EE Merthyr Tydfil contact centre choir reunites to perform 'Yma o Hyd' for Welsh Language Music Day
Please scroll for the Welsh language version
· EE’s Merthyr Tydfil Choir reunites for Welsh Language Music Day performance of iconic Welsh song Yma o Hyd
· Huge demand to join the centre’s workplace choir following pandemic
· Yma o Hyd has had a revival in recent years, becoming a favourite with Wales football fans
A workplace choir in Merthyr Tydfil has seen huge demand to get back together following Covid restrictions, with the group reuniting virtually to sing a popular Welsh song.
The choir at EE's customer service centre in Merthyr saw colleagues jump at the chance to get back to singing as a group, after they were invited to perform a song for Welsh Language Music Day on 4 February. The day was established in 2013 to celebrate and to introduce people to Welsh language music.
The choir, established in 2017, chose to sing the popular Welsh song Yma o Hyd which means "still here" in English. The song, released in 1983 by folk singer Dafydd Iwan, has seen a revival in popularity in recent years, being adopted by fans of the Wales national football team.
The choir saw huge demand from colleagues at the centre wanting to record the song via video, with those signing up saying that singing together provided a chance to 'switch off' from work and life pressures, particularly during the pandemic, and to have fun with colleagues.
Elisabeth Williams, a sales advisor at the centre, said: “I love to sing, and to be able to do that in work was an amazing opportunity. I couldn’t miss the chance.
“I have suffered with mental health for all my adult life. Being in the choir gives me a sense of belonging and it really lifts my spirits and those around me. It makes me smile and laugh. I love the positivity around it and how nobody judges anyone else.”
Many at the centre said it was also an opportunity to discover Welsh language music. Despite many in the choir having some basic knowledge of Welsh from school or through family, some said it was an opportunity to re-connect with the language and discover Welsh language music for the first time.
Sales advisor Ayesha Griffiths isn’t a native Welsh speaker, but now plans to learn more. She said: “Singing Yma o Hyd means a lot, especially after learning the history of the song. I plan on listening and learning more Welsh language songs in future.”
Sales advisor Carwyn Minard said he has a basic understanding of the language, but has been learning more Welsh as his daughter attends a Welsh school. “The Welsh language means a huge amount to me, and it frustrates me that I cannot speak it fluently as it’s something we should all make the effort to learn.
“Our culture and heritage is a huge part of who we are and our language needs to thrive not just in us, but with future generations.”
30 people at EE’s centre joined the choir virtually to rehearse the song and record the video performance between shifts.
It has been a busy time for the centre, with customer demand for connectivity and support reaching record levels. Customers’ data usage on EE’s network has increased by 79% since 2019 as customers rely on connectivity more than ever for things like working from home, education online and the growth in video streaming.
Marc Allera, CEO, Consumer Division, BT, said: “My colleagues in Merthyr continue to do great work and raise the bar for customer service. They are enthusiastic and passionate people, so I’m not surprised so many have played their part in this fantastic performance.
“The pandemic has been a really busy and challenging time for everyone here, but they have risen to it and done all they can to keep our customers connected. Now, it’s great to see them getting back together, albeit virtually, and having a lot of fun with the choir. The words Yma o Hyd – or 'still here' – really struck a chord. And you can see what it means to be part of this amazing team.”
EE’s award-winning Merthyr Tydfil contact centre is known widely for its community work and charity fundraising. It is also home to EE’s dedicated Welsh-speaking customer service team, the only UK mobile provider to offer dedicated help and support to thousands of Welsh-speaking customers.
ENDS
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About EE
EE runs the UK's biggest and fastest mobile network, offering superfast connections in more places than any other operator. EE brought the first 4G network to the UK in October 2012 with it continuing to be the UK’s biggest 4G network and launched the UK’s first 5G network in May 2019.
EE has received extensive independent recognition, including being named the UK's best network every year since 2015 for all the following awards: The Mobile Choice Awards, The Mobile News Awards, The Mobile Industry Awards and by RootMetrics®.
As well as offering mobile services to consumers and small and medium businesses, EE also provides home and business broadband using both 4G and fixed line connections.
EE is committed to being number one for service in the industry. Its retail presence exceeds more than 600 shops across the UK. EE remains the only mobile provider to answer 100% of customer calls in the UK and Ireland and was recognised as the UK’s Best Large Contact Centre by the UK Customer Experience Awards 2018 and Welsh Contact Centre Awards 2019. EE was awarded The Sunday Times’ Best 100 Companies to Work for in 2018 and 2019, as well as being named Best Employer 2018 by the European Contact Centre & Customer Service awards.
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Côr canolfan gyswllt EE Merthyr Tudful yn aduno i berfformio Yma o Hyd ar gyfer Dydd Miwsig Cymru
• Côr EE Merthyr Tudful yn aduno ar gyfer perfformiad Dydd Miwsig Cymru o’r gân eiconig Yma o Hyd
• Galw enfawr i ymuno â chôr gweithle’r ganolfan yn dilyn y pandemig
• Mae Yma o Hyd wedi cael adfywiad yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf, gan ddod yn ffefryn gyda chefnogwyr pêl-droed Cymru
Mae côr gweithle ym Merthyr Tudful wedi gweld galw aruthrol i ddod yn ôl at ei gilydd yn dilyn cyfyngiadau Covid, gyda’r grŵp yn aduno’n rhithiol i ganu cân Gymraeg boblogaidd.
