Aled Edwards

Things are looking good health-wise these days. Sugars seem settled for now. Those who look after me discovered this week that I have an elevated level of a protein called troponin. It’s associated with heart attacks. My heart seems OK though. It’s just that I run a lot.

Fun moment with a shopkeeper today. I asked her what the German speakers of Switzerland called Swiss French speakers. ‘Welch’ she said as the penny dropped with a smile. In German and English, Welsh conveys otherness. Cymry conveys a sense of being one of us. Together here!

Sometimes I have difficult conversations with God about @Cymru winning more often. But God says, you have the best anthem in the world. The best fans in the world and a national football culture that is world-leading. Winning matters but there are other things that matter more.

Couldn’t be prouder of the #redwall today. Every step of that walk of pride was special. Children were carried on our shoulders. There will be different results. These fans gave their all. So did our players especially towards the end as we all sang our hearts out @Cymru

As far as the eye can see. @Cymru is here.

As far as the eye can see. @Cymru is here.

Lesson learnt. In Lucerne run in the morning before breakfast. Much cooler. Day three and 13 miles done. No more running today. I have a football match to enjoy. Cymon 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Got a little emotional today after my run along Lake Lucerne. Over two years ago I put on my Split baseball cap and ran along the coast during that away#redwall game. Diabetic double vision meant that I could only see with a prism. That Split cap is now well worn but now I see.

I asked the lovely staff in our hotel in Lucerne if someone could run around the lake. They explained kindly that it had four cantons. I have no idea how large a canton is. I got six slow miles done. It was just so hot. 🥵 Running total for this trip: 11miles in 2 days #redwall

Diolch Rob.

Decided that this trip is for football and running. Guess Switzerland will be a good place to get fitter. The longer @Cymru 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 stay in the competition, the fitter I’ll get 😇 5 miles clocked in my Heathrow hotel tonight. Gwelai chi yno #walgoch See you there #redwall

Today, running was sort of hard. I felt that I was getting older quicker than I’m getting fitter. Hope tomorrow will be different. Getting fitter quicker than I’m getting older. Just had another Sunday feeling very tired.

Today, 46 years ago I became a Reverend. Sometime around 64 years ago I became a @Cymru fan and I’m getting ready to go to Switzerland. I have no memory of a time when I didn’t support Wales. Some people believe that Welsh football is my second religion. Not sure about that 😇

Heddiw, daeth fy nghyfnod fel Cadeirydd Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog i ben ar ol tair blynedd hapus. Cefais heriau gyda fy nghlefyd siwgr yn ddiweddar. Diolch i bawb am y gefnogaeth. Yn arbennig ynghylch y brandio Cymraeg. Fe aeth yr enw ar hyd a lled y byd. Ymlaen!

When I got up this morning I felt a little afraid. I wasn’t alone. After church I phoned my Iranian friend of more than twenty years. She and her family were OK but concerned. No matter what happens in global politics she will always be my friend. I don’t believe in enemies.

Spent two lovely weekends at @Tafwyl and @PrideCymru Have an overwhelming feeling that in the face of global troubles Wales has enough decent and generous people to make a difference. We will have to show up though. Nos da.

Great time with @cymru friends @PrideCymru Really enjoying my equality advisory role @FAWales Good preparation for Switzerland Great atmosphere @NoelMooney13

Couldn’t get to Yr Wyddfa for the @Cymru squad announcement today. Did the next best thing and sat down at the foot of Pen y Fan in @BannauB proudly showing my Cymru v Netherlands ticket for the July 5th game in Luzern to a couple from Holland. #redwall awaits.

Committed to covering 60 miles to raise money for @DiabetesUK during June. Covered 39 miles during my first week and hope to cover 240 miles by July. It’s what I do anyway. My donation page pinned on Facebook (Aled Edwards).

In me, Wales will always be one. Suspect that nothing reminds me more that I am from north Wales than my complete inability to understand the Cardiff - Swansea thing in football. I never understood the Bangor - Caernarfon thing either. Wish all Welsh clubs well. Gwych Wrecsam!

Fond memories today of an audience with Pope Francis in 2017 with friends from the Focolare movement. A happy day in Rome. My prayers are today for my good friends in the Welsh Cylch Catholic. The Pope will be missed.

Really blessed tonight at a special event held in Llandaff North to commemorate the late Rhodri Morgan to hear a Welsh language hymn being sung by a friend from one of our newer Welsh communities. Rhodri would have been pleased with who we have become. Diolch o galon.

Cyfarfod arbennig o Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog heddiw. Diolch i bawb yn aelodau a swyddogion. Ceir heriau sylweddol o’n blaen ond mae mor galonogol gweld yr ymroddiad i’n gwaith a’n brandio Cymraeg yn fwyaf arbennig. Diolch bawb @CroesoBannauB

Tonight for me is all about @Cymru It always is on match day. I’m not in North Macedonia but my heart and soul will be there with the #WalGoch. Taking time to watch the moving and perceptive @GarethSouthgate lecture has already given me a sense of winning. Diolch.

Had a chance to practice my poor Arabic with some Kazakhstan fans. They were all lovely. @cymru football is a really brilliant thing in a sometimes difficult world.

Had a lovely day with @BannauB colleagues discussing peatland restoration work. It matters to the planet. Many thanks to our amazing team of volunteers. Fantastic work in a crucial conservation area. Amazing views today above Blaenafon. Da iawn bawb!

Dywedodd Dafydd Elis-Thomas bethau caredig wrth nifer ohonon ni. Yn ystod dyddiau cynnar y Cynulliad dywedodd fy mod weithiau fel tad bedydd i’r sefydliad. Cytunodd y ddau ohonon ni nad oedd y syniad yn cyfieithu’n dda iawn i ‘godfather’ yn Saesneg. Bu’n bleser cydweithio gydag o.

FAW launch year four of the BE. Football mentoring programme - FAW The Football Association of Wales’ successful BE. Football: Mentoring Programme has opened applications for its fourth year.

faw.cymru/news/faw-lau...

For a preacher who is troubled by world events it was good today to be with brothers and sisters in Christ who do not wish to bend a knee to those who seek transactional tricks rather than miracles. Those who believe that they own countries. Those who jump heights to test angels.

Went to see #Bonhoeffer tonight. A good film grappling with evil. Perhaps all of us should see it. The film left me troubled. I wasn’t the only one. Our world is moving towards a dark place again. It may not be too late for us to act. There’s time. There soon may not be though.