YesCymru was set up in the summer of 2014[8] by several activists including Iestyn ap Rhobert, Siôn Jobbins and Hedd Gwynfor, who were inspired by campaigners in Scotland in the lead-up to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.

"[10] He resigned as chairman in October 2018 after proposed changes to the group's constitution were blocked by members;[11] he was later replaced by Jobbins, who was the chair between 2017 and July 2021, who stepped down over health concerns.

[17] January 2021's Welsh Political Barometer poll for ITV Wales and Cardiff University suggested 29% of voters would vote 'Yes' to independence in a referendum.

[22] The organisation had a further increase of around 3,000 members over three days in late October 2020;[23][24] this rise coincided with the Westminster government refusing to furlough Welsh businesses for the 17-day 'firebreak' lockdown in Wales.

[28] According to Owen Worth, Lecturer of International Relations at the University of Limerick, YesCymru was Britain's fastest growing political organisation in 2020.

He said that he wasn't trying to make a political point but said that "with this kind of growth, expectations, responsibility, demands for results and the need for structural changes within our organisation have become apparent".

[12] In summer 2021, six members of the central committee resigned over leadership and direction, in addition to a bitter debate around alleged transphobia in YesCymru.

Between then and the extraordinary general meeting (EGM), an independent third party firm of accountants oversaw limited day-to-day operations of the organisation.

In response to legal advice, the organisation further announced that it would be delaying voting for the EGM until 15 December, in order to send renewal emails to those whose memberships had lapsed.

[42] In September 2022, for the first time, the organisation announced it would appoint a paid full-time Chief Executive Officer, Gwern Gwynfil Evans, and a new Head of Communications, Campaigns and Membership Carwen Davies.

[45] There were speeches and performances from a number of high-profile Welsh figures including Julian Lewis Jones, who plays Boremund Baratheon in the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon, actor and novelist Ffion Dafis, singer Eädyth Crawford and Irish comedian Tadhg Hickey, as well as the Plaid Cymru peer Dafydd Wigley.

[55] The organisers claimed as many as 3,000 people attended the event and speakers included Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price, performer Carys Eleri, and Ben Gwalchmai of Labour 4 Indy Wales.

[60] In January 2020, the organisation was in part behind the push to get the song "Yma O Hyd" by Dafydd Iwan ac ar Log to the top of the iTunes Charts.

[61][62] In March 2021, YesCymru launched Yestival, a year-long programme of discussions on the subject of Welsh independence and their first live campaign since before the pandemic.

A spokesperson for YesCymru described Yestival as a "festival of digital engagement with groups representing thousands of existing and non-members" which is specifically designed to "continue shaping plans for a stronger and fairer Wales as an independent, neighbouring nation of the UK."

"[63] In March 2021, YesCymru announced they aimed to distribute 400,000 copies of a newspaper around Wales, with the hope of reaching an audience of 1 million people.

[87] Former central committee member Huw Marshall argued that the controversy had arisen "all because a small section on Twitter had taken umbrage that one person had been suspended from the central committee for having questionable views on the trans community" and saying that the organisation had failed to create "a professional structure staffed by competent individuals with the required skills to lead campaigns and make a positive case for Welsh independence.