Wales’ fourth Purple Plaque honours Angela Kwok, a champion of the Chinese Community in Cardiff and was unveiled at the Bamboo Garden, Cathedral Road by her daughter Temmy Woolston and other family members on the eve of the Chinese New Year, 24th January 2020.
Angela arrived in the UK aged 16 from Hong Kong, speaking limited English and facing vast cultural differences. However, her positive attitude and tireless work made an immeasurable difference to the lives of many Chinese women living in Wales.
She began accompanying the women to GP appointments and supporting with translation, eventually setting up the South Wales Chinese Women’s Association in the mid-1980s at Riverside Community Centre, where soon more than 50 women were meeting weekly. It was a chance for them to talk and take part in activities such as cooking, sewing, English lessons, computer classes, family social events and day trips. She went on to form Cardiff Chinese Community Service Association, and to provide support to South Wales police with translation, become a member of the Race Equality Council, and instigate the establishment of the Chinese Cemetery in Pantmawr, Cardiff. She acted as a “surrogate” mother to at least 15 overseas female Chinese students during their University holidays.
Angela’s legacy is a cohesive and well known Chinese community in the diversity of multicultural Cardiff.
Dadorchuddiwyd y pedwerydd Plac Porffor i Angela Kwok, eiriolydd dros y gymuned Tsieineaidd yng Nghaerdydd, yn Bamboo Garden, Heol y Gadeirlan gan ei merch, Temmy Woolston ac aelodau eraill o’i theulu ar 24ain Ionawr, 2020, sef noswyl y Flwyddyn Newydd Tseineaidd.
Cyrhaeddodd Angela i’r DU o Hong Kong yn 16 oed â’i Saesneg yn brin ac yn wynebu gwahaniaethau diwylliannol enfawr. Fodd bynnag, gwnaeth ei hagwedd gadarnhaol a’i gwaith diflino wahaniaeth anfesuradwy i fywydau llawer o fenywod Tsieineaidd yng Nghymru.
Dechreuodd fynd gyda’r menywod i apwyntiadau meddygon teulu a’u cefnogi drwy gyfieithu, a hynny’n arwain at sefydlu, ynghanol y 1980au, Cymdeithas Menywod Tsieineaidd De Cymru yng Nghanolfan Gymunedol Glanyrafon, lle deuai dros 50 o fenywod i gyfarfod yn wythnosol. Roedd yn gyfle iddynt siarad a chymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau fel coginio, gwnïo, gwersi Saesneg, dosbarthiadau cyfrifiadur, digwyddiadau cymdeithasol teuluol a gwibdeithiau. Yn ddiweddarach, sefydlodd Angela Cymdeithas Gwasanaeth Cymunedol Tsieineaidd Caerdydd, rhoddodd gefnogaeth i Heddlu De Cymru gyda chyfieithu, daeth yn aelod o’r Cyngor Cydraddoldeb Hiliol, a symbylodd sefydlu’r Fynwent Tsieineaidd ym Mhantmawr, Caerdydd. Hefyd, gweithredodd yn gyson fel mam “ddirprwyol” i o leiaf 15 myfyriwr Tsieineaidd benywaidd o dramor yn ystod eu gwyliau Prifysgol.
Mae’r gymuned Tseineaidd gydlynol ac adnabyddus sy’n rhan o gymdeithas amlddiwylliannol ac amrywiol Caerdydd yn dyst i’r hyn a gyflawnodd Angela yn ystod ei hoes.