Cymraeg isod...

Literally hundreds of community groups, schools, landowners and individuals across Wales are preparing to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in perhaps the best and most lasting way possible, by planting trees. And one of these is to receive a VIP visit on 16 November as the Princess Royal calls in to show support for their efforts.

Next year, through its Jubilee Woods Project, the Woodland Trust hopes to provide over 50,000 saplings to be planted by over 800 schools in Wales, and 24,000 trees to be planted by over a hundred community groups. In addition, the Trust will help land owners to create at least three large new Diamond Woods in Wales, each of around 60 acres, plus a number of smaller Jubilee Woods. And the charity is inviting everyone to get involved, whether by planting a free pack of trees, or in the case of landowners, by finding places to create these new woodlands. There’s help available at jubileewoods.org.uk

One of the projects involved is the Community Garden at St Peter’s Community Hall in Fairwater. It has been described as a “haven of peace” in the midst of Wales’ capital. This is the project that the Princess Royal will visit on 16 November.

Just three years ago it was a wasteland overgrown with brambles. The hard work of the church and local people from numerous different groups has transformed the one acre plot into a beautiful garden complete with its own lawn, pond, meadow, raised beds for vegetables, an orchard and a hedgerow. The latter is made up of trees provided free by the Woodland Trust as part of the Jubilee Woods Project.

The garden has been created making the maximum use of volunteers including parishioners, Sbectrwm, a group of young people with learning needs; a group of young offenders, who have completed 830 hours of reparation to their local community in the garden; as well as community led organisations.

The garden was the vision of parishioner Ian Thompson. He retired two years ago and volunteered to take on the role of project manager. He says: “There’s something very special about seeing people get involved in a project like this and developing the self confidence and self esteem that come with it. The garden is enjoyed by the whole community including the primary school next door. It offers people a quiet haven of peace in the midst of the city, the beauty of the countryside that many of its users would simply not enjoy otherwise.”

Jerry Langford, Wales Director of the Woodland Trust (Coed Cadw) says: “It’s great to see one of our community tree packs being put to such good use in this inspiring community garden. Our aim is to bring millions of people together to plant six million trees across the UK to mark the Diamond Jubilee next year. Local communities across the country can get involved by planting trees in their own area. The Woodland Trust is offering free community tree packs to those wishing to do this at jubileewoods.org.uk


Ymgyrch plannu coed y Jiwbilî’n cael hwb wrth i’r Dywysoges Frenhinol ymweld â gardd gymunedol 'ysbrydoledig'
16 Tachwedd, Neuadd Gymunedol Sant Pedr, Y Tyllgoed, Caerdydd, 11:15 y bore

Mae cannoedd o grwpiau cymunedol, ysgolion, perchnogion tir ac unigolion ar draws Cymru’n paratoi i ddathlu Jiwbilî Diemwnt y Frenhines Elizabeth yn y ffordd orau a mwyaf parhaol, sef trwy blannu coed. Ac mae un o'r rhain yn cael ymweliad arbennig ar 16 Tachwedd, wrth i’r Dywysoges Frenhinol alw mewn i ddangos cefnogaeth i’w hymdrechion.

Y flwyddyn nesaf, drwy Brosiect Coedydd y Jiwbilî, mae Coed Cadw (the Woodland Trust) yn gobeithio darparu dros 50,000 o lasbrennau i'w plannu gan dros 800 o ysgolion yng Nghymru, a 24,000 o goed i'w plannu i dros gant o grwpiau cymunedol. Yn ogystal, bydd yr elusen yn helpu perchnogion tir i greu o leiaf tair coedlan Ddeimwnt fawr newydd yng Nghymru, pob un o tua 60 erw, ynghyd â nifer o coedlannau Jiwbilî, fydd yn llai eu maint. Ac mae'r elusen yn annog pawb i gymryd rhan, trwy blannu pecyn o goed am ddim, neu yn achos y tirfeddianwyr, gan neilltuo llefydd i blannu coedlannau newydd hyn. Mae cymorth ar gael wrth jubileewoods.org.uk

Un o'r prosiectau hyn yw Gardd Gymunedol Neuadd Gymunedol Sant Pedr yn y Tyllgoed. Mae hon wedi cael ei disgrifio fel "hafan o heddwch" yng nghanol prifddinas Cymru. Dyma'r prosiect y bydd y Dywysoges Frenhinol yn ymweld â fe ar y 16 Tachwedd.

Dim ond tair blynedd yn ôl roedd yn dir diffaith gyda mieri’n tyfu’n wyllt. Mae gwaith caled yr eglwys a phobl leol o nifer o wahanol grwpiau wedi trawsnewid y llecyn un erw hwn yn ardd brydferth gyflawn gyda lawnt, pwll dwr, dol, gwelyau ar gyfer llysiau, perllan a pherth. Mae’r berth hon yn cynnwys coed a ddarparwyd am ddim gan Goed Cadw fel rhan o Brosiect Coedydd y Jiwbilî.

Crëwyd yr ardd gan wneud y defnydd mwyaf posibl o wirfoddolwyr, gan gynnwys plwyfolion; Sbectrwm, sef grwp o bobl ifanc gydan anghenion dysgu; grwp o droseddwyr ifanc sydd wedi cwblhau 830 o oriau o waith i wneud yn iawn i'w cymuned leol; ynghyd a grwpiau cymunedol eraill.

Ian Thompson, sef un o’r plwyfolion, a gafodd y weledigaeth i greu’r ardd yn y lle cyntaf. Fe ymddeolodd ddwy flynedd yn ôl gan wirfoddoli ar gyfer gwaith rheolwr y prosiect. Mae’n dweud: "Mae rhywbeth arbennig iawn am weld pobl yn cymryd rhan mewn prosiect fel hwn a magu'r hunan hyder a hunan-barch sy'n dod yn ei sgîl. Mae'r ardd yn cael ei fwynhau gan y gymuned gyfan, gan gynnwys yr ysgol gynradd drws nesaf. Mae'n cynnig hafan dawel o heddwch yng nghanol y ddinas, harddwch cefn gwlad na fyddai llawer o'i ddefnyddwyr yn ei fwynhau fel arall."

Dywed Jerry Langford, Cyfarwyddwr Coed Cadw yng Nghymru: "Rwyf wrth fy modd i weld un o'n pecynnau coed cymunedol yn cael ei ddefnyddio mor dda yn yr ardd gymunedol wych hon. Ein nod yw dod â miliynau o bobl at ei gilydd i blannu 6,000,000 o goed ar draws y DU i nodi’r Jiwbilî Diemwnt y flwyddyn nesaf. Gall cymunedau lleol ar draws y wlad gymryd rhan trwy blannu coed yn eu hardal eu hunain. Mae Coed Cadw yn cynnig pecynnau cymunedol o goed am ddim i'r rhai hynny sy'n dymuno gwneud hyn wrth jubileewoods.org.uk