4 News Alan Evans alan.evans@herald.email


for teachers from Wales to go to Lesotho every year.” But John’s active approach


also led him to take a leading role in the foundation of Menter Cwm Gwendraeth Elli. As one of the founder members


of the first Menter Iaith, John was immensely proud and protective of the Welsh language. Speaking about his involvement


FORMER Director of Education


for Dyfed County Council John Gwyndaf Ellis died at the age of 78. He died on Tuesday (Jan 4),


following a period of illness. He leaves behind two children and six grandchildren. Mr Ellis' wife predeceased him in 2008. Mr Ellis received the OBE in the


2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours list, for his contribution to the work of the National Botanic Garden of Wales and his charity work in Lesotho. Last year, when we reported Mr


Ellis’ honour, we took the opportunity to interview him. Appropriately enough, we arranged to meet at the National Botanic Garden. We began by asking him about the


OBE itself. John Ellis told us: “It was a big


surprise. I am still shocked and taking it in. It was awarded for my work here in the gardens and for my charity work in Lesotho in southern Africa.” The charity work began with his


family: “My son introduced me to the country and I went out there to volunteer. My wife and I fell in love with the country.” The work that Dolen Cymru


Lesotho does is closely tied to the delivery of educational opportunities to those who might not otherwise have them. With only a quarter of primary


school children in Lesotho going onto secondary education, there are many challenges to be faced and John Ellis’ experience served him in good stead when he became Chair of Dolen Cymru. The charity supports the Lesotho Teacher Placement Programme, which allows Welsh teachers to work in schools in Lesotho for six months, and also creates reciprocal visits that allow both primary and secondary schools in Wales to create sustainable links with schools in Lesotho. It was a personal tragedy that


led John to take a very active role in fundraising for Dolen Cymru. He explained: “When my wife died, I decided to collect money to help and the result is that we now have a computer library for orphans in Lesotho. The money raised also pays


with Menter Iaith, he said: “I didn't learn any English until I was 11. I was first language Welsh in a thoroughly Welsh community in Meirionnydd. “Welsh is part and parcel of the


culture of a nation. Inevitably, we have to fight to get that understanding and to encourage people to take up the Welsh language and to develop it. I have been thrilled and I was honoured to be one of the five who established the first Menter Iaith in Wales. It has been a great success and we now have 22 of them across Wales and that says something about people's devotion to the Welsh language.” As well as his charity work and


unstinting efforts for the Botanic Garden, and involvement in Menter Iaith, John Ellis was also ambassador for the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. We wondered where he found the


time to fit it all in, but, considering our surroundings, we asked John where his love for gardening came from. “My father was a great gardener.


I had to go with him virtually every day and evening to help him. I got my enthusiasm and love of the garden from him. We are doing our best to enthuse children here through education. We have an educational programme and children from all over South Wales come here and hopefully they too will develop a love for and take up gardening.” Since the National Botanic


Garden opened in May 2000, millions of visitors have filed through the gates, but it has not been without its problems. The Herald asked John if he was


still worried about the future of the Garden. He was trenchant in his view


that the Garden’s future was secure: “Like anything in life, you go through troughs and crests. When you are in the trough, it gives you the energy to solve problems and move forward. When you are on a crest, it energises you to develop. “At the moment, we are coming


out of one of those troughs and I am very confident about the security of this garden for generations to come.” The Herald asked John the reason


most visitors had given for visiting the garden. He said: “At the heart of the


garden are the plants. Education has an important part to play, of course, and visitors young and old have an important part to play in keeping the garden going. “The rarity of the plants plays


a part in attracting visitors to some extent. These plants are from the Mediterranean countries and I am not sure how many people actually see these plants in their natural setting. They can come here especially in the spring and see the splendid flora of the Mediterranean countries. “We are also very young as a


garden but the history goes back further than a garden like Kew. It is gathering momentum but my concern is that it is not spreading enough throughout Wales. We are centred very much in South Wales. We need to have some reach in the northern areas of Wales as we are a National Botanic Garden, after all.” John regards the Garden as an


important part of the cultural make-up of the nation. “I very strongly believe that the


Garden is a product of devolution and the mark of mature nationhood and of a civilised society. When you look at a nation, there are so many different elements that go into building it within own culture. I am not aware of any civilised nation that hasn't got a botanical garden as part of that element of nationhood. England have got Kew. Scotland have got the Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh and Ireland have Glasnevin." He continued: “Since devolution


here, the nationhood element of Wales has developed a great deal. I am happy to say that the Welsh Government now accepts us as an asset and that means that we have a role to play in the development of the nation.” When asked what the future held


for him, he answered: “I shall continue with my community work and charity


work and I hope I can where I can contribute is of benefit to others. “My motivating factor is that


we are here to serve our brothers, be they be here in Wales or overseas. Whatever we can do to help and assist others, then we should do it within our ability.”


THE HERALD FRIDAY JANUARY 6 2017


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John Gwyndaf Ellis OBE - in his own words


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