Youngsters from Pentrefoelas and Llanrwst in new S4C series

Apr 21 2011 by Samantha Castle, North Wales Weekly News

A TRIP to Poland by a four-year-old to visit his grandparents is just one of the stories in a documentary where pre-school children are the stars.

Marek Huws Tyburski of Pentrefoelas appears in Y Diwrnod Mawr (My Big Day), the second in S4C’s innovative series which starts its new run on Easter Monday.

The series follows important days in the life of young children.

The series, part of the Cyw children’s service on S4C, has already been shortlisted for four top national and international TV awards.

“The programmes chart the lives of the children as they prepare for an event,” explained producer Nia Ceidiog.

“We get to know the children as we follow them over a period of time.

“The story is filmed from each child's perspective and in their own words.”

Marek’s mum Ewa, who came to the UK in 2003 to improve her English, is a graduate in tourism and hotel management studies.

She worked at the Waterloo Hotel in Betws-y-Coed, where she met husband Rhydian Huws, a security officer in St Asaph, and she is now learning Welsh.

“Marek has visited Poland before and speaks Polish, as well as English and Welsh,” added Ewa.

“We were filmed going round Conwy Castle and at the hotel where I work, and Marek and myself making some Polish food.”

In Rypin in Poland the family, which also includes Marek’s sister, three-year-old Seren, meet up with Ewa’s parents and visit a local castle to watch knights and horses and go skating in the snow.

Marek’s classmates at the village school in Pentrefoelas are all waiting to see him on TV.

Another star of the series will be four-year-old Cari Davies from Llanrwst, a pupil at Ysgol Bro Gwydir.

Parents Selwyn and Delyth have a 10-acre smallholding with chickens and sheep which they run part-time as Selwyn is a plumber and Delyth works for a local building company.

Cari’s Big Day was acting the role of Cyw – the mascot chick of S4C’s children’s service – for a school St David’s Day production.

Delyth had to make sure Caris, a toddler who enjoys tea parties with her dolls, looked the part for her acting and singing debut.

Although she was nervous at the thought of singing and dancing in front of all her school mates, the performance went without a hitch.

“I had to make her costume out of cardboard, PVA and anything which came to hand,” said Delyth.

“She’s very much a performer. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and Cari got a lot out of it; in fact it helped enormously with her confidence.”

Siân Eirian, head of S4C’s Children’s Service, said: “This new series offers a fascinating insight into the lives of youngsters across Wales.

“I would love to hear from parents of pre-school children with stories about their big day – visit s4c.co.uk/cyw.”

The series starts at 7.50am on April 25 and is repeated on April 30 at 7.20am.