Straeon y Streic: Sian James (ymgyrchydd a gwleidydd)

Sian James, 10 Chwefror 2025

Yn y gyfres yma o Straeon y Streic fe glywn ni am y gorau a gwaetha o fywyd yn ystod y flwyddyn a newidiodd fywydau glowyr, eu teuluoedd, yr heddlu a gwleidyddion wrth iddynt hel atgofion am beth oedd bywyd fel rhwng 84-85.

Mae Straeon y Streic yn rhan o arddangosfa Streic 84-85 Strike sydd i'w gweld yn Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd tan Ebrill 27 2025.

© Imogen Young

Sian James, ymgyrchydd a gwleidydd.

Roeddwn i wedi priodi yn 16 oed, gyda dau o blant erbyn o’n i’n 20 oed, a gŵr oedd yn gweithio dan ddaear. O fewn dwy flynedd o ddechrau ei waith, roedd wedi pleidleisio i gefnogi Scargill ar gyfer yr NUM ac roedd y teulu cyfan yn ei gefnogi. Scargill oedd ein harweinydd, byddai’n brwydro ar ein rhan ac roedden ni’n hynod ffyddlon. Gwnaethon ni ddim petruso pan ddaeth y streic.

Fe safon ni’n gadarn. Byddech chi ddim yn croesi llinell biced. Doedd ein teulu ddim yn deall y rheiny oedd yn gwneud. Roedd pobl yn dweud, ‘wel, mae’n galed...’ ond sut wnes i bara ar £20 yr wythnos gyda dau o blant? Fe wnaethon ni wneud drwy drefnu ein hunain o fewn ein cymunedau. Nid jyst fi a fy nghymuned, ond miloedd o fenywod.

Doedd y realiti ddim yn hawdd: cuddio tu ôl i’r soffa rhag y dyn rhent. Clywed y fan hufen ia tu fas a dweud wrth fy merch nad oedd digon o arian. ⁠Byddai hi’n dweud wrth fy ngŵr i neidio i fyny ac i lawr. Byddai’n gallu clywed y newid yn ei boced. Roedd yn newid byd ar gyfer ein teulu.

Dim ond y pethau angenrheidiol fyddai’n cael eu prynu. Byddai dyled yn gysgod drosom ni, ond dim ni oedd yr unig bobl yn dioddef o hynny. Byddai pawb yn cymryd rhan faint bynnag y gallem ni. Aethon ni ati go iawn. Roedd trobwynt amlwg i mi. Ym mis Awst, dechreuodd Thatcher a MacGregor ddisgrifio ni fel ‘y gelyn yn ein mysg’. Doeddwn i ddim yn elyn i neb. Roedden ni jyst eisiau cadw ein cymunedau cariadus.

Roedden ni’n gwybod sut oedd e’n gweithio, sut oedd yn cael ei redeg.

Roeddwn i wedi synnu pa mor filwriaethus o’n i wedi dod. Y cyffro o gwrdd â menywod oedd yn brwydro ac yn meddwl fel fi, ochr yn ochr. Y peth ydy, allen nhw ddim cyffwrdd ni, ein diswyddo ni – gan nad oedden ni’n gweithio iddyn nhw.

Gwnaethon ni siarad ar lwyfannau ar hyd y lle. Swydd Nottingham, Swydd Derby. Roedd pawb wedi clywed stori’r dynion: roedden ni’n llais newydd. Trodd y sylw at sut oedd teuluoedd yn trefnu eu hunain. Adroddon ni stori’r menywod: rydyn ni yma gyda’n gilydd. Pan wnaethon ni ddechrau cael gwahoddiadau i siarad yn gyhoeddus, gwnaethon ni ddechrau gofyn am ychydig mwy. Fy rôl i oedd trefnu a chodi arian.

Roedd gennym ni rywfaint o reolau i’r grŵp cymorth.

  • Roedd pob ceiniog o’r arian a godwyd yn mynd i’r pot.
  • Roedd pawb yn cael yr un faint o’r pot. P’un a oedd ganddyn nhw blant neu ddim.
  • Pe byddech chi’n troi fyny i’r cyfarfod prynhawn Sul, byddai’n rhaid i chi bleidleisio.

Yn y cyfrinfeydd, dim ond aelodau – y dynion – allai bleidleisio. Ond yn fwyaf sydyn, roedd galw am farn y menywod.

