A Welsh language activist will go without food and water for 50 hours in an effort to save a Gwynedd school ahead of a crucial council vote.Next Thursday (May 12th), Gwynedd Council will debate finally a proposal to close the village school at Parc near Bala. Residents of this 91% Welsh-speaking community have sent thousands of words in responses to a consultation opposing the plans, saying that the school is crucial to the life of the community.Cymdeithas yr Iaith's spokesperson on Education, Ffred Ffransis set out his reasons for the fast in a letter sent earlier this week to all councillors. He says that there is no educational reason for closing the school nor any level of financial savings which would justify what he calls the 'destruction of the community'. He also argues the council has failed to study a more ambitious plan to create an integrated "Penllyn Federation" of schools which would have incorporated Ysgol y Parc. His letter says:"...it is my sincere opinion that the life of the small Welsh-speaking community at Parc is at stake, and that its closure would also be a demoralising blow to many other small Welsh-speaking communities. Water is a symbol of life and, in order to impress upon the Council the serious nature of the crisis facing that community, I shall spend the 50 hours in Caernarfon prior to your meeting without food or water."Mr Ffransis says that he accepts personal responsibility for his decision, having seen the destruction of the young life of his own community following a school closure. He adds:"I have no right to expect that you would change any decision because of my actions. My only hope and expectation is that you will read with an open mind every heartfelt word of the responses to your consultation document before you reach your final decision. In my own way, I have accepted my responsibility. This is your responsibility."Mr Ffransis will visit the council offices in Caernarfon on Tuesday (11.30am, Tuesday 10th May), 50 hours before the meeting, with 75 copies of the responses to consultation - one for each councillor.