A poet from Wrexham has shared how learning Welsh has strengthened her connection to her identity and heritage.

Evrah Rose started learning in March through Say Something in Welsh after deciding now was the time.

Describing herself as “fiercely Welsh”, Evrah credits learning the language as making her even more passionate about her Welsh heritage. 

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She said: “I’d always said I was going to learn and then I realised now was the time. It’s given me so much more confidence to indulge in other parts of Welsh culture, talk to my friends about Welsh history or even just reading and listening to something about Wales, I felt part of something that belongs to all of us.

“Before I started learning I felt like I’d been denied a part of my heritage. For so much of my life I’ve been denied access to this rich culture.

"I always felt I was looking from the outside in, that I couldn’t truly indulge in it. It’s unlocked a part of my identity that was always there.

"You don’t need to be a fluent speaker either to start to feel like you’re a part of it. It’s such a welcoming community.”

As a member of the Red Wall, Evrah is now encouraging fellow Cymru fans to use Wales’ historic place in the World Cup as their motivation for learning Welsh, especially those people who have been thinking about learning for a while.

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A digital learning campaign, ‘Our Team, Our Language’, has been established by Welsh Government Cymraeg and the National Centre for Learning Welsh, and is being supported by the Football Association of Wales.

Our Team, Our Language gives Cymru fans access to online learning materials with a football focus, that are designed to give them a head start before a fresh wave of Welsh beginners’ courses start in January. 

As part of the partnership a new 10-hour online self-study course will be among the resources made available to Cymru fans world-wide. 

Tailored for the football and sporting world, the course introduces everyday words and phrases. Other digital resources, including football-themed activities for families, are available at learnwelsh.cymru/football.

Evrah’s passion for football has enabled her learning and given her more opportunities to use the language.

She continued: “Even just watching the games on TV, you feel so much more passion when you’re watching football in your own language.

"It’s a connection you can’t describe. Before I’d started learning I was so amazed by songs like Yma O Hyd, but now I’m able to indulge in more of it through sport and it’s just been a better experience. There’s so much more Welsh at the games now than there used to be too, it’s all around the stadium”