Ni oedd Grŵp Cymorth Glowyr Cymoedd Nedd, Dulais a Thawe. Roedd gennym ni ddeg ganolfan fwyd yn bwydo unrhyw faint rhwng 30 a channoedd o lowyr. Ond yn fuan, roedden ni’n bwydo dros fil o deuluoedd, am £8 y bag, erbyn yr adeg ddaethon ni i ben.

Gwnaeth yr holl beth drawsnewid fy mywyd. Pan ddaeth y grwpiau hoyw a lesbiaidd allan i gefnogi’r glowyr, daethon nhw â lefel hollol newydd o brofiad ac arbenigedd: roedden nhw’n bobl oedd wedi gorfod brwydro am gyfiawnder, roedden nhw wedi arfer. Ac fe wnaethon nhw ein helpu ni mewn ffyrdd anhygoel. Roedden nhw’n sosialwyr ac ymgyrchwyr da. Roedden nhw’n deall y system. Mae’r bobl wnaeth ein cefnogi ni o’r grwpiau hynny adeg hynny, yn dal yn ffrindiau i mi heddiw.

Dwi’n aml yn dweud: roedd fy streic i yn streic dda. Roeddwn i wedi dychryn ei fod am fynd yn ôl i sut yr oedd ynghynt, i fod yn onest. Ond fe es i’r Brifysgol, datblygu enw fel sylwebydd ar y cyfryngau ar S4C, gan fy mod yn siarad Cymraeg – dyna oedd iaith y dynion oedd yn gweithio dan ddaear. Fe es i ymlaen i weithio mewn materion cyhoeddus, yn gweithio i bob math o gwmnïau gan gynnwys yr Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol, Achub y Plant a Cymorth i Ferched Cymru cyn sefyll a chael fy ethol i Senedd y DU yn 2005.

Yn ystod y streic, ges i gyfle i siarad ag areithwyr, menywod ar streic fel fi ledled y wlad. Roedden ni gyd angen rhoi bwyd ar y bwrdd. Roedden ni gyd angen dal i fynd. Ond wir yr, wnes i gyfarfod cymaint o bobl hyfryd, menywod a dynion. Gofynnodd rhywun i Julia Gillard un tro beth oedd ei chyngor gorau ar gyfer ei wyres 14 oed. A’i hateb oedd: ‘Paid â gadael i neb dy ddistewi.’ A dyna’r peth. Mae menywod cegog yn newid y byd.

Weather Data for January

Penny Dacey, 5 Chwefror 2025

Hi Bulb Buddies,

Thank you for all the weather data you have entered to the website so far. Please try to get all your data uploaded this week, as The Edina Trust will be using it to predict when our plants might flower!

I have seen my first daffodil in bloom this week! This feels very early. Have any of you seen any early signs of spring? Please let me know what you've seen and how your plants are doing when you share your comments this week. Do any of your plants have flower buds forming yet? You can use resources on the website to help prepare for taking flower records: Step 5: Keeping flower records (January - March)

Are you taking part in the BulbCast competition this year? If so, you could take video footage of your plants at different stages to use in your entry. I can't wait to see what you come up with. Remember to read the supporting resources that outline how the task can be structured so that everyone has a role to play: Bulbcast competition

January saw some dramatic weather, and this was reflected in your weather comments (see these below). Lots of you reported school closures, powerful winds, low temperatures and some reported snow and frost! Many of you were impacted by Storm Eowyn on the 24th of the month. This was the fifth named storm this storm season (September-August) and the first red warning for wind in 2025. Wind speeds of over 90mph were recorded in parts of Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland, and a 100mph gust was recorded in Drumalbin, Lanarkshire!

Days after storm Eowyn, storm Herminia reached the UK bringing heavy rain to parts of England and Wales. Some of you may have wondered why the storm names jumped from E to H! This is because storm Herminia had already been named by the Spanish Meteorological Service before it reached us. The next storm named by the UK will be Storm Floris! More information on named storms can be found here: Weathering the Storm

January Weather Summary

> January’s temperatures were colder than usual. All four nations recorded below-average temperatures, making it a chilly start to the year. 

