I was brought up in St. David’s, Pembrokeshire, and live there with my partner and children. I’m presently the co-ordinator for Transition Bro Gwaun’s Waste busting Activities Project, developing and managing a programme of community activities promoting the circular economy. Working with local schools, youth groups and community groups, I’m helping local people waste less and conserve more. We’re running clothes swaps; workshops repurposing unwanted clothes, repairing household items and refurbishing old furniture; making guppy bags to stop microplastics from leaking into the waste water in washing machines and wax food wraps to use as an alternative to cling film; a teracycle scheme and community feasts using surplus food.

TBG have been involved with Renew Wales since 2017. Renew has provided financial support through the peer mentor scheme and also advised and assisted TGB in running events i.e. a regional event in Goodwick based around the opportunities of tidal energy for coastal communities and currently a series of arts and drama based events, which I’m involved in, to engage the general public in a ‘conversation’ about climate change and the ways to address it.

Why are you drawn to this area of work?

I thrive on working with community organisations to promote sustainable and ethical ways of living. My skills lie in project co-ordination, community engagement and promotion. I’m also very creative having studied Art and Design, and I’ve linked my commitment to the environment with my creative skills.

I was a founder member of the Celtic Blue Rock Community Arts Festival and co-ordinated the Kids Area for 5 years, working with volunteers managing workshops which promoted waste reduction using scrap store waste to make costumes for the circus parades and decorations for the garden installation using plastic bottles. I’ve led workshops for Global Connections in Pembroke Dock making art and useful objects from beach clean waste with Welsh Baccalaureate  students. I was a founder member of the community arts group Circus Malarkey and worked with ‘ hard to engage’  individuals revamping charity shop clothes into fun costumes for Milford’s Carnival Parade. I was involved in setting up Scrap Arts in Narberth  and  worked for Springboard designing a series of creative sewing workshops for parents and children.

Recently as part of my University degree course I delivered a seminar on Single Use Plastics reduction at Festivals and Events in the UK.

 What is your vision of your region in 2050?

By 2050, I trust our politicians will have responded to the demands of many people today to reduce carbon emissions to zero and protect bio-diversity and that they will have put in place legislation, systems and support services which ensure we can all live far more sustainably. We will be living and supporting one another in sustainable communities, producing our own energy, living in fully insulated, low energy housing, able to feed ourselves by producing much of what we eat, and have the knowledge and skills to ‘make do and mend’ and so conserve the worlds.