Alf Bodenham

Alf is one of the newest members of the Snowdonia Society team, working as a Conservation Assistant, where he is responsible for running practical conservation workdays for our volunteers.

Alf gained a good theoretical understanding of conservation, as well as marine and terrestrial survey skills while studying Biology at the University of Exeter.  After university Alf returned home to volunteer full time with North Pembokeshire National Trust, where he gained experience in practical conservation work.

Moving from one end of Wales to the other has allowed him to work on new habitats and gain a greater understanding of the unique environmental challenges that Snowdonia faces.

Cai Bishop-Guest

Cai is one of the new faces joining the Snowdonia Society this year. Working as a Conservation Assistant, he will be running practical volunteer days throughout the park, helping the society to accomplish more amazing work with its volunteers.

Born in Snowdonia before relocating at an early age to south Wales, Cai is excited to have come full circle, returning to live and work in the National Park. During his frequent visits to see friends and family he fell in love with the landscape, wildlife and people.

Pursuing his passion for the outdoors Cai studied zoology at Exeter University. During this time, he volunteered for a number of environmental education organisations, where he loved teaching people about the nature around them.

In his spare time Cai enjoys climbing, camping and has a newly acquired taste for wild swimming.

Jen Willis

Jen joined the Snowdonia Society team as Volunteer and Events Administrator, which involves facilitating the booking and arranging of volunteer work days, training and public events.

Having lived most of her life in north Wales, she loves the unique countryside of this beautiful area. For the last few years Jen has worked for the NHS but in her free time has always enjoyed being out and about exploring north Wales by foot and by bike. Jen is a keen believer that being outside in the natural world can have a really positive impact on us.

Jen is an active member of a local church and loves being part of its community and activities.  She also enjoy gardening, crocheting, and attempting to learn to surf.

Contact Jen: jen@snowdonia-society.org.uk

Owen Davies

Owen is the youngest member of the Snowdonia Society team who works as a Project Officer alongside Mary and Dan. This involves planning and leading practical conservation workdays for volunteers, as well as collaborating with other conservation organisations working to protect the unique aspects of Snowdonia.

Owen moved to north Wales in 2017, from Portsmouth, to study for an undergraduate master’s degree in geography at Bangor University. In his final year of this course Owen also served as a Conservation Intern with the Society, helping to develop his knowledge of conservation issues specific to the National Park.

Exploring the remote valleys and rugged coastline of Snowdonia sparked Owen’s passion for this place, which he demonstrates by learning its native tongue.

Contact Owen at owen@snowdonia-society.org.uk

Daniel Goodwin

As Senior Conservation Officer Dan delivers practical conservation workdays and training events throughout Snowdonia. He is also responsible for the woodland management at our flagship property Tŷ Hyll.

Daniel studied Countryside Conservation at Aberystwyth University and has volunteered with several conservation organisations throughout Snowdonia. He has a real passion for protecting and enhancing Snowdonia, having grown up walking the mountains, forests and coastline of Wales. In his spare time Daniel enjoys running, hiking and cycling.

Contact Daniel at dan@snowdonia-society.org.uk

Debbie Pritchard

Debbie is the Membership and Communications Officer and is the primary contact for new and existing members. She is responsible for communications through a range of media and relationship building with our family of members and supporters.

Having lived in the area all of her life Debbie is a fluent Welsh speaker and is passionate about the future of Snowdonia.  Debbie has worked for the Salvation Army in Australia and found this a very rewarding opportunity.

In her spare time Debbie enjoys walking with her huskies, swimming and reading. She has been a vegetarian since she was 12 years old.

If you have any queries about becoming a member please contact Debbie: debbie@snowdonia-society.org.uk or visit us on Facebook to keep up to date with our latest events.

Claire Holmes

Claire is the Engagement Officer at the Snowdonia Society, and has joined the team to help enthuse and inspire the next generation of Snowdonia Society members through planning and delivering events and publicity materials for Society members and the general public.

Claire has a background in event planning and nature conservation, and has a keen eye for design. She has worked on many different events, from a global environmental conference in Edinburgh to a community festival in rural New Zealand.

In her spare time, Claire enjoys fell running, climbing and camping in the great outdoors, as well as cooking up feasts for family and friends. She is a fluent Welsh and Dutch speaker!

Contact Claire at claire@snowdonia-society.org.uk or visit us on Facebook Twitter YouTube or Instagram, to keep up to date with our latest work.

