Empowering Young Athletes in Dyffryn Ogwen: Dreigiau’r Dyffryn’s Success Story

Dreigiau’r Dyffryn is a not-for-profit, Welsh Gymnastics registered club that provides opportunities for children aged 3 and over from Dyffryn Ogwen and surrounding villages. Based in Bethesda, the club offers a supportive environment for both boys and girls to foster a lifelong love of physical activity and sport.

Recently, Dreigiau’r Dyffryn has played a key role in an initiative to improve access to sport in rural areas, made possible through funding provided by Byw’n Iach, which manages Gwynedd Council’s leisure centres. This funding, awarded in response to the Bevan Report’s findings, focuses on addressing rural challenges such as isolation and the cost of living, with a particular emphasis on encouraging women and girls to take up sport.

The club’s involvement began when Clare Wallis, a teacher at Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen, approached Dreigiau’r Dyffryn to see if they could help inspire young women in years 7, 8, and 9 to participate in local sports clubs. With this support, the club introduced a series of free gymnastics sessions to a group of students from Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen, which were met with enthusiastic feedback.

“The gymnastics session at Dreigiau’r Dyffryn with Sophie were brilliant when we went with school. I’d love to go every week,” one student shared.

Thanks to the popularity of these sessions, Dreigiau’r Dyffryn received further funding from Welsh Gymnastics, allowing the programme to continue for a full 12 months. As a result, up to 16 high school students now participate in free gymnastics sessions at the club, contributing to improved physical health and greater social engagement.

“I’m really lucky that I get to do gymnastics once a month for free; I had stopped doing sports but now I feel a lot healthier and it makes me feel good about myself,” another student remarked, reflecting the positive impact the sessions have had on their well-being.

The programme has not only succeeded in encouraging physical activity, but it has also helped to create new friendships. “The sessions after school with Sophie are so much fun, and I’ve made new friends,” said another participant.

A standout success of the project has been seeing one of the girls progress from gymnast to coach. Over the summer, a dedicated student from the group completed the Sports Leader gymnastics coaching course at Dreigiau’r Dyffryn, and this term she has joined the club as a paid gymnastics coach.

Moving forward, Dreigiau’r Dyffryn is committed to offering these free gymnastics sessions for high school students even beyond the funding period. The project has not only strengthened ties with Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen but also fulfilled its goal of increasing local girls’ participation in sport, creating lasting opportunities for physical and personal development.

Through this initiative, Dreigiau’r Dyffryn continues to show how sport can positively impact lives, fostering confidence, improving health, and creating connections within the community.