28
September
2020
|
17:19
Europe/Amsterdam

Welsh lockdown ‘local heroes’ in-line for national recognition

Summary

Openreach, the UK’s digital network provider, has launched a nationwide ‘Community Connectors’ award programme to recognise people who’ve supported their neighbours during lockdown. The company is asking every MP in Wales and the rest of the UK to nominate an individual from their constituency. (Gweler fersiwn Cymraeg isod / Welsh version below)

Openreach, the UK’s digital network provider, has launched a nationwide ‘Community Connectors’ award programme to recognise people who’ve supported their neighbours during lockdown. The company is asking every MP in Wales and the rest of the UK to nominate an individual from their constituency.

The Openreach team, whose key worker engineers have worked throughout the pandemic to maintain and build the UK’s largest phone and broadband network – are seeking nominations for community heroes who’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty to bring local people together, creating networks which unite, connect and care for the lonely and vulnerable.

 Nominations for the Community Connectors Awards will be judged by a panel including Openreach engineers and CEO, Clive Selley, with winners invited to receive their award from their local MP at a virtual presentation event in November.

Clive Selley, Chief Executive of Openreach, said: “Our engineers were magnificent during lockdown, and they continue to keep the country connected at a time when communication has never been more important.”

“Many of our team went even further in their communities across the UK and volunteered to help others in their own time. These are amongst the thousands of stories of people supporting neighbours and communities during lockdown – and that’s why we’ve launched the Community Connectors Awards.

“We want to recognise and celebrate the contributions of the unsung heroes of our communities. They could be people who’ve made deliveries to vulnerable neighbours, or those who’ve picked up the phone to check on the wellbeing of complete strangers. It could be people who’ve run foodbanks or those who’ve tried to keep up people’s spirits during such a difficult year. The country is filled with these stories, and I hope MPs will take the opportunity to nominate a constituent so their contribution is recognised.”

 Members of Openreach’s engineering team camped in remote parts of the UK to ensure communities remained connected while others volunteered in their own spare time to help deliver blood supplies for the NHS. One engineer even put his diving gear on to fix an undersea cable to keep a rural community connected.

The deadline for nominations is 16 October. Further information can be found here.

 

Cydnabod ‘arwyr lleol’ y cyfnod clo

Mae Openreach, darparwr rhwydwaith digidol y Deyrnas Unedig, wedi lansio rhaglen wobrau ‘Cysylltwyr Cymunedol’ er mwyn cydnabod y bobl hynny a gefnogodd eu cymdogion yn ystod y cyfnod clo. Mae’r cwmni yn gofyn pob Aelod Seneddol yng Nghymru a gweddill y Deyrnas Unedig i enwebu unigolyn yn eu hetholaeth.

Mae tîm Openreach, y mae ei weithwyr allweddol wedi gweithio drwy gydol y pandemig i gynnal ac adeiladu rhwydwaith ffôn a band eang mwyaf y Deyrnas Unedig, yn edrych am enwebiadau ar gyfer arwyr cymunedol sydd wedi gwneud mwy na’r galw wrth ddwyn pobl at ei gilydd, gan greu rhwydweithiau er uno, cysylltu a gofalu am bobl unig a bregus.

 Bydd panel yn cynnwys peirianwyr Openreach a’r prif weithredwr Clive Selley yn dyfarnu’r gwobrau, gan wahodd yr enillwyr i dderbyn eu gwobr gan yr Aelod Seneddol lleol mewn cyflwyniad rhithwir ym mis Tachwedd.

Dywedodd Clive Selley, prif weithredwr Openreach: “Roedd ein peirianwyr yn wych yn ystod y cyfnod clo ac maent yn parhau i gynnal cysylltiadau cyfathrebu’r wlad ar adeg pan maent yn bwysicach nag erioed.”

“Yn wir, roedd llawer o aelodau’r tîm wedi gwneud mwy na’r gofyn wrth wirfoddoli i helpu eraill yn eu hamser eu hunain. Maent ymhlith miloedd o storiâu o bobl yn cefnogi cymdogion a chymunedau yn ystod y cyfnod clo - a dyna pam rydym wedi lansio Gwobrau Cysylltwyr Cymunedol.

“Rydym am gydnabod a dathlu cyfraniad arwyr tawel ein cymunedau. Pobl sydd wedi cludo nwyddau i gymdogion bregus, neu wedi codi’r ffôn i holi os yw dieithriaid yn eu plith yn cadw’n iawn. Gall fod yn bobl sydd wedi cynnal banciau bwyd neu rai sydd wedi ceisio codi calon pobl yn ystod blwyddyn mor anodd. Mae’r wlad yn llawn o straeon fel hyn ac rwy’n gobeithio bydd Aelodau Seneddol yn bachu ar y cyfle i enwebu etholwyr er cydnabod eu cyfraniad.”

Roedd aelodau tîm peirianneg Openreach wedi gwersylla mewn ardaloedd diarffordd y Deyrnas Unedig er mwyn cynnal cysylltiadau cymunedau, tra bod eraill wedi gwneud gwaith gwirfoddol yn amser eu hunain wrth helpu i gludo cyflenwadau gwaed ar gyfer y gwasanaeth iechyd. Roedd un peiriannydd hyd yn oed wedi gwisgo ei offer deifio er mwyn trwsio cebl o dan y môr ac ailgysylltu cymuned wledig.

Y dyddiad cau ar gyfer enwebiadau yw 16 Hydref. Manylion pellach yma.

-diwedd-