A fascinating fact for our Spring Bulb scientists: what we now consider a "cold" January would have been considered average in the past. The 1961-1990 January mean temperature was 3°C (the average for this year), while today’s 1991-2020 average is 3.9°C (making this year 0.9°C bellow the average). This highlights how climate patterns are shifting over time!

> Rainfall was mixed across the country. Southern England experienced above-average rainfall, while Scotland and Northern Ireland were much drier than usual.

> Despite the cold and stormy spells, January turned out to be one of the sunniest on record! The UK saw 61.8 hours of sunshine, making it the fifth sunniest January since records began in 1910. 

A fascinating fact for our Spring Bulb scientists: four of the five sunniest Januarys have all occurred in the 21st century (that's since January 2001).

Keep up the great work observing and recording your data Bulb Buddies!

Professor Plant

Comments from schools:

Storm and School Closures

Irvinestown Primary School: School was closed on Friday due to the red weather warning.
Professor Plant: It’s always best to stay safe during severe weather! I hope you were able to check on your plants when you returned.

Logan Primary School: We were not at school on Friday due to the storm.
Professor Plant: I hope you and your plants were safe from the storm. Did you notice any changes in your garden when you returned?

Scarva Primary School: We had to close on Friday because of Storm Eowyn and a red weather warning so we could not record weather data.
Professor Plant: Storms can be very disruptive! I appreciate you keeping track of the data when possible.

St Mary’s Primary – Maguiresbridge:We were unable to get a reading on Friday as the school was off with the storm (Eowyn). We have lost some plants and pots because they have been lifted with the wind.
Professor Plant: Oh no! I’m sorry to hear about the damage. Hopefully, you can replant some bulbs, and they’ll still have a chance to grow!

Meldrum Primary School: Bad storm on Friday, could not get any data.
Professor Plant: That’s understandable! I hope your plants weren’t damaged. Did you notice any effects on your garden afterward?

St John’s Primary: No weather recorded for Friday 24th as school was closed due to the storm.
Professor Plant: That’s okay! It’s always important to stay safe in bad weather.

Wellshot Primary School: School was closed on Friday because of the storm.
Professor Plant: I hope the storm didn’t cause too much damage to your plants!

Langbank Primary School: Our school was closed on Friday because of Storm Eowyn so we did not get the weather data.
Professor Plant: I appreciate you updating me despite the closure. Well done for staying safe during the storm. 

Ysgol Porth Y Felin: We had a big storm last night.
Professor Plant: I hope your plants made it through safely! Storms can bring a lot of rain, which can be helpful or harmful depending on how strong the wind is.

Stanford in the Vale Primary: We had Storm Eowyn on Friday.
Professor Plant: I hope you and your plants were okay! Did you notice any changes when you came back to school?

Ysgol Gymraeg Morswyn: Dim cofnod ar dydd Gwener oherwydd fod yr ysgol ar gau oherwydd Storm Eowyn. (No record on Friday because the school was closed due to Storm Eowyn.)
Professor Plant: Diolch am roi gwybod i mi. Mae'n bwysig cadw'n ddiogel yn ystod stormydd. (Thanks for letting me know. It is important to stay safe during storms.)


Cold and Icy Weather

Doonfoot Primary School: It was freezing.
Professor Plant: Sounds like a chilly week! Did you notice frost on the ground or your plants?

Ysgol Tycroes: This week has been very cold. We have had snow and most mornings have been very frosty. The temperature has been as low as -1°C.
Professor Plant: Frosty mornings can be beautiful but challenging for plants! Well done for braving the cold to get your readings!

Pil Primary School: The weather has been very cold this week.
Professor Plant: Cold weather can slow plant growth. I wonder if you’ll see a change once it warms up! 

Cornist Park C.P: “There is a lot of snow and it is very cold, it feels like -1 degrees.” “We have had snow, rain, sleet, and hail, the wind is making it feel like -1 degrees.” “Today the hail has frozen the roads and they are icy, it is very cold.” “The ice on the path and road is very slippy, it is cold.” “We have ice and it is very cold, the wind makes it feel like -5 degrees.”

Professor Plant: Thank you all for sharing your weather comments. It sounds like quite a chilly week with the snow and icy conditions! Make sure to stay safe and warm everyone, and well done for collecting your weather readings in these cold temperatures!

Stanford in the Vale Primary: Very cold and the ice has settled in.

Professor Plant: Stay careful on those icy paths! It’s important to stay safe in these conditions. 

