Linda Morgan (Chair)
“Around 50 years ago (1979), Winston Griffiths (my dad) had an idea. He felt Whitchurch needed celebrating.
This idea became the first Whitchurch Festival, which at one time was the biggest in Wales. He was aided and abetted by a small number of lovely residents: Albert Bridle, Sheila Williams, Fred Bartlett and his wife, Nicola Callan, and Chris Lewis. For two whole weeks there were events for everyone, culminating with the big fayre on the common.
During these years, he became Councillor for Whitchurch and Tongwynlais, and he spent much of his life working for the community. In the last few years of his life, he enlisted my help, which I gladly gave him (he was the boss though).
After his passing, it became a well-known joke that I hadn’t inherited any money, just the festival. We then decided to incorporate the village of Tongwynlais too. My son Jonathan continued it for the first year or so, and I continue to this day with a small but amazing committee. The festival now lasts about a week, but is still packed with events. In this era, it is much harder because of so much red tape, but we love it and hope the community do too.”
“Tua 50 mlynedd yn ôl, cafodd Winston Griffiths (fy nhad) syniad. Roedd yn teimlo bod angen dathlu’r Eglwys Newydd.
Daeth y syniad hwn yn Ŵyl gyntaf yr Eglwys Newydd, a oedd ar un adeg y fwyaf yng Nghymru. Cafodd ei gynorthwyo gan nifer fach o drigolion hyfryd: Albert Bridle, Sheila Williams, Fred Bartlett a’i wraig, Nicola Callan, a Chris Lewis. Am bythefnos gyfan roedd digwyddiadau i bawb, gan gyrraedd uchafbwynt gyda’r ffair fawr ar y comin.
Yn ystod y blynyddoedd hyn, daeth yn Gynghorydd dros yr Eglwys Newydd a Thongwynlais, a threuliodd lawer o’i fywyd yn gweithio dros y gymuned. Yn ystod blynyddoedd olaf ei fywyd, gofynnodd am fy help, a rhoddais hynny’n falch iddo (ef oedd y bos serch hynny).
Ar ôl ei farwolaeth, daeth yn jôc adnabyddus nad oeddwn wedi etifeddu unrhyw arian, dim ond yr ŵyl. Yna penderfynom gynnwys pentref Tongwynlais hefyd. Parhaodd fy mab Jonathan â’r gwaith am y flwyddyn gyntaf neu ddwy, ac rwyf innau yn parhau hyd heddiw gyda phwyllgor bach ond anhygoel. Mae’r ŵyl bellach yn para tua wythnos, ond mae’n dal yn llawn digwyddiadau. Yn yr oes sydd ohoni, mae hi’n llawer anos oherwydd cymaint o fiwrocratiaeth, ond rydym yn ei charu ac yn gobeithio bod y gymuned yn gwneud hynny hefyd.”
