An Exciting New Chapter for Glan-llyn Residential Centre

North Wales , 18th November 2023

Gwersyll Glan-llyn, the Urdd’s iconic residential centre in north Wales, is celebrating the beginning of a new era. As well as completing a significant upgrade worth £2m on the site, the Urdd is proud to welcome Mair Edwards as the new Director of Glan-llyn.

Following a year of development work, Glan-llyn’s new Water Activities Training Centre has been completed and a first-class Water Centre now stands on the shores of the lake Llyn Tegid. The Centre includes accommodation and self-catering facilities, meeting areas, changing rooms, and a workshop. The new building also offers rooms with magnificent views over Llyn Tegid to hire for groups to hold meetings, or workshops.

By spring 2024 Glan-llyn will also open a brand-new camping site, Cae Penllyn, which will offer a kitchen, self-catering facilities and a multi-use community area that can be used by large and small groups alike.

Siân Lewis, Chief Executive of the Urdd, said:

“It's great to see these new facilities completed and being enjoyed by children, young people, and our staff. The new Water Centre enables us to continue to offer the highest quality of outdoor activities at Glan-llyn and is part of a wider vision to upgrade the facilities at the Urdd’s residential centres.

“Over the last three years and thanks to support by the Welsh Government and Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles MS, Glan-llyn has received an investment of £2m in order to develop the outdoor centre’s provision – which includes transforming a 150-year-old building, Glan-llyn Isa’, into self-contained accommodation. Glan-llyn Isa’ meets the demand from older members of the Urdd for a self-contained accommodation and has proven to be popular since its opening in 2021.”

The Urdd is also proud to welcome Mair Edwards as the new Director of Gwersyll Glan-llyn, following the retirement of Huw Antur. Mair has over 16 years of experience working at a strategic level and as a member of a senior team in the field of community development and regeneration within the housing sector.

“Providing the best opportunities for young people has been at the core of my work for decades, and it will continue to be my priority in this exciting role,” said Mair Edwards, Glan-llyn’s new Director.

“Over the years Glan-llyn has completed significant developments to improve the centre’s facilities and services, and we are very grateful for the financial support that has made this possible. The new Water Activities centre is as good as any other centre, and this gives us the confidence to continue to attract children and adults from Wales and beyond to take part in a range of exciting outdoor activities.”

Mae Gwersyll yr Urdd Glan-llyn yn dathlu dechrau pennod newydd yn ei hanes. Yn ogystal â chwblhau gwaith uwchraddio sylweddol gwerth £2m ar y safle, mae’r Urdd yn falch o groesawu Mair Edwards fel Cyfarwyddwr newydd Gwersyll Glan-llyn.

Yn dilyn blwyddyn o waith datblygu, mae’r gwaith o uwchraddio’r Ganolfan Hyfforddi Gweithgareddau Dŵr wedi’i gwblhau ac mae Canolfan o’r radd flaenaf bellach i’w chael ar lan Llyn Tegid. Mae’r Ganolfan yn cynnwys llety a chyfleusterau hunan-arlwyo, ardaloedd cyfarfod, ystafelloedd newid, a gweithdy. Mae’r adeilad newydd hefyd yn cynnig ystafelloedd gyda golygfeydd godidog dros Lyn Tegid i’w hurio ar gyfer grwpiau i gynnal cyfarfodydd, neu weithdai.

Erbyn gwanwyn 2024 bydd Glan-llyn hefyd yn agor safle gwersylla newydd sbon, Cae Penllyn, fydd yn cynnig cegin, adnoddau hunan-arlwyo ac ardal gymunedol aml-ddefnydd i grwpiau mawr a bach o wersyllwyr fel ei gilydd.

Dywedodd Siân Lewis, Prif Weithredwr yr Urdd:

“Mae’n wych gweld y cyfleusterau newydd hyn wedi’u cwblhau ac yn cael eu mwynhau gan blant a phobl ifanc a staff y Gwerysll. Mae’r Ganolfan Ddŵr newydd yn ein galluogi i barhau i gynnig gweithgareddau awyr agored o’r ansawdd uchaf yng Nglan-llyn, ac yn rhan o weledigaeth ehangach i uwchraddio cyfleusterau Gwersylloedd yr Urdd.

“Dros y dair blynedd diwethaf mae Glan-llyn wedi derbyn buddsoddiad o £2m, gyda diolch i gefnogaeth Llywodraeth Cymru a Gweinidog y Gymraeg ac Addysg Jeremy Miles AS, er mwyn datblygu darpariaeth y ganolfan awyr agored – sydd hefyd yn cynnwys trawsnewid adeilad 150 oed, Glan-llyn Isa’, i lety hunangynhaliol a thrawiadol. Mae Glan-llyn Isa’ yn ateb y galw gan aelodau hŷn yr Urdd am lety annibynnol, ac wedi bod yn hynod boblogaidd ers ei agoriad yn 2021.”

Mae’r Urdd hefyd yn falch o groesawu Mair Edwards fel Cyfarwyddwr newydd Gwersyll Glan-llyn, yn dilyn ymddeoliad Huw Antur. Mae gan Mair dros 16 mlynedd o brofiad o weithio ar lefel strategol ac fel aelod o Uwch Dîm yn y maes datblygu ac adfywio cymunedol o fewn y sector dai.

“Mae darparu’r cyfleoedd gorau i bobl ifanc wedi bod yn greiddiol i fy ngwaith ers degawdau bellach, ac am barhau i fod yn flaenoriaeth gen i yn rhinwedd y swydd hon,” meddai Mair Edwards, Cyfarwyddwr newydd Gwersyll Glan-llyn.

“Dros y blynyddoedd mae Glan-llyn wedi llwyddo i wireddu cynlluniau sylweddol er mwyn gwella safonau a chyfleusterau’r gwersyll, ac rydym yn hynod ddiolchgar am y gefnogaeth ariannol i alluogi hyn i ddigwydd. Mae Canolfan Ddŵr newydd Glan-llyn gystal ag unrhyw ganolfan yn unrhyw le, ac mae hyn yn rhoi’r hyder i ni barhau i ddenu plant a phobl o bob cwr i gymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau o bob math.”