Roedd galw mawr yng nghanolfan gwasanaethau cwsmeriaid EE ym Merthyr i ganu gyda côr y ganolfan, ar ôl iddynt gael eu gwahodd i berfformio cân ar gyfer Dydd Miwsig Cymru ar 4 Chwefror. Sefydlwyd y diwrnod yn 2013 i ddathlu ac i gyflwyno pobl i gerddoriaeth Gymraeg.
Dewisodd y côr, a sefydlwyd yn 2017, i ganu'r gân boblogaidd Yma o Hyd. Mae’r gân, a ryddhawyd ym 1983 gan y canwr Dafydd Iwan, wedi gweld adfywiad mewn poblogrwydd yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf, yn cynnwys cael ei fabwysiadu gan gefnogwyr tîm pêl-droed cenedlaethol Cymru.
Gwelodd y côr alw mawr gan gydweithwyr yn y ganolfan a oedd am recordio’r gân trwy fideo, gyda nifer ohonynt yn dweud bod canu gyda’u gilydd yn gyfle i ddianc o bwysau gwaith a bywyd, yn enwedig yn ystod y pandemig, ac i gael hwyl gyda cydweithwyr.
Dywedodd Elisabeth Williams, cynghorydd gwerthu yn y ganolfan: “Rwyf wrth fy modd yn canu, ac roedd gallu gwneud hynny yn y gwaith yn gyfle gwych. Doeddwn i ddim am golli’r cyfle.
“Rwyf wedi dioddef gydag iechyd meddwl ar hyd fy oes fel oedolyn. Mae bod yn y côr yn rhoi teimlad o berthyn i fi ac mae wir yn codi fy ysbryd a'r rhai o'm cwmpas. Mae'n gwneud i mi wenu a chwerthin. Rwyf wrth fy modd gyda'r positifrwydd o'i gwmpas a’r ffaith does neb yn barnu unrhyw un arall.”
Dywedodd nifer yn y ganolfan ei fod hefyd yn gyfle i ddarganfod cerddoriaeth Gymraeg. Er bod gan nifer yn y côr rywfaint o wybodaeth sylfaenol o’r Gymraeg o’r ysgol neu drwy deulu, dywedodd rhai ei fod yn gyfle i ailgysylltu â’r iaith a darganfod cerddoriaeth Gymraeg am y tro cyntaf.
Fel rhywun sydd ddim yn siarad Cymraeg, dywedodd y cynghorydd gwerthu Ayesha Griffiths ei bod nawr yn bwriadu dysgu mwy. Meddai: “Mae canu Yma o Hyd yn golygu gymaint i fi, yn enwedig ar ôl dysgu hanes y gân. Dw i’n bwriadu gwrando a dysgu mwy o ganeuon Cymraeg yn y dyfodol.”
Dywedodd y cynghorydd gwerthu Carwyn Minard fod ganddo ddealltwriaeth sylfaenol o'r iaith, ond ei fod wedi bod yn dysgu mwy o Gymraeg gan fod ei ferch yn mynychu ysgol Gymraeg. “Mae’r Gymraeg yn golygu gymaint i mi, ac mae’n rhwystredig na allaf ei siarad yn rhugl. Mae’n rhywbeth y dylem i gyd wneud yr ymdrech i ddysgu.
“Mae ein diwylliant a’n treftadaeth yn rhan enfawr o bwy ydyn ni ac mae angen i’n hiaith ffynnu nid yn unig ynom ni, ond gyda chenedlaethau’r dyfodol.”
Ymunodd 30 o bobl yng nghanolfan EE â’r côr yn rhithiol i ymarfer y gân a recordio’r perfformiad fideo rhwng shifftiau.
Mae wedi bod yn gyfnod prysur i’r ganolfan, gyda’r galw gan gwsmeriaid am gysylltedd a chymorth yn cyrraedd y lefelau uchaf erioed. Mae defnydd data cwsmeriaid ar rwydwaith EE wedi cynyddu 79% ers 2019 gan fod cwsmeriaid yn dibynnu ar gysylltedd yn fwy nag erioed ar gyfer pethau fel gweithio gartref, addysg ar-lein a'r twf mewn ffrydio fideo.
Dywedodd Marc Allera, Prif Weithredwr Is-adran Defnyddwyr BT: “Mae fy nghydweithwyr ym Merthyr yn parhau i wneud gwaith anhygoel a chodi’r bar ar gyfer gwasanaeth cwsmeriaid. Maen nhw’n dîm brwdfrydig ac angerddol, felly dydw i ddim yn synnu bod cymaint wedi cymryd rhan yn y perfformiad gwych yma.
“Mae’r pandemig wedi bod yn gyfnod prysur a heriol iawn i bawb yma, ond maen nhw wedi ymateb a gwneud popeth o fewn eu gallu i sicrhau cysylltedd i bob un o’n cwsmeriaid. Mae’n wych nawr eu gweld yn dod yn ôl at ei gilydd, er yn rhithiol, ac yn cael dipyn o hwyl gyda’r côr. Roedd y geiriau Yma o Hyd wir yn taro tant. A gallwch weld beth mae’n ei olygu i fod yn rhan o’r tîm anhygoel yma.”
Mae canolfan gyswllt EE ym Merthyr Tudful wedi ennill gwobrau am eu gwaith ac maent yn adnabyddus am eu cysylltiadau cymunedol ac am godi arian i elusennau. Mae hefyd yn gartref i dîm gwasanaeth cwsmeriaid Cymraeg EE, yr unig rwydwaith ffôn symudol yn y DU i gynnig cymorth a chefnogaeth bwrpasol i filoedd o gwsmeriaid Cymraeg eu hiaith.
DIWEDD