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With the support of a team of 12 staff, I'm responsible for public and community engagement; volunteer training, guidance and support to staff, and management of external partnerships of this flagship 2-year project.
I’m at my happiest when I’m out and about in nature. Living in Pembrokeshire, you’ll find me playing in ancient forests to anything involving the coast. Sea swimming, surfing, paddle boarding or just playing in the waves, I can’t get enough of the beautiful Pembrokeshire landscape. I’ve spent the past 8 years working for environmentally focused charities delivering community engagement projects across Wales. I feel lucky to live and work in the beautiful landscape we have here in Wales and feel passionately about improving and maintaining this for future generations to come.
Contact: PathsToWellbeing@ramblers.org.uk
As Paths to Wellbeing Team Leader for South and West Wales, I line manage and support Alun, Dewi and Zoe our Regional Officers in the South area. We’ll be working with 9 communities across our area developing circular walks and improving the local rights of way network to encourage people to use and engage with their local green spaces. I'll be working in partnership with local authorities, environmental NGOs, and local communities in line with the strategic plans and business objectives of partners and Ramblers Cymru.
I have always been a sporty type of person, but mostly focused on rugby when I was younger, and then cross country running. In 2009 though I took the opportunity to volunteer in the USA with American Conservation Experience and in 2010 was recruited as a Volunteer Crew Leader. These opportunities sparked the passion I now have for all things outdoors. They also gave me the chance to work in National Parks such as Sequoia, Grand Canyon, Zion, and Kings Canyon. On returning to the UK I volunteered for Keep Wales Tidy, National Trust, Sustrans and the Wildlife Trust all the while studying an Open University degree. In 2016 I managed to get a one year contract working for Brecon Beacons National Park as a Trainee Countryside Warden, and from there managed to join Ramblers Cymru originally as Walking Spaces Officer.
As Paths to Wellbeing Team Leader for Mid and North Wales, I line manage and support Heather, Kate and Max our Regional Officers in the north area. We’ll be working with 9 communities across our area developing circular walks and improving the local rights of way network to encourage people to use and engage with their local green spaces. I’m looking forward to working with a wide range of organisations to deliver our project.
I have 15 years experience working for Worcestershire County Council Countryside Service developing and supporting volunteers working on the PROW network and managing the counties recreational routes. I studied Geography at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and then spent a couple of years travelling. I love walking and try when possible to get out on some long walks in the mountains, though my daily dog walks keep me active.
For any enquiries about the project, including press enquiries, please contact: Rhys.Russell@ramblers.org.uk
I have many years of experience as a marketing and communications manager, working in the third sector. Whilst in Aberystwyth University studying History, I organised and delivered successful multi-venue festivals and fundraising events for charity, raising thousands of pounds, including breaking a fundraising record for Oxjam Wales in 2017. I am an avid hiker and in 2016, I walked almost 600 miles of the Wales Coast Path in 7 weeks, raising over £1,200 for Macmillan Nurses. I'm also a freelance writer and translator. My articles currently focus on hiking, the outdoors and sustainability. Other topics I have covered over the years include album and festival reviews, politics and explorative music interviews.
Contact: Rhys.Russell@ramblers.org.uk / PathsToWellbeing@ramblers.org.uk
As a monitoring officer for Paths to Wellbeing, my role is to capture and record data to ensure project criteria is being met and that we deliver what is required. This data benefits Ramblers Cymru and partners, to make data driven decisions on current and future initiatives.
I am most happy when out in nature, exploring new places in Wales and beyond with my partner and greyhound (Frodo). I also enjoy being in the garden and growing my own food or working on odd woodwork projects. I have worked for a number of third sector organisations in varying roles where there has been a focus on both environmental and/or social good. My education in Tourism Management, combined with a Project Management for Sustainable Development qualification, furthered my desire to research and understand sustainability in the leisure sector and put this theory into practice for the benefit of future generations.
As the North East Wales Officer for the Paths to Wellbeing project I'll be working in Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham. I'll be supporting those communities developing circular walks and improving the local rights of way network to encourage people to use and engage with their local green spaces.
My favourite hobby is trail running. I especially love doing routes that are long days out where it feels like a real journey. I love being able to stand on a view point and being able to look back, and trace where I've come from. I'm a qualified Mountain Leader and also love long days out in the mountains, walking and sharing this passion with others. I grew up in mid Wales and have been living in north east Wales for around 10 years. My background is in training and development mainly in the work based learning sector where I have delivered apprenticeships in Activity Leadership, Sustainable Resource Management and Business.