Bwlchgwyn Primary School: Lots of snow and ice covering our rain gauge all week.

Professor Plant: It sounds like you've had quite a bit of snow! Remember to bring your rain gauge inside for the snow to melt. Do you think the reading will be higher or lower once the snow has melted? 

Meldrum Primary School: A lot of rain and snow at the start of the week and pretty cold throughout the week.

Professor Plant: Rain and snow can sometimes create difficult conditions, but it’s a good opportunity to observe how the weather affects both the plants and the surroundings. Well done Bulb Buddies. 


Observations of Rain and Wet Conditions

Gavinburn Primary School: Normal weather for this time of year.
Professor Plant: It’s great that you are noticing seasonal patterns! Do you think this will help predict when your plants will flower?

Cornist Park C.P: It has been very cold and lots of rain this week. Our plants must feel cold.
Professor Plant: Plants can be quite hardy in the cold! They’ll start growing faster once it warms up.

Ysgol Porth Y Felin: Very wet.
Professor Plant: Lots of rain can help plants grow, but too much might cause waterlogging. Keep an eye on them!

Stanford in the Vale Primary: A lotta rain this week, mate.
Professor Plant: Rainy weeks can be great for plant growth! Did you see any changes in your garden, mateys?


Plant Growth and Gardening Observations

Ysgol Tycroes: All of our bulbs have sprouted stems and leaves. We have been learning about what a plant needs to grow strong and how a plant makes its own food called photosynthesis.
Professor Plant: That’s fantastic! Photosynthesis is key to plant survival. I’m excited to hear how your plants continue to grow.

Ysgol Pennant: Roedden ni wedi plannu yr planhigyn oedd wedi chwythu ffwrdd ar y dydd mawrth. (We replanted the plant that had blown away on Tuesday.)
Professor Plant: Gwaith da! Gobeithio bydd y planhigyn yn parhau i dyfu. (Well done! I hope the plant continues to grow.)

Bwlchgwyn Primary School: We can see some sprouts opening.
Professor Plant: That’s wonderful! Your plants are making great progress. Keep watching for their next stage of growth.

St Mary’s Primary – Maguiresbridge: We have noticed that the bulbs have all started to sprout.
Professor Plant: That’s exciting news! Keep an eye on your bulbs, they are on their way to flowering.

Henllys Church in Wales: Plants coming through.
Professor Plant: Great to hear! Keep monitoring them for new growth.

Langbank Primary School: Most of the pots/bulbs are starting to grow
Professor Plant: Fantastic news! Keep an eye on them!

Ysgol Tycroes: Nearly all of our bulbs now have shoots coming out of them.

Professor Plant: Wonderful news about the bulbs! Keep up the good work!

Ysgol Llanddulas: Some of our bulbs have grown a lot. No flowers still.

Professor Plant: That’s fantastic progress! Bulbs are getting ready to bloom, but sometimes they take a little more time to flower. Keep observing them, and I’m sure you’ll see the flowers soon enough.


Data Collection

St Joseph's Cathedral: We are very sorry that we have forgotten to record these past weeks. Once again, we are deeply sorry for the inconvenience that we have made for your research.
Professor Plant: That’s okay! Thank you for letting me know. Keeping records is a great habit, and I appreciate your efforts.

Ysgol Llanddulas: I did this on Monday because we had a new teacher on Friday, and they did not know how to log us on.
Professor Plant: No worries! It’s great that you caught up with the data.

Roaring Reptiles - Ysgol Llanddulas:We did not get weather records on Friday because our school shut due to a burst water pipe.
Professor Plant: That sounds like an unexpected event! I hope everything was fixed quickly.

Ysgol Porth Y Felin: We had no school on Monday and then 2 snow days.
Professor Plant: Snow days are always exciting! Did you notice any effects on your plants afterward?

Afalau Treftadaeth Sain Ffagan

Elin Barker, Cadwraethydd Gardd, 27 Ionawr 2025

Yn nhawelwch y gaeaf, mae gerddi Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Sain Ffagan yn llawn bwrlwm. Ionawr yw'r amser perffaith i docio coed afalau, gan sicrhau twf iach a chynhaeaf da yn ddiweddarach yn y flwyddyn. Yn Sain Ffagan, mae’r perllannau’n gartref i sawl math o afalau treftadaeth, pob un â’i henw a’i stori hynod ddiddorol ei hun.

