Gorsedh Kernow has warmly welcomed news of the results from this year’s Cornish language examinations. KESVA – The Cornish Language Board – set up in 1967 by Gorsedh Kernow and the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies, has announced another year of impressive results from the 82 candidates who took their exams in June.
“Once again we are congratulating an increased number of successful candidates, a further 7% rise on last year, who are joining the growing number of people learning and taking exams in Kernewek,” said Grand Bard of Cornwall Elizabeth Carne, Melennek, “and I would like to say ‘Keslowena dhywgh hwi oll’ which means ‘Congratulations to you all’ in Cornish, you have all worked so hard.”
The results are spread across the four grades of examinations currently offered by the Cornish Language Board with the largest group of candidates based in Cornwall. Following previous increases in the number of students taking first grade exams, numbers in the higher grades continue to rise while numbers taking first grade exams is also being maintained.
“Demand for Kernewek is as strong as ever,” said Elizabeth Carne, “because it is such an important part of Cornish culture. As a teacher of the Cornish language myself I see every week just how many people want to know more about our shared heritage and Cornish identity and we would enourage everyone to embrace Kernewek as a unique part of our precious culture.”
The Grand Bard once again expressed her enormous gratitude to all the hardworking volunteer teachers and examiners, many of whom are bards of Gorsedh Kernow, who give a lot of their own time to help a variety of people of all ages and backgrounds learn Cornish. While the majority learn at traditional weekly classes, sales of language textbooks are growing steadily and many individual students are also supplementing their face to face learning with online resources as a gateway to the language such as those available through the popular Go Cornish website.
“The Council of Europe, which is not connected to the European Union, has long since recognised the Cornish people and the importance of our cultural assets, such as Kernewek, under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities” said Elizabeth Carne, “and we call on HM Government to honour their commitment to the Cornish people and provide funding as recently promised so we can promote and share our culture, especially the Cornish language.”
The successful candidates for 2019 are:
First Grade: Pass with Distinction
Charmaine Ashwin, St Columb
George Batey, Ponsanooth
Susan Davies, St Ives
Annie Ferrari, Luxulyan
Lucie Gibbons, Ludgvan
Rosalind Hayward, Luxulyan
Emma Jenkin, Truro
Judith Lawrence, Penzance
Patricia Maloney, Herodsfoot
Tamsin Spargo, Redruth
Paul Tyreman, Penzance
First Grade: Pass
Victor Aussedat, Callac, Brittany
Christopher Bartram, Luxulyan
Mark Bunney, Newquay
Michael Cummings, Truro
Glynis Davies, Gulval
Jeremy Forbes, Clitters
Yvonne Frankson, Carnon Downs
Rachel Gannon, Tresillian
Gemma Goodman, St Stephens
Malcolm Gould, Luxulyan
Gareth Horner, Newquay
Servane Huonic, Graces, Brittany
Elowenn Jenkin, Truro
Liz McKenzie, St Mawgan
Michel Mermet, Moëlan-sur-Mer, Brittany
Graham Perry, Penzance
Philip Pring, Edenbridge, Kent
Thomas Rogers, London
Graham Rundle, Sticker
Martin Van Staeyen, St Ives
Stephen Waite, Plymouth, Devon
Jean Wood, Roche
First Grade: Pass in Part
Greta-Marie Kendall, London
Second Grade: Pass with Distinction
Sue Dustow, Connor Downs
Melanie Frankell, Carbis Bay
Kate Neale, Padstow
Fiona O’Cleirigh, St Just
David Pollard, Falmouth
Karen Sellwood, Falmouth
Carole Street, Redruth
Pam Vincent, Bristol
Christina Wheeler, Stennack Troon
Second Grade: Pass
Raymond Bridgewater, St Ives
Susan Dabb, Chacewater
Joseph Enys, Falmouth
Ivor Frankell, Carbis Bay
Charlie Fripp, St Agnes
Sarah Fuller, Breage
Kim Hopewell, Nanpean
Ian Marr, St Ives
Katrina Naomi, Penzance
Claire Rakotozafy, Callac, Brittany
Judith Scrimshaw, Manaccan
Lucy Seale, Truro
Marrick Taylor, Plymouth, Devon
Diana Trudgeon, St Austell
David Wheeler, Stennack Troon
Second Grade: Pass in Part
Serge Aubin, Bourbriac, Brittany
Third Grade: Pass with Distinction
Kirsty Lauder, Saltash
David Matthew, Heamoor
Rita Nield, St Just
William Orchard, Penzance
Howard Peskett, Penzance
Third Grade: Pass
Colin Gordon Allen, Godalming, Surrey
Frances Bennett, Newbridge
Jennifer Blockley, Egloskerry
Will Coleman, St Buryan
Marie Helene Croizier, Ploumagoar, Brittany
Thomas Kadleck, Liskeard
Joe Lewis, Illogan
Tony Phillips, Newmill
Deborah Pollard, Redruth
Kevin Steede, Plymouth, Devon
Matthew Underwood, Plymouth, Devon
Judith Vandy, Camborne
Fourth Grade: Pass with Distinction
Andrew Johnson, St Austell
Fourth Grade: Pass
Kensa Broadhurst, Camborne
Wella Morris, Penzance
Helen Pascoe, Camborne
Wayne Tonkin, Pool
Fourth Grade: Pass in Part
Sarah Smith, London
Further notes for Editors
Gorsedh Kernow exists to promote and maintain the national Celtic Spirit of Cornwall and to give expression to such spirit, to encourage the study of Cornish history and literature, the Cornish language Kernewek, to foster Cornish art, music, dance and sport and to link with other Celtic countries.
The revival of Gorsedh Kernow started in 1928, and the organisation immediately began using the Cornish language Kernewek as the language of all their annual ceremonies.
66 of the successful candidates of the Cornish Language Board examinations are from Cornwall, 10 are from England and 6 are from Brittany. Several of these candidates will be presented with their certificates by the Grand Bard of Cornwall at a special Graduation ceremony in Lys Kernow (Cornwall Council Offices, Truro) later in September.
For more information about learning Cornish please see https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/the-cornish-language/cornish-language/learning-cornish/
The Go Cornish website can be accessed via https://gocornish.org/
For more information about the KESVA Cornish Language Board please contact Tony Hak, Karer an Yeth, Examinations Secretary, email apposyans@hotmail.co.uk
For more general information about Gorsedh Kernow please contact hon.secretary@gorsedhkernow.org.uk