Contact: Heather.Martin@ramblers.org.uk
As the North Central Wales Officer for the Paths to Wellbeing project I'll be working in Penparcau, Llechryd and Rhayader a Llanwrthwl. I will be facilitating community volunteering to enhance local greenspaces, nature and partnership with local authorities, environmental NGOs and local communities in line with the strategic plans and business objectives of partners and Ramblers Cymru.
My background working with families spans 35 years, delivering community engagement initiatives for Local Authorities. Previous roles have seen me engaging local communities in the use of their green/play spaces along with family workshops and practical parenting in Devon, recruitment and training for the childcare workforce in Telford and Bristol and latterly developing community food growing opportunities in Torfaen as a member of the Rural Development team. My drive being a passion to for being on the hills with a wish to encourage a relationship with nature for our future generations.
Contact: Kate.Blair@ramblers.org.uk
As regional officer for North and West Wales, my job is to help deliver our new "Paths to Wellbeing" project in the Ynys môn, Gwynedd, and Conwy counties. This role will entail lots of interaction with people in the region to identify areas where the project could be most beneficial. I'll also be helping to train and empower our brilliant volunteer groups as we collectively work to improve green transportation and recreational path networks, biodiversity, and hopefully, wellbeing throughout the region!
My background is in wildlife conservation and I'm particularly passionate about reconnecting humans with the natural world that surrounds them. For the past five years or so I've been working to help mitigate the effects of hormone-mimicking pollutants (synthetic estrogens and testosterone) on crocodiles and alligators in North, South, and Central America. I moved back to the UK in 2021 and became part of the P2W project in August. Surfing, wild camping, good food, and live music are my main interests outside of work... especially when the four are combined!
Contact: Max.Henderson@ramblers.org.uk
As regional officer for South Central Wales, I'll be working with the communities of Treherbert, Pentrych and Coity. I’m proud to be working as part of the Ramblers Cymru team delivering the Paths to Wellbeing project to these communities.
I grew up in the South Wales valleys, splitting my waking hours between school, sports clubs and either adventuring outdoors or playing games on the Amiga 500+! My favourite hobby, if I had to only choose one, is playing guitar! My passion for geography and sports strengthened through my teens, driven by TV programmes such as Time Team and David Attenborough’s back catalogue; this resulted in me moving to Swansea for Uni and eventually, via hospitality, developing a career as an outdoor activities professional. Since 2010 I have lived in Cardiff and have sought to continue merging my passions with career in more office-based roles.
Contact: Alun.Ponting@ramblers.org.uk
As the South East Wales Officer for the Paths to Wellbeing project I'll be working in Blaenau Gwent, Newport and Monmouthshire. I will be facilitating community volunteering to enhance local greenspaces, nature and partnership with local authorities, environmental NGOs and local communities in line with the strategic plans and business objectives of partners and Ramblers Cymru.
I am a keen long distance runner and have completed half marathons as well as 10km races. I am looking to get more into trail and fell racing. After studying Bsc Agriculture at university, I completed a 6 month part time woodland traineeship with Gwent Wildlife Trust. I then worked as a forestry operative as well as a groundman for a tree surgery company. My latest job was as a gardener at a school, educating children on sustainability issues.
Contact: Dewi.Lloyd@ramblers.org.uk
Working in Neath Port Talbot across to Pembrokeshire, my role in the Paths to Wellbeing project is aiming to bring walking to the heart of the communities whilst enhancing the local environment.
My favourite hobbies are getting out in the wilderness with my camera, swimming and watching rugby and cricket. I’ve always loved the outdoors and its magnificent wildlife so have done voluntary work monitoring and rescuing it; I even became a qualified Field Guide for South Africa’s Kruger National Park in 2010. Finally, after 16 years as an NHS Physiotherapist I decided to turn my passion into my career. I studied an MSc in Wildlife and Conservation Management at the University of South Wales during which I spent lots of time volunteering for local wildlife trusts and rescues. After Covid put everything on hold I spent a short period of time testing Bathing Beach waters at National Resources Wales before embarking on this exciting new role at Ramblers Cymru.
Contact: Zoe.Richards@ramblers.org.uk