Un afal o'r fath yw Gwell na Mil, gelwir yr afal hwn “Seek No Further” gan siaradwyr Saesneg ym Mynwy. Mae’r afal yn dyddio'n ôl i'r 1700au o leiaf ac ysgrifennwyd am yn y Cambrian Journal o 1856. Un arall yw Pig y Golomen, neu "Pigeon's Beak," math traddodiadol o Sir Benfro, gydag enw wedi'i ysbrydoli gan ei siâp nodedig. Mae yna hefyd “Morgan Sweet”, ffefryn ymhlith glowyr Cymru, a oedd yn gwerthfawrogi ei flas adfywiol yn ystod sifftiau hir o dan y ddaear.

Gellir dod o hyd i'r afalau hyn, ynghyd a llawer o rai eraill, o amgylch y perllannau niferus ar draws Sain Ffagan.

Mae'r hen goed nid yn unig yn darparu ffrwythau ond hefyd yn gweithredu fel cynefinoedd hanfodol i fywyd gwyllt. Mae adar, pryfed ac ystlumod i gyd yn dibynnu ar y perllannau am gysgod a bwyd.

Bob blwyddyn, mae'r afalau'n cael eu cynaeafu a'u cymryd oddi ar y safle i'w gwasgu i sudd, sydd wedyn yn cael ei werthu yn siop yr amgueddfa. Mae’r gofal blynyddol hwn, o docio’r gaeaf i gynaeafu’r hydref, yn cadw’r perllannau’n iach ac yn gynhyrchiol ac yn adlewyrchu gofal traddodiadol sydd wedi cynnal perllannau ers cenedlaethau.

Ionawr hefyd yw'r tymor ar gyfer gwaseilio, traddodiad hynafol i fendithio coed afalau a sicrhau cynhaeaf da. Mae gwasael yn aml yn golygu canu, cynnig seidr i'r coed, ac weithiau gyrru ysbrydion drwg i ffwrdd. Mae casgliadau’r amgueddfa’n cynnwys bowlenni gwaseilio hardd, a ddefnyddir yn draddodiadol yn ystod y dathliadau hyn. Gall ymwelwyr weld rhai enghreifftiau o’r rhain yn oriel Gweithdy, gan gynnwys darnau o grochenwaith Ewenni.

Mae Ionawr yn y perllannau yn amser i fyfyrio ar draddodiadau a gofalu am y dyfodol. Mae’r tocio a wneir nawr yn sicrhau bod y coed yn parhau’n iach a chynhyrchiol am flynyddoedd i ddod, gan barhau a chylch sydd wedi bod yn rhan o fywyd cefn gwlad Cymru ers canrifoedd.

Weather Data for December

Penny Dacey, 22 Ionawr 2025

Hello Bulb Buddies,

We hope you’re enjoying taking part in the Spring Bulbs for Schools Investigation. This project helps us all learn more about how the weather affects the growth of plants—and your observations play a key role!

As part of the project, please remember to upload your weather data to the Amgueddfa Cymru website. By uploading the data collected so far, we can use it to predict when our plants might flower. It’s exciting to think that your contributions will be part of a bigger picture encompassing schools from across the UK. Your data is really important to us, so please upload everything you’ve documented so far by the end of January!

A Month of Wild Weather

Let’s take a moment to look at the weather from December. It was an eventful month, and this has had an impact on our gardens and bulbs. Here’s a quick weather overview:

- Storm Darragh (6th–8th December) brought heavy rain and severe gales (wind), especially to Wales and southwest England. It was the fourth named storm of the season, and it caused disruption from damaging winds and a lot of rainfall. A rare red weather warning was issued during this multi-hazard event.

- After Storm Darragh, the weather calmed and we saw colder conditions, with frost and freezing fog, especially in Scotland.

- December overall was milder (warmer) than average, with a provisional mean temperature 2.0°C above the long-term average. This made it one of the warmest Decembers on record! 

- Rainfall was also above average. Flooding occurred in parts of northwest England and Scotland on the 30th and 31st due to heavy rain.

- It was a dull month, meaning there was less sunshine than average (a total of only 24.3 hours of sunshine!)

What Does This Mean for Our Spring Bulbs?

