Mudiad Meithrin’s Support During the Covid-19 Pandemic

MUDIAD Meithrin has been very busy over the past year providing support to Cylchoedd Meithrin in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic – by offering emergency financial support for the Cylchoedd to survive this period, and by establishing a host of new digital resources to help parents / guardians continue to maintain Welsh at home with children.

Since March 2020, Mudiad Meithrin has offered the following support to parents/carers and to the Cylchoedd:

Sent over 90 e-mail bulletins (an average of 2 or 3 a week)  to all our members to keep them up to date with current information including information on grants and other sources of funding, policies and resources, reopening procedures and any important changes or information of interest to them.

Opened the Mudiad Crisis Grant fund offering financial support to Cylchoedd Meithrin.

Held an online fundraising campaign through ‘Just Giving’ for an Emergency Fund.

Held a fundraising campaign in November called ‘Cylchoedd yn Cerdded’ which managed to raise £53,000 between all of the Cylchoedd who took part

Created 3 Little Purple Books – containing specialist subject guides for assisting Cylchoedd Meithrin during the pandemic
set up ‘Clwb Cylch’ –daily videos bringing the ‘Amser Cylch’ sessions to the home via several digital platforms since 1 June (over 28,000 viewed these during the first week). So far, 150 ‘Clwb Cylch’ videos have been created and are seen on our Youtube channel.

Broadcast the Digital ‘Gŵyl Dewin a Doti’ festival with Martyn Geraint as part of the ‘Welsh at Home Week’  in June (this can be seen on our website https://www.meithrin.cymru/welshhome/).

Attracted 1,400 people to join our new Facebook group ‘Miri Meithrin’ – a group to share ideas and activities for parents and / or guardians to do with young children.

Hosted ‘Clwb Cwtsh’ online – a free scheme offering Welsh language courses aimed at new learners and focusing on parenting language at home.

Over 400 ‘Cymraeg for Kids’ videos have been created and streamed on digital platforms, as well as storytime and song sessions over Zoom, Facebook Live and Twitter and anew Service called ‘Fi a Fy Mabi’ (‘My Baby and Me’)was launched for new parents.

Lobbied on behalf of the sector at high level committees within the Welsh Government, negotiating with Local Authorities and partners such as Care Inspectorate Wales, Estyn, WCVA, Charity Commission, National Lottery, CBI Wales

Provided a Support Officer Service by telephone, Skype and email

Provided HR, Finance, Administration, Marketing and Policy Service by telephone, Skype, email and in dedicated surgeries

Offered ‘health and wellbeing’ webinars on how to cope with change, in collaboration with ‘Canna Consulting’

Mudiad Meithrin also decided to:

Offer free membership for all our members for the year 2020-2021.
Open a new £250,000 grant called Re-opening and Rebuilding Grant, for Cylchoedd Meithrin who faced financial challenges when they re-opened in June or September 2020.

Mudiad Meithrin’s Chief Executive, Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies, said:

“Cylchoedd Meithrin and nurseries – community-led assets – have faced numerous challenges during several lockdown periods and Mudiad Meithrin has tried to do everything within its power to assist them.”