Latest news with #Welsh.
BBC News
08-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Disabled man Frank Letch who 'excelled in everything' dies, aged 80
Tributes have been paid to a man who was able to live with his disability "happily" despite being born without arms. Frank Letch, a former French teacher at Ysgol y Berwyn in Bala, Gwynedd, and a Devon county councillor for Crediton, died recently aged in Peckham, London, he spent most of his life in Llanuwchllyn with his late wife, Helen, and their five children, before moving to Devon with his partner, Llwyd, who worked with Mr Letch at Ysgol y Berwyn, said he was an "extremely popular teacher". He gained recognition in Wales for his positivity about living with a disability, with several television shows made about him. In the 2021 S4C programme DRYCH: Byw Heb Freichiau, Mr Letch said: "I hope it (the show) will help people remember what I was and encourage interest in those with what everyone calls a 'disability'."In the programme, he reflected on his "happy years" in Llanuwchllyn, where he raised his five children with his wife, Helen, and taught for 20 years. "I loved the area – and so did Helen," he a French teacher, languages came easily to Mr Letch, and he quickly became fluent in Welsh. He added: "I have to say, I think I'm happier because of learning Welsh."Especially where we lived – the capital of Wales is Llanuwchllyn, not Cardiff."Mr Letch was often seen using his feet to drink pints of beer and throw darts at his local pub. After losing his wife at 41, he moved from the Bala area to Scotland and then lived in Crediton, Devon, for many years with his partner, 2015, Mr Letch was awarded an MBE by the Queen for his contributions to local government, having served as chairman of Mid Devon District Council. On Tuesday, Elfyn Llwyd, the former MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, said he was very sad to hear about Mr Letch's wife, Eleri Llwyd, who worked with Mr Letch at Ysgol y Berwyn, told Cymru Fyw that he was an "extremely popular teacher.""At school the children loved him - he had a good sense of humour," she said. "He wouldn't take any nonsense."According to Ms Llwyd, Mr Letch had a specially adapted bike, which allowed him to travel quickly to and from his home, which was situated outside the village. However, over time, the journey took much longer, as "everyone wanted to stop and chat with Frank"."Frank lived happily with his disability, and he truly excelled in everything he did," she said.
BBC News
09-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Cardiff Uni jobs threat leads to toxic culture
A "toxic" culture has been created by Cardiff University's plan to cut 400 jobs and axe courses, according to a former education Andrews, a professor at Cardiff Business School, said there was a "climate of fear in the university about speaking out" with staff morale " through the floor" since it announced plans in January to address a £31m budget has said the university had millions in cash and investments which could be used instead of adopting a "slash and burn programme".The university has been asked to comment, but previously said the proposals are subject to a 90-day consultation. "What they have done is, frankly, destroy trust and good will within the university," Prof Andrews told BBC Radio Wales' Sunday Supplement."And these are the people you need, academics here to boost the university in the future, to do the ground-breaking research that is needed."But, at the moment, everybody's focus is on their own jobs."Cardiff University announced plans to make job cuts and axe courses including nursing, music and modern languages on 28 proposals would amount to a 7% reduction in the academic workforce if signed academic schools would be merged under the plans and staffing levels cut in areas including medicine, the business school and Welsh."I think it feels very toxic," the former politician added. "I think there is a climate of fear in the university about speaking out." 'Spread the pain' The university has said its proposals are subject to a 90-day consultation, with final plans decided in the University and College Union is balloting members for strike action to fight compulsory professor, who said he has voted for industrial action, has suggested the university use some of its cash and investments - estimated at over £100m - to offset its planned cuts."That could spread the pain over a longer period, and it could, I think, protect the future of the university," said Prof Andrews, who was in charge of education at the Welsh government from 2009 to 2013. Last month, Bangor University and the University of South Wales confirmed plans to cut 200 and 90 jobs February, Vikki Howells, the minister responsible for higher education in Wales, pledged a further £19m for the higher education sector but asked universities to "consider all options", including using its financial reserves, to prevent job losses.
BBC News
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
The Cymru Connection: Is Elis James linked to everyone in Wales?
It is the most natural thing in the world to look for common ground with someone you have just every week, BBC presenter and comedian Elis James goes one step further by testing the stereotype that people from Wales, a country of more than three million people, somehow all know each Cymru Connection, where James has 60 seconds to find a mutual connection, began in earnest when a Welshman living in Japan called James' Radio 5 Live show and podcast last year."I discovered [the caller] was from Aberystwyth," said James. "Within 20 seconds I derailed the call and I named about 20 people from Aberystwyth and he knew about 18 of them."We thought 'there might be a feature in this'." The hurried and tense one-minute exchanges have had hundreds of thousands of views across TikTok, YouTube and Instagram, with listeners from outside Wales often amused - if slightly baffled."This is genuinely a superpower," said one person in the social media comments."Nah, just genuinely Welsh," replied far 30 callers have put James to the test, with his success rate hovering just north of 50%. James, from Carmarthenshire, believes it is instinctive for people from Wales to try to find a mutual connection."I've never been on holiday without bumping into a Welsh person and then after about half a minute you're like, 'well do you know so-and-so if you're from Merthyr?' and they always do."Together with his co-host, comedian John Robins, James said the feature "clearly has resonated with our Welsh listeners".The desire to connect is not a phenomenon exclusive to the Welsh."I find that people from the north of England do it and certainly the Irish and the Scots do it," said James."In the south-east of England I think there's too many people, too many places." James believes the urge to connect is particularly relevant to people from smaller countries."I was doing stand-up in Brussels and there was a guy in the front row who'd been taught by my auntie and uncle," he said."All the Americans thought it was a set up and all the people from smaller countries were like 'no, no, that makes sense'."I [also] did stand-up in Auckland in New Zealand. On the first night, I'd only been in the country a couple of days, there was a girl from Lampeter and she knew my auntie's farm." It is one thing to find these links organically, but under time pressure it becomes harder. As The Cymru Connection theme music kicks in each week, James is often seen putting his head in his hands. "I find it immensely stressful," he said. "It pays off because as long as I Cymru Connect I'm floating on air for hours. If I fail I'm incredibly depressed for about a day."Often if I'm wearing a jumper or a jacket I've got to take it off because I start to sweat. So the head in hands, that's genuine, it's very, very authentic, I'm not putting it on for effect."I always start with where people grew up and where they went to school, and how old they are."The stats have proven it doesn't always work. But that's where I begin." James and Robins have worked together for more than a decade - firstly on XFM and now for the BBC - but have been friends for much longer."It's quite an interesting thing to observe because it's obviously a very natural interaction for Welsh people," said Robins, from Bristol."I watch Elis connecting thinking 'is this really happening every week?' and it is. It's on national radio."But why is it happening? Dr Martin Graff, a psychologist at the University of South Wales, believes "we all want to meet people who have a degree of familiarity to ourselves"."In Wales there's three million of us – we're a fairly exclusive club. Therefore when we meet someone Welsh it's kind of thrilling."From an evolutionary angle, meeting someone who is familiar makes them more predictable."If people's behaviour is more predictable we feel safer in their company."Born and bred in Bridgend, I couldn't finish my interview without putting James to the test - could he find a Cymru Connection with me?Robins, who acts as adjudicator, declared in advance that mutual BBC colleagues did not that, after roughly 45 seconds, James managed to name somebody he knew who was in the year above me at done - our very own Cymru Connection. Elis James & John Robins airs at 13:00 on Fridays on BBC Radio 5 Live and the podcast is available on BBC Sounds
