Bethan Richards’ Story

"Overcoming obstacles and celebrating our victories."

Bethan Richards grew up in Rhydaman, Dyffryn Aman and now lives in Cardiff with her husband and two children.

She also lived in Bangor, Denbighshire and Flintshire.

Bethan was a History teacher before moving to Cardiff to work as a producer with the BBC.

She is a Disability Advocate and has presented a series of podcasts called Meddwl yn Wahanol, available to listen to on BBC Sounds.

But for many, Bethan is the singer with the popular disco group Diffiniad who performed so successfully at the Eisteddfod in Wrexham last August.

This is Bethan’s story.

She said: “I was born with cataracts, so the treatments started when I was very, very young.

"I think the first treatment I had was when I was six months old to get rid of the cataracts.

"I've had a lot of treatments, glasses and so on. Today, I have no sight at all in my left eye and I have a tiny, tiny bit of sight in my right eye.

"It's difficult to describe the conditions I have had. I have secondary glaucoma; but the big problem I had is that my cornea was deteriorating a lot.

“I've had several total and partial (cornea) transplants.

"I'm still working; I'm a wife; I'm a mother of two teenage children and I'm also still singing with Diffiniad.

"I've been with Diffiniad since 1992.

"We were very busy for 10 years until we took a break and finished it could be said in 2001 at the Eisteddfod in Denbigh.

"We had several offers to get back together but it was never the right time as everyone was away focusing on their careers, children and so on.

"We were given the chance to come back together in 2018 to play on the Maes stage on Friday night at the Cardiff Eisteddfod.

"It was a unique and incredible experience to sing there with the Millennium Centre in front of us and to see the whole Bay full of people. It was such a privilege.

"Then we did the Pavilion gig in 2019 with the Welsh Pops orchestra and then we carried on."

During Covid, Diffiniad released singles and an album Endless on May 19 last year. The band played Tafwyl on the Saturday last year and the first Saturday on the Eisteddfod Maes in Wrecsam.

Bethan said: "I'm quite a busy person. I try not to let my sight get the best of me and I reaffirm that there's not much I can't do. Although I think it's not a healthy thing to give everyone an image that it’s all sweetness and honey.

"I also think it is very important to recognise that living with a visual impairment is extremely difficult and can be a burden on someone's mental health and that emotional and practical support is needed.

"And that life can be extremely difficult, sometimes. But if we can be successful in the messages we share, I think that is very important.

"I still feel like I'm on a journey with my disability and as I've had the opportunity to talk to several people over the past few years through my work, I realised that I have a story to tell and maybe other people have a story to tell.

"That's why I had the idea of creating the Meddwl yn Wahanol podcast and at the heart of the whole thing was the fact that I wanted to make it as accessible and inclusive for everyone.

"So not only can you listen to it on BBC Sounds, but while it's available, it's been transcribed into Welsh.
"So, if you press the subtitles, you can read it too; not just hear it. Everyone's disability is so different. We are as unique as fingerprints.

"But we are here to help each other and if society can change and create a life that is more inclusive and more accessible to us with our disability - our disability will feel like less of a struggle.

"Getting over those obstacles is important and celebrating our victories."