Mr Richard Morgan

Mr Richard Morgan

Cyflwyniad i Mr Richard Morgan gan y Dirprwy Is-Ganghellor, Dr John Harries.

Barchus Lywydd, mae’n fraint ac yn bleser gennyf gyflwyno Richard Harding Morgan i’w urddo’n Gymrawd.

Richard Morgan has made an outstanding contribution to Aberystwyth University in his role as Treasurer.  He has also contributed substantially to a range of aspects of life in Wales as the Executive Secretary of the James Pantyfedwen Foundation as well as in a variety of other roles.   

Wedi ei eni a’i fagu yn Rhydaman yn Sir Gâr, y mae Richard yn un o linach hir o gyn-ddisgyblion nodedig Ysgol Ramadeg Dyffryn Aman. Arwyddair yr ysgol oedd “Parched pob byw ei orchwyl”, ac y mae Richard wedi glynu at ysbryd yr arwyddair hwn trwy gydol ei oes.

Ar ôl gadael y chweched dosbarth ym 1967, daeth i Aberystwyth i astudio Daearyddiaeth Ddynol ac fe enillodd radd Anrhydedd dosbarth cyntaf yn 1970. Rydyn ni’n dau wedi adnabod ein gilydd ers y dyddiau cynnar hynny pan oedden ni’n israddedigion yn byw ym Mhantycelyn ac yna’n rhannu llety yn y dref.

Richard was born and bred in Ammanford in Carmarthenshire and is a former pupil of Amman Valley Grammar School. He studied Human Geography here at Aberystwyth and was awarded a first class Honours degree in 1970.  

After graduating Richard became a research student in Geography here at Aber before being appointed Tutor in Geography at the University of Wales Swansea.   He then spent two years as a lecturer in the Geography Department at the University at Wales Lampeter before moving back to Swansea in 1977 to take up a post as Lecturer in Social Policy, a position which he held for the next five years.

In 1982 Richard’s career took a somewhat different direction when he was appointed to the post of Executive Secretary to the James Pantyfedwen Foundation, a grant making charity whose offices are located here in Aberystwyth.   

Mae i’r Ymddiriedolaeth hanes diddorol. Cafodd ei ffurfio wrth uno dwy gyn-ymddiriedolaeth elusennol, y ddwy wedi eu sefydlu gan y diweddar Syr David James a oedd yn ddyn busnes ac yn ddyngarwr. Brodor o Bantyfedwen yn wreiddiol oedd Syr David, ger Pontrhydfendigaid yma yng Ngheredigion. Roedd ganddo amryw fuddiannau busnes yn Llundain ar ddechrau’r ugeinfed ganrif a oedd yn cynnwys llaeth, grawn a bragu. Serch hynny, y mae’n fwyaf enwog am ei gyswllt â sinemâu ac ar un adeg yr oedd yn berchen ar dair ar ddeg sinema fawr yn Llundain.

In his role as Executive Secretary, Richard is at the heart of the work of the James Pantyfedwen Foundation.  From an annual income of some half a million pounds, the trustees make grants to churches, registered charities and, of particular interest to us here today, postgraduate students. Around forty postgraduate grants are made each year, a good proportion of which are awarded to Aberystwyth students. 

Nid yw Richard wedi gadael academia yn llwyr serch hynny. Ers dros ugain mlynedd bu’n dysgu cyrsiau israddedig trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg yn y Sefydliad Daearyddiaeth a Gwyddorau Daear yma yn Aberystwyth.

Bu hefyd yn Ddarlithydd Cysylltiedig â’r Brifysgol Agored ers 1986, ac eleni fe dderbyniodd Wobr Arbennig gan y Brifysgol Agored am gyflawni 25 mlynedd o wasanaeth.

Aberystwyth University is especially indebted to Richard for his contribution as Treasurer since 2002. Given the institution’s turnover of £100 million and endowment funds of some £25 million, this is a significant responsibility.  In addition to chairing Finance and General Purposes Committee and Investments Committee, Richard represents Council on a number of other University bodies. He also sits regularly on appointment panels for senior posts where his judgment is highly valued. 

Mae Richard hefyd wedi dal swyddi allweddol mewn nifer o gyrff eraill yng Nghymru. Y mae’n rhestr nodedig iawn sy’n cynnwys: Trysorydd Undeb yr Annibynwyr Cymraeg, aelod o Grŵp Cyllid Cyngor Cenhadol y Byd, Trysorydd ac yna Is-lywydd CYTÛN, Trysorydd Coleg Harlech, aelod o Bwyllgor Cyfalaf Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru a Thrysorydd Ymddiriedolaeth Goffa Saunders Lewis.
Os yw amser yn caniatáu y mae diddordebau personol Richard yn cynnwys bowlio, a cherddoriaeth glasurol. Y mae hefyd ers blynyddoedd yn aelod ac yn gyn-Lywydd ar Glwb Rotari Aberystwyth.

It is in recognition of his invaluable contribution to this University, as well as to many other aspects of Welsh life, that I present Richard Morgan as an Honorary Fellow.

Barchus Lywydd, mae’n fraint ac yn bleser gennyf gyflwyno Richard Harding Morgan i’w urddo’n Gymrawd o Brifysgol Aberystwyth.

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