THE WELSH Government has announced an £11m investment into a programme to “strengthen the economic resilience of Welsh language strongholds” including Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Gwynedd.

The Welsh Government Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething and Designated Member Cefin Campbell said they will invest £11m over the next three years in the Arfor 2 programme.

As part of the Co-operation Agreement with Plaid Cymru and building on the experience and evaluation of the earlier Arfor programme launched in 2019, the Welsh Government funding will be available to the four Local Authorities of Gwynedd, Ynys Môn, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.

The main objective of Arfor 2 is to support the communities that are strongholds of the Welsh language to flourish through economic interventions which will also contribute to increasing opportunities to see and use the Welsh language on a daily basis.

Mr Gething said Arfor 2 “has potential to make a significant difference in our Welsh speaking heartlands taking forward our ambitions of spreading economic prosperity.”

“By working with our Local Authority partners, we want to support communities that are strongholds of the Welsh language to flourish through economic interventions and contribute to increasing opportunities to see and use the Welsh language on a daily basis,” he said.

Mr Campbell, said: “By working together we are building on the successes of the Arfor pilot which aims to support and grow the local economy and the Welsh language together.

“The investment of £11m in this scheme is a direct boost to the economies of the west that will further promote entrepreneurship, business growth and help protect the Welsh language.

“We want to make sure communities in these areas can thrive and people are able to stay in their local communities for work or to grow a business.”

Reacting to the announcement, Cllr Dyfrig Siencyn, Gwynedd Council Leader, said: “I welcome today’s announcement and very much look forward to strengthening the links we have forged through the Arfor project. Our communities may seem vulnerable in some ways, but simultaneously they are vibrant and exciting places with much to offer. I am confident that this investment will help increase opportunity and so encourage our young people to stay and build their lives here, further safeguarding our language, culture and way of life.”

Cllr Bryan Davies, Leader of Ceredigion County Council, said: "We welcome the Welsh Government’s commitment to once again invest in the Arfor Scheme, to continue the work of supporting economic growth, and to support the Welsh language in Welsh heartlands.

"The young people and economy of Ceredigion have already benefited from support under the original Arfor scheme, and this further investment will boost our efforts to realise economic growth and opportunities for young people to take advantage of the opportunities that exist to build a successful career here in Ceredigion."