I'r Gad 2008: A New Year Hello!

Here we go another year, have you made some new year resolutions? How about making another one? Like this year really getting into some of your own community campaigning on behalf of your nearest and dearest forgotten local Welsh Battlefields, sometimes I feel that turning passive patriotic interest into some real positive patriotic action is not just an up hill struggle but also a momentous meander in the realms of apathy. If you have been reading this blog you will see how far we have come with the campaign, pretty far and as I have previously stated the RCAHMW, Cadw and O.S. are all on board and speaking from the same Hymn Sheet.

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I have been campaigning on behalf of Welsh Battelfields since the 60's but in recent years really began to move things forward with I'r Gad Welsh Battlefield Campaign, and have had much success by virtue of my own commitment. Many have wrote to me suggesting the setting up of an I'r Gad Society and as good as that may sound, I oppose such for a verity of reasons. Chief reason being, I know what will happen, after much work and calling of a meeting some people will turn up and elect a committee, usually of the same people. Just look at Fforwm Hanes Cymru, Abaty Cwm Hir Heritage Trust, Cilmeri Committee and the related Bryn Glas Society and related recently formed ''Welsh Battlefield Society'', their committees are made up of more or less the same people in rotation around a series of ''National Meetings''. It is my belief that much more will get done by the empowerment of individuals, simply by providing them with information and perhaps a little motivation. Not least and do pay good attention to what I am going to say to you here, MONEY IS AVAILABLE! The days of one having to fork out money from ones own pocket as I have done and am still doing are over, if one wishes to really advance fast forward in your work towards memorialising local Battlefields and holding events associated with them, then note the following sources of finnancial help:

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* Community First Fund. Communities First Support Network
We aim to offer on this site news and information about the Communities First Programme in Wales. We also offer support and resources to all people involved ...www.communitiesfirst.info/ - 75k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

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* Heritage Lottery Fund. Wales - Heritage Lottery Fund
...www.hlf.org.uk/English/InYourArea/Wales/ - 38k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

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* Welsh Assembly Grants. Welsh Assembly Government Voluntary sector grants guide This guide provides information on all Welsh Assembly Government voluntary sector grants. Introductionto the Guide to the Welsh Assembly Government ...new.wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/grants/voluntary/?lang=en - 24k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

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* Other - Just Search Web, but first visit this site: voluntary arts wales - links
Voluntary Arts Network, information and advice for the voluntary arts sector. ... www.wbc.org.uk - Welsh Books Council, advice and information ...www.voluntaryarts.org/cgi-bin/website.cgi?tier1=wales&tier2=links - 23k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

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I really believe that much more can be achieved by not wasting time travelling around the Country attending ''national meetings'' which at end of the day will see agendas and programme priorities set by those individuals who bother to turn up. This is not to say that there are not dedicated individuals within such bodies who do much good work, but at end of the day such enthusiasts would do it anyway, possibly more so if they were not wasting much time on increasingly fruitless ''National Meetings''. I am a great believer in ''Autonomous Action'' in my Politics and the same applies with much else I do, not least with my work in areas of Welsh History Interest and in particular regards I'r Gad Welsh Battlefield Campaign. Of course this has an added advantage to myself and others who might not agree with my Patriotic Politics, I can remain truthful to myself and not moderate or water down my patriotic views, whilst others interested in Welsh History or this I'r Gad W.Bf. Campaign may get on with local campaigning as they wish, including in a totally in a bi partizan and non - political way.

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So, the new year message is quite simply, it's now up to you locally to become active, really I'r Gad W.Bf.C. has served it's pro-active purpose. Future successes does depend on local action and within this blog I have informed how you may do this, if you do want to join a ''National'' body then join the Battlefield Trust, they have dropped the ''English'' but remain ''British''. However, they are an excellent body and by joining you may advance ''Welsh Interests'', even promoting idea of a Welsh Battlefield Trust. If you do intend to really get up and at it with local Battlefield Interests, I would be pleased to help further as and when I can, not least you can pass on news or make appeals via this blog. Myself now, will not focus so much on individual Battlefields as there is on line a number of excellent Websites dealing with such, the best being:

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The Battles of Wales
The second book in the series is now entitled Welsh Battles, 1055 to 1295 and covers the 69 battles mentioned in historical sources between those dates. ...www.castles99.ukprint.com/battles.html - 11k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this.

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I believe Terry Breverton is working on a Welsh Battlefield Directory, and so plenty of information out there on the web but it's locally we need to see more action and activity. In this direction I will do my best to keep you up to date with any information that comes my way that will be of use to you, from with Wales or elsewhere. However, also do note that both Cadw and RCAHMW will be of aid and assistence to your efforts, I do urge you work with these bodies and develope good relationships, as these proffessionals do have the data bases and other good resorces to use to good end. Other than this, this year I am not going to focus so much on Battlefields, be they well known or not so well known but more so on Uprisings and campaigns in which Guerrilla Wars of lightening raids and skirmish were the chief feature. My intention here is to draw attention to fact that the Scottish Battlefield Register is to take aboard fact, that due to nature of warfare in Scotland such must be taken into consideration. Is that any less true of Wales, in historic signifigance as for example the events in the below two examples.

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Do note the following two posts will deal with the following areas of interest; the Revolt of Llywelyn Bren 1316 and the Revolt of 1345 which began on St Valentines Day of that year. Later in the year I shall be focusing on the last months of Welsh Miltary Resistence following the death of Llyewelyn III in December 1283 to the capture of Dafydd III on 25 April 1283 and his eventual execution on 3 Hydref 1283. Long term I am working with others on the idea of establish a Welsh Military History and Battlefield Interpretation Centre, this is really up hill work as much must be taken into consideration, not least in seeking grants to fund this major ambitious project.

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That's what I am going to do, and you?

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Gethin.