There are loads of Welsh in Berkshire, some with strong accents and some with gentle lilts. Some have moved here for uni, work or love, staying a while yet never moving back but their heart is in Wales and the Hiraeth is strong. Finding Welsh diaspora in Berkshire fires up my passion for Welsh and prompted me to connnect people and build a community.
Welsh in Berkshire is the FB page. It’s not a society or organisation it’s a community of Welsh in Berkshire and anyone that loves Wales. It's a space to share news, chat, enquire about lift shares as well as hatching plans to meet up
We’ve found there are Welsh speakers dotted around Berkshire who are keen to speak in their first language or those who are learning and would like to become more proficient.
I met someone recently whose grandmother had dementia and regressed back to her childhood and mother tongue only to have issues with communication as she had forgotten every single word of English. To be isolated like this must be bewildering. If I had known I would have found a Welsh speaker.
Recently I was asked if I knew of a Welsh speaking celebrant for a funeral, through our community I found Fiona Bennett-Heritage.
I have been asked where you can buy Welsh produce or goods which led me to create a list. If you see anything Welsh in Berkshire please let me know and if you are interested in stocking anything Welsh I can point you in the direction of a number of businesses who would be delighted to have a presence in Berkshire.
Wales Week / Berkshire is the platform for making Welsh noise in and around Berkshire and along the M4. It runs for a week either side of St David’s Day and brings people together at venues and events. Wales Week / Berkshire don’t run all the events, most of them are run in-house and we simply share them on the Wales Week / Worldwide platform, The Welsh Pop Up is run by me.
Please could you help us to continue to build a Welsh community in Berkshire by telling your Welsh friends, family and colleagues, their family and friends about it - you never know where it might lead.
Welsh Societies : Woking Welsh, Chiltern District Welsh Society, Reading Welsh Society, Slough Welsh Society, Oxford Male Voice Choir, London Welsh
