Owen Thomas

Owen yw aelod diweddaraf tîm Cymdeithas Eryri ac mae’n gweithio fel Swyddog Project i Gynllun Caru Eryri, ochr yn ochr â Mary a Dan. Mae ei waith yn cynnwys cynllunio ac arwain gweithdai cadwraeth ymarferol i wirfoddolwyr, yn ogystal â chydweithio gyda chyrff cadwraeth eraill sy’n gweithio i warchod agweddau unigryw Eryri.

Symudodd Owen i ogledd Cymru yn 2017, o Portsmouth, i astudio fel myfyriwr is-radd ar gyfer gradd meistr mewn daearyddiaeth ym Mhrifysgol Bangor. Yn ei flwyddyn olaf o’r cwrs hwn gweithiodd Owen hefyd fel Cadwraethwr Preswyl gyda’r Gymdeithas, a bu hyn yn gymorth iddo ddatblygu ei wybodaeth am faterion yn ymwneud â chadwraeth sy’n benodol i’r Parc Cenedlaethol.

Wrth grwydro cymoedd anghysbell ac arfordir garw Eryri, sbardunwyd ei angerdd am yr ardal hon, ac ar hyn o bryd mae yn dysgu Cymraeg.

Owen Davies

Owen is the newest member of the Snowdonia Society team who works as a Project Officer for the Caru Eryri Scheme, 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.

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 walking, 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 to keep up to date with our latest events.

John Harold

John is responsible for ensuring that the society is effective and well-run, working with trustees, volunteers, members, staff, statutory bodies, and our partner organisations and businesses.

Since joining the Snowdonia Society staff in 2014, John has overseen major expansion of the society’s practical conservation programme, development of accredited training and public engagement, and has led a number of campaigns.  Notable amongst those campaigns are the protection of Conwy Falls/Fairy Glen on the river Conwy from a large hydropower development and the response to controversial proposals in the ‘Future Landscapes’ review of National Parks and AONBs in Wales.

John has lived on Snowdonia’s northern edge for over 25 years and is a Welsh speaker. He has considerable experience of ecological survey, conservation management, and helping people to understand the natural world. He developed the conservation programme in the early years of the pioneering community farm at Moelyci. As a freelence ecologist he carried out biodiversity assessments for the Gwynedd Unitary Development Plan on land being considered for development. His reports triggered the chain of events which led to designation of Eithinog/Brewery Fields in Bangor as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and ultimately to its transfer to the North Wales Wildlife Trust.

What makes John tick?  Contact with nature.  ‘Through our conservation work we provide helping hands and a voice for Snowdonia.  But ultimately it is about the heart – the relationships  people have with the nature, landscape and culture of Snowdonia.  I am touched by the lives of the plants, animals and people I encounter.  Often it is the smaller and seemingly insignificant lives which move me the most.  A tiny plant surviving harsh conditions in a remote spot leaves me humbled but somehow whole.  As part of the thin but remarkable film of life which covers this planet we are all, briefly, in this together.’

Contact John if you would like to help the Society to develop: john@snowdonia-society.org.uk

Judith Bellis

Judith deals with the Society’s day to day financial administration and annual accounts and is helping out with membership tasks. She is a specialist on inheritance tax, so if you have any questions about leaving a legacy and inheritance tax, 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 walking, reading, singing and listening to music, gardening and baking and regrets that a busy life leaves her less time than she would like for her favourite activities of cleaning and ironing. 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 if you have any membership queries: judithsnowdonia@aol.com

Mary Williams

Mary is the newest member of the Snowdonia Society team and works as a Conservation Officer with the Helping Hands project, alongside Dan. This entails arranging and leading practical conservation work days for volunteers, partnering with other conservation organisations who actively work to look after Snowdonia and its wildlife.

Mary has recently worked as an Assistant Ranger for the National Trust in the Carneddau & Glyderau mountains. Prior to that, she has mainly worked in schools as a Learning Support Assistant, supporting pupils with various additional learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties.

She loves meeting new people and seeing individuals relax and gain confidence during a work day. She loves that she can help people take pleasure from simply being outdoors and doing something practical, often in amazing locations that they might not otherwise visit.

Mary moved to North Wales in 2018, from Pembrokeshire. She loves exploring the mountains and getting better (hopefully) at understanding the North Wales Lingo.

Another major way Mary loves to spend her time is with God, as a keen Christian. She also is enjoying learning to climb, when she gets the opportunity.

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

Mary-Kate Jones

Mary-Kate is the Project Manager, developing and directing our conservation volunteering programme and recruiting new volunteers to carry out practical work in the National Park.

Born and bred in North Wales, Mary-Kate is passionate about the conservation of Snowdonia.

Contact Mary-Kate at mary-kate@snowdonia-society.org.uk or visit us on Facebook to see the latest news and events from the Snowdonia Society.