YOU’RE never too old to learn a new trick and a man who lives on the Powys border has typified that after he received a university award for learning Welsh – just as he celebrates turning 90.

David Hill, from Kington, went back to school during lockdown, joining a Welsh learners group based in Presteigne, at the grand old age of 87. He did so partly in honour of his beloved late wife Hazel who had always wanted to learn the Welsh national anthem, as well as having long desired to learn more about the language, culture, history and music of Wales.

Seeing a local class being offered just over the border in Powys suddenly afforded David the opportunity to do just that.

The Welsh group hosted an awards evening in September for David, who received a special achievement courtesy of Aberystwyth University.

Despite being apprehensive at the thought of taking on such a project at his age, David started attending classes and loved them straight away. He enjoyed getting to know his classmates, who found David’s persistence inspiring.

Covid-19 intervened after a term-and-a-half, but David wasn’t going to let the pandemic stop him from achieving his aim. Undeterred, he added learning to use Zoom on his iPad to his list of goals, and he joined the rest of his classmates online just three days after the lockdown was announced as classes moved from the classroom to the laptop.

Now, three years on, David proudly completed the mynediad/entry level course in June this year, just as he celebrated his 90th birthday.

“I immediately felt at home with my lovely classmates, who have encouraged me throughout the course and they have become dear friends,” said David.

“My wonderful tutor, Sarah Graham, has been the most patient, kind and inspirational of teachers and I owe her a debt of gratitude for enabling me to achieve my aim and commemorate my darling wife Hazel.

“It has been hard work at times, but when you’re nearly 90 these things tend to be tougher than they were when you were younger. I left school at 16, and now at 90 I have a certificate from Aberystwyth University – I am thrilled.”

Sarah said: “David has been an absolute delight to teach and I have thoroughly enjoyed his warmth and sense of humour in class.

“He has often cited his ‘great age’, with a twinkling smile, when discussing his performance in class. I would like to congratulate his persistence and hard work, and the way he has seized this challenge has been an inspiration.

“I’m delighted that’s been recognised by this rare award. David’s classmates say It has been a really special pleasure to learn Welsh with him. He’s the loveliest man and has been an inspiration to all of them.

“He rose to the extra challenges he faced when we had to resort to Zoom classes and never gave up even when the latest tranche of mutations left us reeling and there seemed to be a never-ending variety of ways to make a plural.

“His anecdotes and stories from his long and interesting life have kept us entertained – all in Welsh of course.”

Sarah added that she and his classmates will miss David terribly – he has decided to hang up his ‘geiriadur’ (dictionary) at the age of 90, having successfully completed the entry level course.

But the class have become firm friends and continue to meet up every month, ostensibly to practice Welsh but just as importantly to keep in touch with David and hear more of his amazing stories. David was awarded a special achievement certificate in recognition of his success, despite all the additional obstacles thrown in his way by Covid.

The certificate was presented at a special ceremony in Presteigne by Siôn Meredith, head of Learn Welsh at Aberystwyth University. Siôn congratulated David on his achievement, saying: “It’s inspiring to other learners to hear David’s reasons for wanting to learn Welsh and to see how determination and the love of the Welsh language get you to your goal.”