Jane Aaron
Jane Aaron, Aberystwyth, has contributed much to Welsh life, as an educator, literary researcher and author. Until her retirement, she was Professor of English at the University of South Wales. She then became an associate member of the Centre for the Study of Media and Culture in Small Nations at the University of South Wales. She is known for her pioneering research and her many publications on Welsh literature and Welsh women's writing. She has published a number of articles and books, and was an editor with Gwasg Honno, which specialises in writing by women from Wales. In 2023, she published Cranogwen's biography with the University of Wales Press.
Anna ap Robert
Anna ap Robert, Aberystwyth is passionate about our language and culture in her area. A Creative Officer (Dance and Theatre) with Theatr Felin-fach and a Welsh for Adults tutor at Aberystwyth University, Anna also works closely with Cwmni Cyrff Ystwyth which provides opportunities for people with disabilities and learning needs. She also organises 'Strictly' dance evenings in Welsh, with all the exercises and training being conducted in Welsh. Over the last twelve years, these have raised almost £100,000 for various groups and charities.
Simon Chandler
Simon Chandler, Manchester, grew up in London in an English-speaking family. He fell in love with the Welsh language while on holiday in Wales around fifteen years ago, and set about learning it. In no time Simon had not only mastered spoken and written Welsh but he could also compose poetry in traditional strict meters! He now writes a regular column for Barddas, has published a novel, Llygad Dieithryn (2023), with another on the way, and he contributes articles to the Welsh periodical press. Simon is also very active in organising events that promote the Welsh language in Manchester.
Elgan Philip Davies
Elgan Philip Davies, Bow Street, Aberystwyth, has made a considerable contribution to our culture. At the beginning of a key period in the Welsh pop scene, he was a leading member of Hergest, with one of his songs the first to be played on Radio Cymru in 1977. He is a prolific writer, having written many novels for children and adults, and was a librarian who spent a considerable period in the Old College at Aberystwyth University. He became an expert on the building, presenting its history orally as well as publishing several books about its uniqueness and significance.
Owenna Davies
Ffostrasol and Ceredigion are very important to Owenna Davies. She worked in education for years, but is honoured for her voluntary contribution locally. She was a community councillor, a member of the Maes a Môr committee, Chair of Merched Glannau Teifi, and she was primarily responsible for organising events and overseeing the book that was published when Ysgol Aberbanc closed. She is the treasurer at Capel y Drindod, Aberbanc and helps to run the Food Bank at Capel Seion, Llandysul. She was Regional President of Merched y Wawr, and managed to attract funding to create a film, Gwlân, gwlân, gwlana, tracing the history of the wool industry in Ceredigion.
Anne England
Anne England, Aber-fan, is honoured for her voluntary work for our language in the Merthyr Tydfil area, and in particular for her contribution to the Welsh Language Centre at Theatr a Chanolfan Soar, a centre that has rooted all the local Welsh language organisations at the heart of the community. She has spent years volunteering as part of the team developing the ambitious plans, seeking funding opportunities and ensuring the long-term success of the initiative. As well as contributing to the governance of the organisation, she has volunteered in a wide range of activities - from the ticket office and working in the reception area to organising individual activities and events.
Nerys Howell
Nerys Howell, Cardiff, grew up in the Rhondda Fawr, attending local schools before training in domestic science in Cardiff and London. Since returning to Wales, she has promoted Welsh foods and produce around the world. She has written three cookbooks using Welsh ingredients, and has appeared regularly on television. As well as her work putting Welsh products on the global map, Nerys follows the Welsh women's rugby team enthusiastically, as her daughter, Elinor Snowsill - who is also being honoured this year - played for the national team.
Angharad Lee
Angharad Lee, Tonyrefail, is passionate about ensuring equal opportunities in the arts for everyone, and has nurtured the talents of Rhondda Cynon Taf residents in Welsh and English for years. She is a senior lecturer and Welsh-medium director at the Welsh Voice and Dramatic Arts Academy, and artistic director of her own theatre company, Leeway Productions. During lockdown, her company supported over 150 freelance artists who were unable to receive grants. She has produced a number of prominent Eisteddfod shows over the years, and will produce this year’s show, Nia Ben Aur, with the Eisteddfod held in her local area.
Elin Llywelyn Williams
Elin Llywelyn Williams, Pontyclun has devoted herself to the growth of the Welsh language in Pontypridd and the area. As deputy head of Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llwyncelyn, she has inspired generations of children, encouraging them to celebrate the culture and heritage of Wales. She founded Côr y Cwm in 2009, a choir for children from the Rhondda area, which continues to thrill audiences to this day, succeeding in the National Eisteddfod, the Urdd Eisteddfod, Llangollen International Eisteddfod, and competitions such as the BBC Songs of Praise and the BBC Choir of the Year. She has been a member of the Godre'r Garth Choir and Dawnswyr Nantgarw for many years, and is one of the conductors of this year’s Eisteddfod Choir.
Helena Miguélez-Carballeira
Originally from Galicia, Helena Miguélez-Carballeira, Bangor lectures in Spanish Studies at Bangor University. She has succeeded in deepening our understanding here in Wales of the history and culture of Galicia, and she also specialises in the life and politics of the Basque Country and Catalonia. She has contributed extensively to the discipline of translation studies, and largely through her efforts, Welsh is part of the international discourse in this field. She’s a shining example of how international scholars who have a feeling for our culture and knowledge of our language, can enrich our national life.
Mari Morgan
Originally from Llanelli, Mari Morgan has lived in the United States for almost 30 years, contributing extensively to the Welsh culture of North America and Canada during this time. She worked as a mezzo-soprano soloist, and her interest in music has continued over the years. She founded Côr Cymry North America in 1998, touring the world. Her commitment to commissioning new choral works is notable, and she encourages choir members to learn Welsh and to join literary classes. Mari was the Wales and the World President at the Llanelli National Eisteddfod in 2000.
