Cancer Research Wales’s Cynnig Cymraeg

Cancer Research Wales is the Welsh cancer research charity. It is an independent charity founded in 1966, and since then, it has invested over £35 million in innovative cancer research here in Wales.

Our headquarters are still in Cardiff and we now have 15 stores across Wales - from Caernarfon to Wrexham in the north and from Gwent to Swansea in the south.

We fund first class cancer research here in Wales for the benefit of the people of Wales. We give the public and Welsh businesses the opportunity to support this important work by raising money to pay for research work by taking part in events such as the Cardiff Half Marathon; donating money; volunteering in our stores; donating goods to our stores and shopping in our stores.

Why is using Welsh important to you?

We are the Welsh cancer research charity and we exist to serve the people of Wales, so the Welsh language and its use, on our website, external communications such as our publications and our social media, is crucial. Our ultimate goal is to unite Wales against cancer - how can we do that without using the Welsh language?

Describe the process of preparing the Welsh Language Development Plan from the decision to prepare a plan to receiving recognition from the Commissioner.

Our Chief Executive Adam Fletcher was appointed in the summer of 2024 and he was very keen from the outset to apply for the Cynnig Cymraeg. The fact that the website is already bilingual and our external communications such as our publications and social media content as well as the signs and branding in our stores certainly helped facilitate the process of applying for the Cynnig Cymraeg.

Cancer Research Wales rebranded back in 2022 and the new completely bilingual branding began to appear in the handful of shops we had at the time.

As we opened more stores over the following years, bilingual material became more obvious and natural. Our team grew and then soon in 2024, we decided to translate the website - there are well over 200 pages on it and that was a deliberate decision to extend our use of Welsh across the charity.

Bearing all this in mind, the process of applying for the Cynnig Cymraeg was quite organic. There is a lot of work involved in preparing the Welsh Language Development Plan in terms of mapping what has been achieved and what needs to be achieved, but everything worth doing takes time and the support we receive from the Commissioner's office has been worth it.

Why is it important that you have received the Cynnig Cymraeg?

It is very important and it is an honor to receive recognition for the work that has been done by us to reach this goal, but more important than that, it shows our commitment to the language for the people of Wales, the people who support us in our work every day.

It is also recognition for us that we understand that we need to do our part and contribute to the culture of Wales.

Why is it important that you have received the Cynnig Cymraeg and what is the benefit for you to receive the Cynnig Cymraeg?

The Cynnig Cymraeg is evidence that Cancer Research Wales is a Welsh charity - a charity that is part of Wales and has been for almost 60 years, and one that invests all its research funding here in Wales to push the boundaries of research work to diagnose and treat cancer in Wales for the benefit of the people of Wales.

Do you think that receiving the Cynnig Cymraeg will make a difference to your work?

We are confident that the Cynnig Cymraeg will make a big difference to our work. Visitors to our website will see the logo and that will give them confidence that they are supporting a charity that is passionate about Wales and its people and its language - a charity that acts for the benefit of the people of Wales.

Would you encourage others to aim for the Cynnig Cymraeg, and why?

We would - for sure. There is a lot of work to be done, but the support you get from the staff of the Commissioner's office is unbeatable and the satisfaction of accepting the Cynnig Cymraeg and the potential that it offers to your organisation is very valuable.