Team Wales celebrates Commonwealth Day

This year Team Wales celebrated Commonwealth Day at the beautiful National Botanic Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire. The scenic attraction, established as part of the Millenium project, covers 568 acres, and is known for it’s historic emphasis on conservation, horticulture, education, leisure and the arts.

Commonwealth Day is an annual day in the calendar that brings together Commonwealth nations to celebrate diversity across communities. The day is celebrated on the second Monday in March. Team Wales uses Commonwealth Day as a platform to celebrate welsh history, culture, the language and sporting success in the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games.

The event, hosted by Head of Engagement, Cathy Williams, and held on Monday March 11th, was opened by local primary school choir, Ysgol Nantgaredig. The first panel of guests welcomed the Trinbago 2023 Commonwealth Youth athletes, rugby players Nia Fajeyisan and Poppy Ellis, and joining them was para-athlete Mia Lloyd and 100m Gold medallist, para athlete Tomi Roberts Jones. Trinbago was the first time in Commonwealth Youth Games that para events were included in the sports schedule.

Pupils of Ysgol Nantgaredig spoke about the history of the Games and the importance of the multi sport event to athletes and sports in Wales.

Paralympic and Commonwealth Gold medallist Olivia Breen joined Cathy with a Q & A about her rise in athletics, the dedication to her sporting career, the barriers she’s faced, and her aspirations for the coming Paralympic Games in Paris this summer.

Team Wales CEO Rebecca Edwards-Symmons, who attended her first Commonwealth Day Wales event, thanked guests, those who took part, and the audience for marking the historical day.

Singing sensation Welsh of the West End entertained the guests, joining Ysgol Nantgaredig with a beautiful rendition of Calon Lan, and closed the event with the Welsh anthem.

Cathy Williams, Team Wales Head of Engagement said ‘It’s been another great Commonwealth Day event here in Wales. We have been hosting our own events since 2019, it’s an opportunity for us to mark the historic successes of previous athletes at the Games, and celebrate everything Welsh. Interviewing athletes is always so inspiring, their journey to reach international status is always unbelievable’

CEO of Team Wales, Rebecca Edwards-Symmons added ‘What a fantastic day. It’s my first experience of Commonwealth Day here in Wales, and it firmly highlighted the success of Team Wales. Hearing from the youth games athletes, reminiscing from last summer, to then hearing from Olivia Breen, so inspiring. Also, bringing in the local community is so important, Ysgol Nantgaredig really made the day special.’