All this rain and mild weather might mean that our bulbs could flower a bit earlier than expected! It’s important to keep measuring and recording your data to see how the conditions in your area compare to others across the UK.

A Few Tips for Uploading Your Data:

- Double-check your rainfall and temperature measurements before uploading.

- Add any interesting comments about what you’ve noticed in your garden - has the weather affected your bulbs?

- Don’t forget to upload your data weekly to the Amgueddfa Cymru website so that we can all track the progress together.

Looking Ahead

Remember to look out for early signs of spring and share these either with your comments, by email or on X/Twitter. We’re expecting more growth from our plants throughout January, so remember to keep a close eye on them.

Happy investigating!

Professor Plant

December's comments:

Bulb Growth Observations:

Langbank Primary School: Most of the pots/bulbs are starting to grow.
Professor Plant: Fantastic news! Your bulbs are waking up, spring must be just around the corner. 

Ysgol Tycroes: Nearly all of our bulbs now have shoots coming out of them.
Professor Plant: Well done! Shoots are a sign that your bulbs are healthy and happy. Keep observing for any changes.

Ysgol Llanddulas: Some of our bulbs have grown a lot. No flowers still.
Professor Plant: That’s perfectly normal. Flowers take time, so keep visiting your plants to see how they grow!

Henllys Church in Wales School: It felt a lot colder than it was this week, and our bulbs are trying to push through the soil.
Professor Plant: Bulbs are incredibly resilient! Even in cold weather, they’ll keep growing. Great observation!

Bwlchgwyn Primary School: Most of our plants have shoots now. We think they are mostly the daffodils pushing through.
Professor Plant: Spot on! Daffodils tend to grow quickly this time of year. It will be interesting to see if the crocus grow later but bloom first!

Langbank Primary School: We spotted signs of growth in some of our pots today and 2 of the bulbs planted in the ground.
Professor Plant: Brilliant! It’s exciting to see both potted and planted bulbs thriving. Well done for watching them!

Clonalig Primary School: Lots of bulbs are beginning to shoot up, and the mystery bulbs’ shoots are well up.
Professor Plant: How exciting! Mystery bulbs add a layer of fun and soon, you might be able to tell what they are. Keep observing closely.

St John The Baptist Primary School Portadown: We noticed some of our plants have some green shoots appearing.
Professor Plant: That’s excellent news! Green shoots are the first step towards a beautiful display. Keep up the good work!


Cold Weather and Ice:

Cornist Park C.P: There is a lot of snow, and it is very cold. The wind makes it feel like -1 degrees.
Professor Plant: Brrr! The snow can make things challenging for plants, but your bulbs are hardy and will continue growing underground. It's interesting how we feel the weather, some days feel colder to us even when the temperatures the same. This can be for reasons like wind chill, humidity, and sunlight.

Stanford in the Vale Primary School: Very cold, and the ice has settled in.
Professor Plant: It’s amazing how bulbs can survive icy weather. I hope you are all staying warm too!

Bwlchgwyn Primary School: Lots of snow and ice covering our rain gauge all week.
Professor Plant: Snow and ice can be tricky for measuring rainfall. It's fun to bring the rain gauge inside and take the reading after the ice has melted. 

Pil Primary School: There was hardly any rainfall this week, and it was very cold.
Professor Plant: Cold, dry weather is tough, but it’s good to see you’re keeping up with observations. Well done!

Ysgol Tycroes: It felt really cold this week.
Professor Plant: It can feel extra cold in winter, but your bulbs are well-equipped to handle the chill. Make sure you wrap up warm when going outside to take your readings.


Rain and Storms:

Scotstoun Primary School: The rain gauge has been full for some time now - it has been full due to torrential rainfall in December.
Professor Plant: Good observation. Remember to empty your rain gauge after taking each days reading!

Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School: Monday 6th January includes rainfall from over Christmas. Snowfall on the night of 3rd January melted.
Professor Plant: Melting snow often adds to your rainfall measurements. Great work noting the context, it’s very helpful!

Rhayader Primary: Over 50mm of rainfall after the weekend, with Storm Darragh. No temperature readings as school was shut due to no electric after the storm.
Professor Plant: That sounds like a wild week! Storm Darragh brought lots of rain, well done for recording what you could. Thank you for sharing the impact that the storm had on your school. 

