Trustees List & Information

David Lewis

David is the Chair of the Society. He chairs the meetings of the trustees who make up the Society's Executive Committee. David also chairs the Society's Policy Sub-Committee. He has a keen interest in issues as diverse as planning, transport and energy. 

A retired senior civil servant, David lives in Llanbedr.

 

Margaret Thomas

Margaret takes a particular interest in improving the fabric of the National Park and chairs the Enhancement Sub-Committee. Her interests include improving access, conservation and wildlife gardening.

A recently retired consultant  in Countryside Management, Margaret lives in Gwydr Forest above Ty Hyll. A passionate hill walker, she has walked the mountains of Eryri extensively over the last 30 years and is now finding time to explore the coast and valley routes.

Katherine Himsworth

Katherine is a Welsh speaker and has a particular interest in developing the rural economy to improve the performance of local businesses.

A keen mountain walker, Katherine has a wide experince of public administration.  

Ned Schärer

Ned Schärer trained in sculpture at Central St Martin’s and earned a first class degree in Conservation Studies at the City and Guilds of London Art School, one of the last surviving craft colleges in the UK that train students in the traditional way. Since 2003 he has run his conservation business Scharer Conservation, based in Betws-y-coed, working mainly on historic churches in North Wales, but also prestigious jobs further afield – in particular the three-year long Cosmati project at Westminster Abbey. Ned and his wife Sophie are currently setting up The Natural Building Centre Ltd at Plas Tirion near Llanrwst. This new company will sell natural building materials and run training workshops for both homeowners and professionals on how and when to use them. 

Helen Dale

Helen Dale became Honorary Treasurer of the Society in 2010. Helen leads on financial matters including budgets.  Helen has worked in accountancy for over 30 years.

Richard Williams-Ellis

Born and brought up in Caernarfonshire, Richard is now conservation farming in the Meirionydd uplands, providing rural tourism accommodation and activities.

Richard was instrumental in re-establishing a Meirionydd branch of CPRW in 2002, being its first Chair, he is now a vice President.

Gareth Roberts

Trained as an art historian and geographer Gareth  is a qualified planner with experience working in local and national park authorities in England and Wales. He became a Trustee after retiring as head of Environmental Policy at the Countryside Council for Wales in 2006.

A Director of the Landscape Research Group, Ltd.,  he  now acts as an advisor to the International Centre for Protected Landscapes and selected Council of Europe sponsored networks that work in support of the European Landscape Convention.

Marc Thomas

Marc is Secretary of the Snowdonia Society. He has lived and worked in North Wales the majority of his life. Marc works as a solicitor with a local firm which has a strong client base in the Park, particularly agricultural clients.

He enjoys walking and spending time in the Park and is a trustee and volunteer for several other North Wales charities.

Netti Collister

Netti works as a vet. She enjoys hill walking, climbing, skiing and mountain biking and is interested in training dogs having worked as a search dog handler in a mountain rescue team until recently. She and Rob have three grown up children 

Bob Lowe

Bob has been a member of the Society for over 35 years.

He is now retired from CCW having previously worked for the Snowdonia National Park Authority.

His interests are in the fields of promoting National Park purposes and securing sustainable rural development.

David Archer

David Archer is Vice Chair of the Society. Now retired, David previously worked for the Snowdonia National Park Authority.  His interests include landscape and wildlife conservation, and a low carbon economy.

He lives in Llandecwyn and enjoys walking and climbing in the British hills and further afield.

Elwyn Thomas

Elwyn is Chief Executive of Planning Aid Wales, an independent charity working to help communities engage with the Welsh planning system.  He was previously principal policy planner with the Snowdonia National Park Authority.  He enjoys hill walking, mountain biking and flying kites with his young son.

 

Rhian Thomas

Growing up at the foot of Snowdon initiated Rhian’s interest in the environment.  She currently works for the Countryside Council for Wales as the Freshwater Ecologist.  She is responsible for a wide range of research projects and works closely with other environmental organisations. 

 

Bernard Owen

Bernard was raised on Anglesey before embarking on a career spanning 38 years in business tourism, economic development and destination marketing in London, Manchester and Cardiff. Now semi-retired, Bernard runs a guest house with his wife Marian in Betws y Coed, Snowdonia, and is on the Executive of the Betws y Coed Tourism Association. Since 2009 Bernard has been the organiser of the annual Snowdonia Walking Festival.