Speaker welcomes schoolchildren to Parliament to celebrate St David’s Day

St David’s Day came early in the House of Commons when the Speaker was presented with a bouquet of daffodils by children from the London Welsh School.

More than a dozen youngsters, aged between four and 12-years-old, wore traditional Welsh dress as they sang ‘Mis Mawrth Unwaith Eto’ to Sir Lindsay Hoyle on the front steps of Speaker’s House.

For more than 20 years, pupils from the school - Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain – have carried out the performance as part of celebrations ahead of St David’s Day on 1 March.

Mr Speaker said the annual tradition, which was also witnessed by MPs from Welsh constituencies, was ‘a highlight’ of his year.

‘It is always a pleasure to hear the children sing in their beautiful national costumes - and to meet their parents and teachers - as it signals to me that spring is just around the corner,’ he said.

Rhian Hughes Ahmad, music and French teacher at the London Welsh School, said: ‘For us it is a fantastic honour for us to sing to the Speaker in Parliament, as it really crystalises a special day where we celebrate our patron, St David.

‘It is such a popular event, that we even have former pupils come along to join us.’

Rhian Bishop said she remembered first bringing along her son, Owain, now aged 10, when he was two weeks old. ‘It’s a very special day, and the children always love it,’ she said.