Catrin Rowlands
Catrin Rowlands, Swansea, is a Welsh teacher at Ysgol Llanhari, and her creativity and dedication to the work of the local Eisteddfod committees will be evident on the Maes in Pontypridd this year. She has included her pupils in the preparations for the festival, including the plan for designing the Chair, with her desire to bring our language alive for young people clear to all. She is also active in her community, as a member of Tŷ Tawe, the Welsh language centre in Swansea, and has offered Welsh lessons voluntarily to adult learners in Morriston.
Derrick Rowlands
Derrick Rowlands, Pont-iets is a man of the ‘Pethe’, who has worked quietly but tirelessly for the Welsh language both in his local area and further afield for many years. He has made an enormous contribution to the world of male voice choirs, locally and nationally, and has worked diligently to raise the profile of the language within Cymdeithas Corau Meibion Cymru. He also played a key role in organising the grand united male voice choirs’ concerts in London. A Welshman through and through, it’s a pleasure for Gorsedd Cymru to honour him this year.
Mike Parker
Mike Parker hails from Kidderminster in Worcestershire, but now lives in Machynlleth. He has been fascinated by maps since he was a child, and also by Wales. He moved here in 2000, and dedicated himself to learning Welsh. He is the author of several books, including Neighbours from Hell (2007), discussing the attitudes of the English towards Wales; Map Addict (2009), a love letter to maps; Real Powys (2011), an insightful guide to Mike's adopted county, and the award-winning On the Red Hill (2019). Last year he published All the Wide Border, exploring the marches. As a gay man, he knows what it's like to belong to a minority that often suffers prejudice, and this informs the way he interprets Wales for an English-speaking audience.
Shân Eleri Passmore
Shân Eleri Passmore, Cardiff, is honoured for her service to eisteddfodau in Wales over the years. Before moving to Cardiff in 1981, Shân was the secretary of Eisteddfod Gadeiriol Maenclochog for several years; Cymdeithas Eisteddfodau Cymru was lucky to have her as its Development Officer for a time, and she has also worked for the Urdd and the National Eisteddfod. More recently, Shân was part of the team that set up a brand new eisteddfod in Cardiff, which has now developed into a successful event, and she has prepared the chair for the event for the past two years.
Siwan Rosser
Siwan Rosser, Cardiff, is senior lecturer and deputy head of the School of Welsh, Cardiff University. She is a leading authority on Welsh books for children, and was commissioned by the Wales Books Council to create a Survey of Children's and Young People's Books, which influenced the publishing world in Wales. Her constant involvement with events such as the Eisteddfod and literary festivals has stimulated a wider discussion on children's books. She led the activities to celebrate the work of children's authors T Llew Jones and Elizabeth Watkin-Jones and the importance of representation and diversity in literature, and all this has stimulated interest in the field of Welsh literature for children and young people in particular.
Peter Spriggs
Peter Spriggs, Narberth is a prolific and highly respected artist. He is a lecturer at Swansea College of Art and Design, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and a member of Grŵp 56 Cymru, a group of professional artists who live and work in Wales. His work is inspired by the cultural and industrial history of Wales, and his paintings of industrial and urban buildings in the Rhondda and Cardiff in the eighties, are now an architectural and historical record after their demolition. He is a keen supporter of Y Lle Celf at the Eisteddfod and of exhibition and art galleries throughout Wales.
Llinos Swain
Llinos Swain, Cardiff has contributed extensively to the Welsh and musical life of the Ton-teg and Llantrisant area while living in that area for many years. She supported the activities of the Urdd, and was responsible for the Adran at Ysgol Gynradd Llantrisant, before helping to establish an Adran in Porthcawl, training children to compete and creating hundreds of musical arrangements over the years. Llinos is a key member of Côr Merched y Garth, always ready to help as conductor or accompanist when needed. She is honoured for her contribution to ‘Y Pethe’ in this year’s local area and beyond.
Meilyr Hedd Tomos
Meilyr Tomos, Fishguard is a young man who gives his best for the benefit of others. A talented musician, he tours care homes in the Pembrokeshire area and beyond to entertain the residents, and performs in the CYTUN tent on the Eisteddfod Maes every year. He has raised money for charities by recording two CDs, with the proceeds going to Christian Aid and pancreatic and prostate cancer. Meilyr was one of the stars of the Côr-ona group on Facebook during the lockdown period, and has appeared on the Noson Lawen programme, accompanying his school friend, Trystan Llŷr.
Gareth Williams
Gareth Williams, Pontypridd, is a leading historian, and Emeritus Professor at the University of South Wales, having spent an extensive period teaching there and at Aberystwyth University. His specialist area is social history, and in particular the history of sport and music, and he has published many books and articles on the subject in both Welsh and English. Much of his work is related to the popular culture of the south Wales valleys, and he is an authority on the life and work of the writer and pioneering oral historian from Abercynon, George Ewart Evans. He is also a member of Pendyrus Male Voice Choir.
Siân Rhiannon Williams
Siân Rhiannon is originally from the Rhymney Valley but now lives in Barry. After completing a doctorate in Aberystwyth, she worked as a teacher and radio producer before spending most of her career lecturing at Cardiff Metropolitan University's School of Education. She is an expert on the history of Wales and has published extensively on the history of the Welsh language, education and women's history. She is very active with a number of organisations, editorial boards and initiatives that promote Welsh history and women's history, including Llafur, the Purple Plaques and the Welsh Women's Archive.