Students volunteer for local land based social enterprise

During the first week of the Easter vacation, Student Volunteering Bangor held its second annual residential volunteering opportunity for Bangor University students. 21 Bangor students spent a week working at the Felin Uchaf centre near Aberdaron on the Llŷn Peninsula.

Felin Uchaf is a land based social enterprise which explores and promotes ways of living in creative partnership and harmony with the environment. Since 2004 the charity has been transforming a traditional Welsh farmhouse and surrounding land into a vibrant visitor and community enterprise. Their aim is to help generate and support new green business initiatives and rural enterprises that make responsible use of the area's natural resources.

Volunteers from Bangor University assisted with the development of a new timber framed building which will accommodate a new visitor centre.

Johanna Illers, 2nd year PhD student from the School of Ocean Sciences who also attended last year, spoke about the experience. “I was lucky enough to attend the residential last year as well when we assisted with the erection of the timber frame for the new visitor centre. To return this year and assist with the final touches was an amazing experience”.

Students also took part in various land management tasks such as willow coppicing and erecting dry stone walling, planting and traditional cooking.

Volunteering Officer, Sion Rowlands who organised the programme on behalf of Student Volunteering Bangor expressed his enjoyment at being able to work with such a diverse team. “Our annual residential volunteering opportunity appeals to students from all backgrounds and in particular those who stay in Bangor during the holidays. There were students from different schools, different countries and different stages in their university education all coming together to work towards a very worthy cause. I can’t wait to go back again!”

Student Volunteering Bangor would like to thank staff and volunteers at the Felin Uchaf centre for their warm welcome and for their contribution to this residential volunteering experience

Publication date: 2 May 2014