Ysgol Pentreuchaf: Yr ysgol ar gau Dydd Llun, dim trydan yna yn dilyn Storm Darragh.
Professor Plant: Storm Darragh caused so much disruption. Diolch for keeping up with your records despite the challenges!

Ysgol Gymraeg Morswyn: 7-8/12/24 - Storm Darragh.
Professor Plant: Storm Darragh made quite an impact! Thank you for noting the storm in your comments.

St Mary’s Primary School - Newry: There was lots of rainfall collected on Monday because of Storm Darragh.
Professor Plant: Great job recording after the storm. That rainfall will help hydrate the bulbs in the soil.

Ysgol Porth Y Felin: There was a storm—that is why there is no record for some days.
Professor Plant: Storms make recording tricky, especially big storms that might cause school closures. You’ve done well to note the circumstances—thank you!


General Weather Observations:

Cornist Park C.P: Today it is cloudy and dark. It is damp and cold.
Professor Plant: Cloudy and damp conditions can be tough, but bulbs still grow under the soil. Well done for getting outside and monitoring!

Meldrum Primary School: Not as much rainfall this week as previous weeks, but there is still a general amount of rainfall.
Professor Plant: Great observation. A balance of rain is important for bulbs, they’ll appreciate the moisture in the soil.

Pil Primary School: There has been lots of rain on Thursday. I got wet reading the temperature and rainfall this week.
Professor Plant: Thank you for your dedication! Your readings are invaluable - great work braving the rain.

Mountain Lane School: Storm Darragh on Fri/Sat.
Professor Plant: Thank you for recording such significant weather events. 


Holiday or School Events:

Stanford in the Vale Primary School: It was hot during the first 3 days but then it got a bit colder. Also, Merry Christmas!
Professor Plant:  Hope you had a Merry Christmas too! Thank you for your weather observations. 

Wellshot Primary School: All of our school Christmas shows and parties took over the first few days, but we made sure to update the last 2 days.
Professor Plant: Great teamwork! Balancing festivities and science is impressive, well done!

Mountain Lane School: Nadolig Llawen.
Professor Plant: I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas too! 

Ysgol Porth Y Felin Christmas holidays/yay!
Professor Plant: Thank you for keeping your weather records up to date right up to the holidays!

Straeon y Streic: Ross Mather (cyn-gwnstabl heddlu)

Ross Mather, 16 Ionawr 2025

Yn y gyfres yma o Straeon y Streic fe glywn ni am y gorau a gwaetha o fywyd yn ystod y flwyddyn a newidiodd fywydau glowyr, eu teuluoedd, yr heddlu a gwleidyddion wrth iddynt hel atgofion am beth oedd bywyd fel rhwng 84-85.

Mae Straeon y Streic yn rhan o arddangosfa Streic 84-85 Strike sydd i'w gweld yn Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd tan Ebrill 27 2025.

© Mike Thompson

Ross Mather, cyn-gwnstabl heddlu.

Fi oedd y prif escort ar gyfer y glöwr cyntaf i ddychwelyd i’w waith yng Nghymru, yng Nglofa’r Cwm. Roedd gyda chi fi yn y car patrôl, a grŵp patrôl arbennig mewn fan, yn hebrwng y tacsi oedd yn cludo’r glöwr.

Felly roedd angen dechrau’n gynnar. Byddwn i’n cyrraedd y gwaith erbyn 1.30am, i sortio’r car patrôl. Ar y to roedd sbotolau i weld y ffordd, a goleuo’r pontydd i wneud yn siŵr ei bod hi’n ddiogel i basio danddyn nhw. Roedd si ar led bod rhywun yn cynllwynio i ymosod. Byddwn i’n checio’r daith bob diwrnod, ac yn dilyn teithiau gwahanol fel bod dim cysondeb. Doedd neb yn gwybod pa daith fyddwn i’n ei dewis ar y diwrnod, dim hyd yn oed y Prif Gwnstabl. Roedd rhaid i chi wneud yn siŵr ei bod hi mor ddiogel â phosib. Roedden ni’n gwybod bod rhywbeth yn cael ei gynllwynio, tan y diwrnod ofnadwy pan ymosododd rhywun ar y tacsi.

