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Dal i Ddod (Still to Come)

Published: 31/05/2022

Flintshire’s Integrated Youth Provision (IYP) teamed up with a group of young people from Ysgol Maes Garmon recently for a new and exciting pilot project called ‘Cân a Lles’ (“Song and Wellbeing”).

The project was led by singer songwriter Tom Collins who originally had a hook of a song as a starting point for the young people to work with.  But these talented young people had other ideas and decided they wanted to write, compose and record their own song with Tom’s support.  

In the eight sessions they had with Tom, they managed to accomplish just that.  They wrote some stunning lyrics mirroring their experience of the past two years of the pandemic, the good and the bad.  

Starting with the first lockdown when everyone was asked to stay at home, schools closed, not seeing friends and family for long periods of time, to the replacement of a smile with a mask, to the clapping in unity, having to learn a new way of living.  There were so many lockdowns where people felt alone and abandoned. But, despite the loneliness, there was always hope and opportunities, community spirit was at its best.  The young people expressed that the message coming out of the pandemic and the lockdowns was that freedom is fantastic and that we are all back together again now.

Welsh language Community Officer, Darren Morris, said:

“The song really encompasses what happened and I am sure everyone who listens will appreciate the sentiment. 

“The eight young people who took part were fantastic, as was Ysgol Maes Garmon and their teachers with all their support and enthusiasm.  We are very proud of these young people and all that they have achieved.  They wrote the song, they composed the music and they all sang and played instruments and we hope that everyone who listens to the songs feels every lyric.”  

Flintshire’s Leader, Councillor Ian Roberts, said:

“This group of young people have done a wonderful job and the song gives a moving insight into how our young people feel.  It’s another wonderful project which has been spearheaded by our youth service.  Well done to everyone involved!  Please listen to the song.”  

The song and the accompanying video can be accessed here.

This project was fully funded by Welsh Government Winter of Wellbeing funding, allowing young people a safe space to harness their creativity and their passion for music.