John Harold

DIRECTOR

John has lived on Snowdonia’s northern edge for 30 years and loves being a Welsh speaker. He is responsible for ensuring that the society is effective and well-run, working with a wide network including trustees, volunteers, members, staff, community groups, statutory bodies, and our partner organisations and businesses. He sees the Society as part of the ‘golden thread’ of conservation, linking people – in the past, present and future – to the work of looking after a very special place.

Since joining the Snowdonia Society staff in 2014, he has overseen a major expansion of the society’s practical conservation programme, alongside development of accredited training and public engagement.

John has invested heavily in the development and delivery of key partnerships for Eryri; helping establish and chairing the Snowdon Partnership; contributing from the very beginning to Fforwm Eryri and Cynllun Eryri, the National Park’s partnership plan; contributing as a core partner to the development and delivery of the Carneddau Landscape Partnership.

John has led a number of high profile advocacy campaigns, including protecting the Conwy Falls/Fairy Glen on the river Conwy from a major hydropower development and leading the response to controversial proposals in the ‘Future Landscapes’ review of National Parks and AONBs in Wales.  Just as important is the work on advocacy that largely happens out of sight – developing the Society’s responses to local, regional and national consultations, planning applications, policies, strategies and legislation.

To contact John: director@snowdonia-society.org.uk

Judith Bellis

Accountant

Judith deals with the Society’s day to day financial administration, payroll, and annual accounts. If you have any questions about making donations, leaving a legacy or the inheritance tax implications of leaving a legacy, give us a ring to arrange a chat with her.

Judith has lived in North Wales all her adult life, working in a large accountancy practice before retiring from full time employment. She enjoys reading, singing and listening to music, walking, gardening, knitting and baking, and being entertained by an increasing tribe of grandchildren.  She lives on Anglesey where she loves watching the wildlife in her garden, which sometimes features red squirrels.

Contact Judith to talk about leaving a legacy or making a donation: judith@snowdonia-society.org.uk

Mary Williams

Mary is a Conservation Officer for Snowdonia Society. This entails arranging and running practical conservation work days for volunteers, partnering with other conservation organisations who actively work to look after Snowdonia and its wildlife.

Mary moved to north Wales from Pembrokeshire a few years ago and loves living here. She is always happy out and about in the mountains, although far more likely to be walking than running.

Her background is in education, working with children and young people. She moved into conservation work though the National Trust ranger teams in Pembrokeshire and at Ogwen and has been a part of the Snowdonia Society team since 2019.

Mary loves meeting people and she is bound to talk to you at a volunteer event. She will probably also point out a flower or tell you a random fact about the location or wildlife.

Mary is also our Tŷ Hyll Officer, ensuring that vital maintenance jobs are done to look after the house, garden and woodland at Tŷ Hyll, Betws y Coed.

You can contact Mary at mary@snowdonia-society.org.uk

Mary-Kate Jones

Mary-Kate is our Programme Manager.  She has managed and developed the Society’s practical conservation work, volunteering and training programmes since 2012.    Since joining the Society, Mary-Kate has worked with external funders to increase the capacity of our conservation team; enabling us to have more ‘hands-on-deck’ to deliver more practical work to protect Snowdonia.  She initiated and developed our accredited training programme and has written several new training units.

Mary-Kate was heavily involved in the creation of a key partnership project  – Caru Eryri / Care for Snowdonia –  working closely with partners since 2020 to ensure a well-run scheme with robust volunteer training and support.  She is developing this work further.

In 2021, Mary-Kate led the Society’s work to become a Real Living Wage Employer.  She also led the Society’s accreditation as a Fair Play Employer, working withChwarae Teg, developing a new suite of  ‘people policies’ and laying the foundation for the Society’s work to be as inclusive as possible.  In doing this work she discovered a surprising love of policy writing!

Born and bred in North Wales, Mary-Kate is a Welsh speaker and has an MSc in Conservation Land Management from Bangor University, a City and Guilds level 4 Professional Development Award in Project Management and a Level 2 ILM Award in Leadership and Team Skills.  Mary-Kate is passionate about the conservation of Snowdonia and inevitably ends up covered in mud after any time spent outside!  She loves sea turtles and cake and is more than a little obsessed with salsa dancing.

Contact Mary-Kate at mary-kate@snowdonia-society.org.uk