An Oswestry bookshop is playing a big role in championing the Welsh language.
Siop Cwlwm, based in Bailey Street, was featured in a new report highlighting the cultural impact of bookshops across Wales.
The report, The Cultural and Community Role of Wales’s Bookshops, was published by the Booksellers Association of the UK and Ireland and launched at the Senedd on January 21.
It offers a detailed look at the power of bookshops to shape communities, promote language, and fuel culture.
Lowri Roberts, who co-founded Siop Cwlwm with her late mother Linda, described their vision for the shop.
Ms Roberts said: "The Welsh language belongs to everyone in Britain, and we like to think we’ve got something for everyone."
Siop Cwlwm, which opened in 2010, was founded to fill a gap in Oswestry’s offering—providing a source of Welsh books, cards, and gifts.
Both Roberts and her mother were passionate about promoting the language, especially in a town with an established Welsh-speaking community and close ties to the nearby Welsh border.
The bookshop is one of 116 operating across Wales, including 64 independents.
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Each of them plays a vital role in literacy, cultural engagement, and community events, often at their own financial risk, according to the new report.
The report also calls attention to the challenges facing bookshops, including high running costs, limited access to funding, and broader challenges facing high street retail.
One of its key recommendations is the introduction of a 'Culture Voucher Scheme' for young people aged 16 to 21 in Wales.
This would offer economic support for bookshops and cultural venues while improving access to cultural experiences.
Events marking the report’s launch featured a presentation by report author Howard Davies, alongside a keynote from Bookselling Wales Chair Jo Knell, with contributions from writers including Caryl Lewis and Gwyneth Lewis.
The launch brought together booksellers from across Wales and Members of the Senedd to discuss and champion the report’s findings and recommendations, the value bookshops bring to Welsh society, and what can be done to support and sustain this remarkable contribution.
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