with the Football Association of Wales and the Welsh Rugby Union.
Dona Lewis, Chief Executive of the National Centre for Learning Welsh, said: “The passion and enthusiasm shown by Wrexham AFC – and its owners, Rob and Ryan – for Wrexham and for Wales is clear to everyone, and we’re delighted to support them through this initiative. Our tailored Welsh language learning programme for the club is enabling players, staff and fans to strengthen their Welsh skills, while creating new opportunities for people to learn and enjoy the language.”
