Catrin Llwyd receives the Norah Isaac Award at the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Awards


14.07.2022

A student from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David has won the Norah Isaac Award at the annual Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Awards ceremony held last night (July 13th) at Canolfan S4C Yr Egin in Carmarthen.

Gwobrau Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol

(Photo Credit:Betsan Evans, Celf Calon for the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol) 

The Norah Isaac Award is awarded annually by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.  The Coleg established this award in 2014 in memory of Norah Isaac. It is awarded to the student who received the best result in the Coleg's Welsh Language Skills Certificate assessment.

The winner this year is Catrin Llwyd from Carmarthen.  Catrin is a doctoral student at UWTSD, and won the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Research Scholarship last year to undertake an innovative doctoral project in language planning. Catrin’s research work focuses on community linguistic leadership among young people and aspects of youth work, community development and digital communication. The research is supervised by Professor Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones who specialises in the field of minority languages, with support from Carys Ifan, Director of Canolfan S4C Yr Egin.

Catrin said:

“I am delighted to have won the Norah Isaac Award. It is a privilege to gain recognition for my language skills in memory of an individual who has been such an influence on Welsh-medium education and Welsh culture.  The award will be a boost as I set about writing my thesis over the forthcoming period. I would like to thank the University and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol for their continued support.”

The language skills certificate was developed in order to enable students studying in Wales to gain a certificate that provides evidence of their Welsh-language skills and their ability to work through the medium of Welsh. A number of employers have stated their support for the Certificate since its inception.

The Certificate was first introduced in 2013, and by now over 800 students have achieved it. In order to gain the certificate, candidates need to complete a range of tasks including an oral presentation and complete written tests.

Dr Lowri Lloyd, Director of the University’s Welsh Language Services Centre said: “We are delighted that Catrin Llwyd has won this year's Norah Isaac Award.  This is the first time that the award has been won by a student from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and it is wonderful that this has happened on the occasion of the Coleg Cymraeg’s tenth anniversary.   Norah as a former lecturer at Trinity College would have been extremely proud, as indeed we are, of Catrin's notable success.   Many congratulations to her.”

The Chief Executive of the Coleg Cymraeg, Dr Ioan Matthews, said: "Congratulations to Catrin Llwyd for winning the Norah Isaac Award for receiving the best result in the College's Welsh Language Skills Certificate assessment this year. Tonight's winners deserve every praise and recognition for their academic work of the highest standard but also for encouraging and supporting their peers and colleagues within the universities and workplaces to claim their Welshness and in doing so raise the profile of the Welsh language in the institutions.

"It's great that we are able to host a face-to-face event this year to celebrate the dedication of students, learners and lecturers. They are at the heart of the College's success over the decade and we take pride tonight in their huge success over the past year."

Click on the following link for further information about the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol’s activities at UWTSD 

Further Information

Lowri Thomas, Principal Communications and PR Officer

07449 998476 

lowri.thomas@uwtsd.ac.uk