SCHOOLCHILDREN have urged respect for the Welsh language in a message to the Welsh Government.

The pupils from Whitland's Ysgol Dyffryn Taf made the plea in their annual St David's Day message to the Senedd.

For the first time this year, the ceremony was held online and attended by the chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council, Cllr Ieuan Davies.

Students Morgan Lewis and Maddison Morris delivered the message in Welsh and then English, against the background of Whitland's Canolfan Hywel Dda - which celebrates the achievements of the Welsh law-maker and tenth century king, Hywel Dda, or Hywel the Good.

The pupils endorsed hopes for Wales to have a million Welsh speakers and added:

"A language must be used if it is to thrive and we want to see the language being used to unite us as a community, both here in Whitland and in the country as a whole.

"Welsh will be used in every aspect of life and everyone will respect our language, history and way of life."

They also asked everyone to follow the famous words of St David and 'do the little things' to help people cope with life during the pandemic.

Traditionally, the delivery of the message was arranged by Dr. John Davies and brought from St David`s Cathedral to Whitland, seat of the oldest parliament in Wales, and then on to the Senedd at Cardiff via Carmarthen and Swansea.

This year's virtual ceremony saw the honorary president of Canolfan Hywel Dda ,Haydn Lewis, receiving a special gift on behalf of the centre, which will go on display there.

The gift, from David Walsh-Gibbon, was a copy of the coins of King Hywel Dda of Wales. On one side is depicted the maker's symbols and the other the name of Hywel Dda and Rex, meaning king. Hywel Dda died soon after the coins were made.

The full St David's Day message from Ysgol Dyffryn Taf is as follows:

"We, who represent the young people of Whitland, send our greetings to the National Senedd in Cardiff on Saint David’s Day.

"Hywel Dda’s memorial was designed by Peter Lord from Aberystwyth and includes gardens and an interpretive centre. In choosing a garden as a basis for his design, the artist intended that it should provide a quiet environment in

which to contemplate and explore the laws of Hywel Dda. The centre also offers a place for the community to unite to celebrate the history and culture of our land.

"Today, we ask you to reflect on our hopes for the future. We share your hopes that the Welsh language will be strong, there will be a million Welsh speakers, Welsh will be used in every aspect of life and everyone will respect our language, history and way of life.

"A language must be used if it is to thrive and we want to see the language being used to unite us as a community, both here in Whitland and in the country as a whole.

"The fact that one in four of us will experience a mental health problem this year is truly frightening but if we do the 'little things' like Saint David himself, we can attempt to ease the stresses and worries of friends, co-workers and neighbours.

"We need to create time to talk and time to listen. Let us use our language to come together, to offer a helping hand and to create a community where 'We can. We care'."