Bob diwrnod, byddwn ni’n eu gyrru nhw heibio i’r llinellau piced a’r heddlu. Mewn gwirionedd, yng Nghymru, dim ond rhyw ychydig o dynnu a gwthio welon ni. Doedd dim trais go iawn, oherwydd y berthynas rhwng y ddwy ochr. Roedd gan lawer o’r picedwyr deulu yn yr heddlu, a llawer o’r heddlu deulu dan ddaear. ⁠ Roedd digon o gydymdeimlad ar y ddwy ochr. Yn Pentre’r Eglwys oeddwn i’n gweithio, ac roeddwn i’n nabod tipyn o lowyr, ac yn rhannu peint yn y dafarn. Ro’n i’n gwybod yn iawn eu bod nhw’n dwyn glo gwastraff o hen domen Glofa’r Cwm lawr y ffordd gefn, ond doedd e ddim yn lo oedd unrhyw un yn mynd i’w werthu. Dwyn oedd e, er taw hen domen wastraff oedd hi. Ond tase plant gyda fi, fydden i ddim wedi gadael iddyn nhw fynd heb wres chwaith. Felly doeddwn i’n dweud dim. Roedden ni i gyd yn gwybod byddai popeth yn mynd nôl i’r arfer ryw ddiwrnod, a byddai’n rhaid i bawb gydfyw yn yr un cymunedau. Hawl i fyw, i ryw raddau Ond mae drwgdeimlad yn dal i fod yn llawer o’r cymoedd yna.

Roedd hi’n ddiddorol yr ymdeimlad o gymuned ar waith. Am y rhan fwyaf o’r streic, roedd y glowyr ar ein patsh ni i gyd mas, felly doedd dim i’r heddlu gadw llygad arno. Roedd hi’n dawel. Bryd hynny bydden ni’n cael ein galw i helpu yn llefydd eraill dros y ffin. Mae ‘na gydgytundeb rhwng lluoedd yng Nghymru a Lloegr, a bydd heddweision yn cael eu galw i helpu mewn lluoedd eraill pan fydd angen. Felly bydden ni’n ffeindio’n hunain yn Swydd Nottingham, Swydd Derby, Swydd Efrog. Bydden ni’n aml yn cael ei hanfon i gyffordd ar yr M1, i droi nôl ceir a bysiau oedd i weld yn cario glowyr. Bydden ni’n defnyddio’n gwybodaeth leol i gadw llygad ar y ffyrdd cefn hefyd. Roedd ‘na barch ar y ddwy ochr ar y cyfan. Roedd sïon ym mhobman bryd hynny bod milwyr yn cael eu gwisgo mewn lifrau heddlu, pobl yn clustfeinio ar ffonau, pob math o bethau. Doedd dim ohonyn nhw’n wir.

Mewn rhai pyllau, roedd y glowyr yn croesawu dynion Heddlu De Cymru. ⁠Roedden ni’n wahanol i heddlu rhannau eraill o’r wlad. Roedd cymaint ohonon ni’n cydymdeimlo oherwydd ein bod ni’n byw yn yr un cymunedau. Roedden ni’n deall dros beth oedden nhw’n ymladd, eu bywoliaeth a’u cymunedau. Fyddwch chi ddim yn gweld hen bicedwyr yn honni fod yr heddlu ddim yn deall. Roedden ni, rydyn ni yn deall. Mae pawb yn hoffi ein cofio ni fel ‘heddlu mewn dillad terfysg’, ond fel hynny oedd hi.

Roedd Orgreave yn wahanol, ond cafodd hwnnw ei drefnu yn arbennig gan Scargill a Thatcher. Ddigwyddodd hynna byth yn ne Cymru. Roedd hi’n barchus ar y cyfan, ychydig o dynnu a gwthio, ond braidd dim trais. Roedden nhw fel arfer yn falch o’n gweld ni yn Ne Swydd Efrog. Bydden ni’n cyfnewid ein bathodynnau tair pluen am un NUM, ac yn rhannu brechdanau o’n bocsys bwyd. Roedden nhw’n ein hoffi ni am ein bod ni’n deall.

Pan ddechreuodd y sïon am ymosod ar dacsis roedd y teimlad yr un peth ym mhobman, o’r glowyr i’r gymuned i’r heddlu – peidiwch bod mor blydi stiwpid, does dim angen i hynna ddigwydd. Ac wedyn fe ddigwyddodd e, ar Ffordd Blaenau’r Cymoedd. Allen ni ddim credu’r peth.