The bilingual service came after concerns at the English-only service were raised last year
THE national anthem was sung “louder in Welsh than in English” at Whitchurch’s first bilingual Remembrance service, according to organisers.
This year marked the first time the event was delivered in English and Welsh, following concerns raised to local councillors over a lack of Welsh being included in proceedings.
Welsh speaker Siân Eleri Richards attended last year’s event and was “saddened to find not a word of it was in Welsh.
“I was scanning the names engraved on the war memorial and wondering how many of our local lads who gave their lives would have been Welsh speakers at the turn of the last century, and whether we were truly honouring their memory as we should,” she said.
“It kept preying on my mind.”
Councillor Jamie Green agreed to Ms Richards’ idea of incorporating more Welsh into the event and worked with Father John Davis and Ceri Stennett of the Remembrance Sunday Planning Team to deliver an inclusive Remembrance Day.
This included an order of service booklet that was in both Welsh and English.
Ms Richards volunteered to translate the service, as her business works in translating and editing.
“It was quite the undertaking,” she said.
After attending on Sunday with her sons and local Scout group, Ms Richards said she was “proud to see the language” included.
The service featured readings delivered in Welsh by Coun Green and air cadets from 79 Whitchurch Squadron, alongside rousing performances of the Welsh National Anthem and Calon Lân.
Chris Lewis, a member of Arts Whitchurch Eglwys Newydd (AWEN), who helped to host the event, said that “the national anthem was louder in Welsh than in English” and praised the “excellent” bilingual aspect of the service.
Coun Green said he was “delighted” with the incorporation of Welsh into the service.
“Going forward, we hope every remembrance service will have a bilingual programme and Welsh readings,” he said. “This not only better reflects the role of the Welsh language in Whitchurch, but it also honours the many names on the Whitchurch war memorial who spoke Welsh.”
Remembrance Sunday in Whitchurch began with a short service at St Mary’s Church, followed by a parade along Penlline Road, led by the Tongwynlais Temperance Band. It included MP Anna McMorrin, MS Julie Morgan, local councillors, people from across all branches of the armed services, cadets and members of other uniformed services and organisations.
