What made you volunteer with the National Park?
I never thought how much I would enjoy the experience when I first started volunteering with the National Park. I was looking for an opportunity to meet other people who enjoyed being in the outdoors at first but I was quickly overwhelmed by enthusiasm of the other volunteers.
The beauty, history and culture of the National Park are easily taken for granted and I was keen to learn and contribute as much as the other volunteers. They are a very special and supportive team and within a short time, I was taking every opportunity I could to volunteer.
One year on from starting to volunteer, I joined Yr Wyddfa’s Volunteer Warden team.
How does volunteering in Eryri make you feel?
It is an honour to be part of a team that protects and welcomes visitors to the area and contribute to keeping the National Park looking its best. A lot of the work involves sharing information and offering tips on how to stay safe on the mountains.
My self-confidence has developed a lot over my period of volunteering and I’ve now completed mountaineering training as well as first aid.
I am also qualified as an Eryri Ambassador.
Every time I volunteer I continue to learn and build my confidence — despite the sobering weather at times!
Has anything interesting or memorable happened during your volunteering experience?
Yes! Something interesting happens every time I volunteer. As a group of volunteers, we have lots of fun meeting people of all kinds.
We also come across all sorts of miscellaneous and interesting things that have been left on Yr Wyddfa. It has become a bit of a competition now between us as volunteer wardens as to who comes across the strangest thing on the mountain!
But it is always a difficult experience to see things left on the mountain. We often bring numerous bags of rubbish with us after being at the summit.
Why would you recommend volunteering to other people?
There is an enthusiastic team in the National Park and I would recommend anyone who enjoys being outdoors and making a difference to their local area to try volunteering.
Even, my fifteen year old daughter now volunteers with me on occasion. It’s a great way to get to know other people who share the same passion for being outdoors and having the opportunity to enjoy the things we often take for granted.