Cath Luke, Bethesda
Volunteering at Gerddi Ffrancon, Bethesda
“For me, there are many benefits of volunteering at Gerddi Ffrancon. The allotments have the best views ever! Views up towards the mountains, all of the Carneddau and Ogwen and across to Penrhyn quarry and Mynydd Llandegai. It’s an amazing place to spend time.” – Cath Luke
Get to know Cath:
Cath Luke resides in Bethesda, and has found a rewarding way to spend her time giving back to her local community and the natural environment.
Cath retired from her role as Governance Administrator at Mountain Training in December 2025, giving her more time to dedicate to volunteering. Since then, she has continued to build on her passion for nature, growing and community.
Cath has been volunteering at Gerddi Ffrancon, the community allotments managed and supported by Partneriaeth Ogwen, for the past couple of years. She also volunteers with Cymdeithas Eryri, helping with activities such as litter picking and tree nursery maintenance, and with North Wales Wildlife Trust, where she takes part in bumblebee surveys at Cwm Idwal and the annual Greater Butterfly-orchid survey at Caeau Tan y Bwlch on the Llŷn Peninsula. She also volunteers at Pandy Farm in Tregarth, an organic farm that grows and sells produce locally, with zero food miles.
When she isn’t volunteering, Cath enjoys cycling, climbing, reading and embroidery.
Cath’s Experience as a Volunteer:
At Gerddi Ffrancon, Cath is part of a small team of volunteers who work together throughout the seasons to grow fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers.
“There’s always something to do, from weeding and watering, to
tidying the toolshed, doing a quick litter pick and filling up the water butts. We have a
gardener who mows the paths once a week in the summer, which is wonderful, as this is a
job we wouldn’t be able to keep on top of.”
The gardening year starts as early as October, when garlic is planted for harvesting the following summer. Field beans are also grown as a cover crop, while the volunteers prune currant bushes and raspberry canes.
As spring arrives, annual crops including peas, broad beans, kale, mangetout, courgettes and potatoes are sown and planted by the volunteers. Perennial crops such as rhubarb, Asturian cabbage, nine-star cauliflower, salsify and tree spinach return year after year.
Cath and other devoted volunteers are also working to improve the health of the soil by using green manure, locally sourced manure, topsoil and woodchip mulch.
For Cath, volunteering is about more than gardening itself. She particularly enjoys working alongside people who share her interests:
“I really enjoy the social element in working with others with a common interest and pooling ideas.”
The gardens at Ffrancon have twenty micro-allotments alongside the community beds, so there are often other plot holders working nearby too. This creates a friendly and sociable atmosphere that Cath enjoys being a part of.
Although the gardens can be sociable, Cath appreciates that Gerddi Ffrancon can offer somewhere to escape the busyness of everyday life.
“It’s such a peaceful place to be that I sometimes go up there just to sit and read my book or potter about doing little jobs.”
Cath’s favourite parts of Gerddi Ffrancon:
One of Cath’s favourite things about volunteering at Gerddi Ffrancon is the spectacular setting.
“The allotments have the best views ever! Views up towards the mountains, all of the Carneddau and Ogwen and across to Penrhyn Quarry and Mynydd Llandegai. It’s an amazing place to spend time.”
But it isn’t just the views that make the gardens special. Cath also feels a strong connection to the history of the project and the people who helped establish it. Gerddi Ffrancon began in 2021, thanks to the vision and hard work of Judit and the original volunteer team, including Vicki, Lizzie and Sara, who continue to support the gardens.
“They put in such a huge amount of energy and vision to get the gardens up and running and it’s a privilege to be able to follow in their footsteps and contribute to their work.”
Another special place for Cath is the Peace Bed. Originally an idea from the Community Chaplain, it features an olive tree representing peace and a hazel tree representing wisdom. Spring bulbs and summer-flowering plants fill the bed, creating a beautiful haven for bees and butterflies.
“It is a quiet corner of gentleness, full of bees and butterflies, utterly unique and entirely beautiful.”
For Cath, growing food is also an important part of what makes the gardens meaningful.
“Growing food ourselves is one thing we can do to take control of our own food security, in a very small way, and I believe it is an act of quiet resistance in troubled times.”
Cath stated that saving seeds is another important part of the work. Being able to save pea, bean, garlic and kale seeds for the following year helps the community become less dependent on commercially produced seeds.
Cath’s wishes for the future of Ffrancon Gardens:
Like all community projects, Gerddi Ffrancon has its challenges — and the volunteers have plenty of ideas for how the gardens could develop in the future.
The site is exposed to wind and weather, while the free-draining soil means that water can become an issue during dry summers. Mulching helps with water retention and weed suppression, but the garden currently relies on a single water tap more than 100 metres away.
One of Cath’s hopes is for a dedicated water supply that is easier for volunteers and plot holders to access.
The volunteers would also love to see a sturdy polytunnel at the gardens. This would provide valuable indoor growing space, allowing seeds to be started earlier and extending the growing season for crops that need longer to mature. A polytunnel could also potentially provide a source of income through rented growing space, helping to fund essentials such as water, tools and plants.
Chance to support:
Gerddi Ffrancon is a great example of what can happen when people come together and give their time to something they care about.
Volunteers like Cath are helping to grow more than fruit, vegetables and flowers. They are helping to grow community, protect nature, share knowledge and create a welcoming space for people to spend time together. There is always something to do, everyone is welcome – and there will be tea, biscuits and plenty of beautiful mountain views along the way.
And, of course, there is one thing Gerddi Ffrancon needs above all else: more volunteers.
“We need more volunteers! To share the work and the produce and the tea and biscuits.”
If Cath’s story has inspired you to get involved yourself, Gerddi Ffrancon would love to hear from you.