Gwenno Teifi (full name Gwenno Teifi Ffransis, born 1987) is a

Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language family, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut P ...

activist from

Llanfihangel-ar-Arth Llanfihangel-ar-Arth is a village and a Community (Wales), community in the county of Carmarthenshire, Wales. The area includes six villages: Alltwalis, Dolgran, Gwyddgrug, Llanfihangel-Ar-Arth, New Inn, Carmarthenshire, New Inn and Pencader, Carm ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. In February 2006 she became the first member of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The

Welsh Language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language family, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut P ...

Society) to serve a jail sentence for a language protest in 11 years.

Radio Carmarthenshire protest and jailing

Gwenno was arrested along with four other language protestors on 24 July 2004 at the studios of

Radio Carmarthenshire Radio Carmarthenshire is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to Carmarthenshire. It is owned and operated by Nation Broadcasting and broadcasts on 97.1 and 97.5 FM from studios near the St Hilary transmitter in the Vale of Glamorga ...

in Narberth and charged with criminal damage. She was jailed after refusing to pay the £200 compensation to Radio Carmarthenshire ordered by Carmarthen Magistrates Court. She was sentenced to five days beginning 13 February 2006 at Eastwood Park Prison in

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of Gl ...

but released after three days for good behaviour.

Brantano's protest and second jailing

She was jailed a second time in July 2007 for refusing to pay a fine in connection with a language protest at

Brantano Brantano Footwear (''Brantano, en de wereld ligt aan je voeten'' (English: ''Brantano, and the world is at your feet'')) was a European chain of retail stores specialising in footwear for men, women and children, that was founded in Belgium. It ...

's shoe store in

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...

in October 2006.

Morrisons supermarket protest and arrest

Gwenno was arrested again in connection with a language protest at

Morrisons Wm Morrison Supermarkets, trading as Morrisons, is the fifth largest supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. As of 2021, the company had 497 supermarkets across England, Wales and Scotland, as well as one in Gibraltar. The company is headqua ...

supermarket in Bangor on 27 January 2007. She was not jailed.

Education

Gwenno has a degree in Welsh and International Politics from

Aberystwyth University , mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all , established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'') , former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth , type = Public , endowment = ...

Post-graduation

Gwenno worked in a Christian Mission House in Amsterdam, and is currently a Youth Officer in the Presbyterian Church of Wales.

Family background

Her father is long-time Welsh language activist

Ffred Ffransis Ffred Ffransis (born Frederick Sefton Francis, 14 June 1948), is a prominent member of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society). Biography He was born in Colwyn Bay, but lived in Rhyl for most of his childhood. The son of English ...

, currently the education spokesperson for Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, and her mother is another well-known activist,

Meinir Ffransis Meinir Ffransis (born 8 April 1950; née Evans) is a Welsh political activist, best known for her activities as a prominent member of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society). She served jail sentences for various offences while ca ...

(nee Evans). Thus Gwenno's grandfather was

Gwynfor Evans Gwynfor Richard Evans (1 September 1912 – 21 April 2005) was a Welsh politician, lawyer and author. He was President of the Welsh political party Plaid Cymru for thirty-six years and was the first Member of Parliament to represent it at Westmi ...

, the first member of Plaid Cymru elected to

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

References

External links

Eastwood Park Prison
{{DEFAULTSORT:Teifi, Gwenno 1987 births Welsh language activists Living people Alumni of Aberystwyth University People from Carmarthenshire