Category: Pen Llŷn projects

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Paned i’r Blaned

A space to talk about climate change and to practice Welsh!

The idea of Paned i’r Blaned (a cuppa for the planet) is inspired by things like Climate Cafes; People, Planet, Pint; and Paned a Sgwrs– opportunities for people to discuss climate issues in an informal, community-led setting. With more and more people concerned about climate change, sessions like this are becoming increasingly popular across the world.

The intention of Paned i’r Blaned is to give people a space to come together to discuss environmental issues through the medium of Welsh. Everyone will have the opportunity to propose topics for discussion, which will change every session: from nature and biodiversity to growing food, from energy to transport.

Learners who can speak some conversational Welsh are welcome (or beginners can come and listen!), and we encourage fluent Welsh speakers to come along and give them support!

Vocabulary based on the topic of the month will be on hand to help you, and of course you can ask for an explanation or translation. Menter Iaith have been supporting us to make sure that the sessions flow smoothly and are accessible.

The first Paned i’r Blaned session was held on the 25th of January at Canolfan Cefnfaes, Bethesda, and the other areas have since arranged their first session. Check our Events page to find the latest sessions.

Look out for Paned i’r Blaned in your area – or get in touch if you want to start one!

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Education Offer

During the first two years of the GwyrddNi movement, hundreds of children and young people from GwyrddNi’s areas contributed their ideas to Community Climate Action Plans in each area. The children’s aspirations and ideas had a considerable influence on the action plans, with several areas of action developing directly from their input.

Not only was it good for the children to be part of the process, their participation was key. Thanks to them for their enthusiastic contributions!

Read more here or watch the video:

Now, children have the opportunity to act on their ideas!

We have been offering smooth-flowing, interactive education sessions for primary school children in order to raise awareness of climate change and what causes it. At the end of each session the children contribute to developing action ideas in their communities – and then have the chance to act on these ideas themselves, including visits and further learning experiences. Here’s the offer:

  • An interactive Climate Session (in two parts) which creates opportunities to understand climate change and the impact it has, discuss feelings about climate change, understand what we can do about it, and start planning actions to address the climate challenge.
  • Visits to local climate solutions (and beyond!).
  • Opportunities for the children to develop their community ideas and implement them. This can be a ‘one-off’ action or a more long-term and comprehensive project. This (within reason!) is up to the children and we will be there to support them.

The aim is to enable the children to work together with others in their community to take action and to understand how their actions contribute to responding to climate change. The hope is that making connections with others in their community and setting out to do something to tackle the climate challenge will also help to alleviate climate anxiety.

The early signs are promising: the number of children who said they would be very confident explaining to someone else what climate change is jumped from 17% before our sessions to 84% after our sessions.

The children’s enthusiasm has been evident during our sessions, especially as they set out to gather ideas and decide how they would like to respond to the implementation areas of their area’s climate action plan.

Here’s a taste of what’s been happening and what’s coming up:

Dyffryn Ogwen

  • Visits to the Ynni Ogwen community hydro scheme.
  • Collaborating with partners and volunteers to develop school gardens.
  • Investigating travel patterns to school and identifying and responding to travel challenges there in a more ‘active’ manner. 

Dyffryn Peris

  • Taking part in the Stori’r Tir project – a project for the residents of the valley to rediscover and re-own the history of their land.
  • Growing food with Tyddyn Teg Farm and planting orchards with the Llanddeiniolen Nature Project.
  • Tackling the Himalayan Balsalm in Llanberis with Cymdeithas Eryri.

Bro Ffestiniog

  • Collecting and redistributing the school uniforms of all the schools in the area.
  • Developing a biodiversity corridors scheme on the school grounds extending out into the town and valley below.

Pen Llŷn

  • Visiting the Seagrass project – and making T-shirts advertising the importance of restoring Seaweed.
  • Early collaboration on the bike share scheme.

Dyffryn Nantlle

While things have started to gain momentum with primary schools, we have been busy developing a suitable session for secondary school pupils. We have trialled this at Ysgol y Moelwyn, Blaenau Ffestiniog, where the school’s enthusiastic young people have been actively developing ideas, and are ready to act!

We will also collaborate with schools to develop local climate resources for the classroom.

We are currently developing education offers for adults, in order to raise awareness and to empower groups by increasing skills and having other learning experiences, in order to empower us to act in our communities. More information on the way soon!

The journey is an exciting one and we are off to a solid start! For more information, please contact Sara, our Education Officer: sara@deg.cymru

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Pen Llŷn Bikes Hub

One of the ideas in Pen Llŷn’s Community Climate Action Plan was to promote cycling to locals and visitors, remove barriers to cycling and to set up a cycling group. As a response, the Llŷn Cycling Strategy Group was established in October 2023 with representatives from the GwyrddNi Assembly, Darganfod Llŷn (a local private bike company), O Ddrws i Ddrws, The National Trust, Canolfan Fenter Congl Meinciau, Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor (Staff and students), EcoAmgueddfa, Canolfan Pen y Graig and Sustrans. 

This collaboration resulted in the renting of a space at Canolfan Menter Congl Menciau, Botwnnog – Hwb Beics GwyrddNi – to store the bikes. O Ddrws i Ddrws secured 13 electric bikes from Sustrans, 10 originally on loan until the end of August, but they have now agreed an extension and given a further 7 bikes. It took some time to develop an operating model, set up loan agreements, securing insurance and to promote the scheme, but people can now join Hwb Beics Llŷn for £20 a month, which allows them to borrow an electric bike. 

All bicycles were borrowed and a waiting list grew quickly. So far 40 people have borrowed a bicycle, and the feedback has been very positive – with some people enjoying their experience so much that they bought their own bicycle soon after!

Read this blog post by Elin Fflur about her experience of borrowing an electric bicycle: https://www.gwyrddni.cymru/en/cyclingpenllyn/

Contact dafydd.rhys@ynnillyn.cymru to be part of the Strategy group or if you want to borrow a bike!