Meet the Team

Marcus Chair of Bowldro Buarth

Shwmae! I’m Marcus, the Chair of Bowldro Buarth. My role is to build the team, organise meetings and represent Bowldro Buarth. Bowldro Buarth is a Community Benefit Society and it is this community that is so exciting to be a part of. The ideas, and enthusiasm of everyone involved is inspiring

I’ve been climbing for twenty years. I was working as a teacher and with various services within the special educational needs and disabilities community. A friend that lived in the Peak District took me out to Higgar Tor one day, and I loved it. The challenge and the playfulness, the freedom of scrambling about on rocks felt amazing. I wanted to climb every day but I lived in Brighton, didn’t know anyone near me that climbed and didn’t know what I was doing. I looked around and found some indoor walls, booked a lesson, safely learnt what I was doing and met an amazing bunch of people. After working all day in a school, learning how to climb indoors felt like the most fun school I could imagine. I trained as an instructor and discovered the joy of introducing people to the world of climbing. Working in climbing walls I could see friendships grow between all sorts of different people. I met Natalie and we were lucky enough to explore some beautiful places through climbing. One of these was a mountain in Spain to which we moved to climb as much as we liked. Once there in the heart of outdoor climbing opportunities we promptly stopped climbing, worked at developing an off-grid bed and breakfast and started a family. After nine years in Spain we decided it was time to move back to the UK.

Whilst planning our move we had a look at Buarth Hall, it was advertised as a residential property but looked like a great space for a bouldering wall. We couldn’t stop thinking about how much indoor walls had meant to us in our lives and what a loss to the community it would be if Buarth Hall was sold as a residential property. The idea for Bowldro Buarth grew everytime we explored it, first with climbing friends and then with the wider community.

Bowldro Buarth is an incredible opportunity to give a home to local climbers and invite anyone and everyone to enjoy climbing and the community it can create. It’s been a privilege to work on Bowldro Buarth and I’d encourage anyone interested to join and help grow and guide the project.

Diolch yn fawr pawb!

Natalie Bowldro Buarth Secretary

I’m Natalie, the Bowldro Buarth Secretary. As one of the Founders of Bowldro Buarth, I’ve been helping to write much of the documentation and grant applications behind the organisation, as well as generally helping to organise the project, writing meeting minutes etc. My professional background is in countryside management, specialising in community outreach and environmental education. I also have 15 years experience as an indoor and outdoor climber, and taught ‘yoga for climbers’ workshops in climbing gyms across the country.

Prior to having children, I could usually be found in indoor and outdoor climbing spots inside or outside the country, trying to find the smallest holds to try to hold onto, or in some beautiful woodland at work. Climbing for me was all about the sheer joy of movement, exploring new, beautiful places, meeting diverse and friendly people who shared the same passion, building inner strength and confidence, pushing myself to challenge my limits and feeling fit and capable in my body.

After nearly 10 years living in Spain, raising a family and running a bnb in an off-grid mountain finca, I can now mainly be seen enjoying time exploring around our new chosen home town of Aberystwyth with Marcus and our 2 little ones.

The Bowldro Buarth Project is my absolute dream. I feel hugely privileged to be helping to run a non-profit, community-focused climbing centre and so excited at the prospect of sharing the joy of climbing with all the good people here soon!

Olly Bowldro Buarth Treasurer

Hi, I’m Olly, the Treasurer of Bowldro Buarth. I also volunteer at a local community radio station in Machynlleth and run a small charitable children’s book company. After living in Mid-Wales for three years without access to a local climbing gym, I began researching the feasibility of opening a climbing centre in Aberystwyth, partly out of a personal desire to climb more regularly. To my surprise and delight, I discovered that Marcus, Nat, and Eliott were already exploring the same idea. I reached out to them and soon became part of the Bowldro team.

As an architect working locally, I’ve been able to contribute to the project by supporting the building conversion aspect. I’m passionate about climbing and feel incredibly privileged to be part of a dedicated, hardworking, and enthusiastic team working to bring this vision to life.

It’s fulfilling to think that once this centre is open, someone might walk in and discover the same passion for climbing that I have. That thought motivates me every day to help make this project a reality in a region that desperately needs more indoor climbing facilities.

I’m eagerly anticipating the community that Bowldro Buarth will create. A place where climbers of all ages and experience levels can come together. I can’t wait to see this vision become a reality and to share my love for climbing with others.

Elliot Vice Chair

Shwmae! I’m Elliot, the Vice-Chair and have been involved in the project from the early days of chats about the positivity that climbing has brought to our lives…

I have been in the industry for over 16 years and first met Marcus when we were both managers at a bouldering wall in south London. Back then you’d have to explain what the word bouldering even meant to most people as it was still pretty niche. We’ve seen huge changes in the industry over the years as its popularity grew but one aspect that has never changed is the welcoming and warm nature of the people involved in the sport. From coaching young competition climbers to introducing first timers to the wonderful world of climbing I have seen first hand what can be gained through it. I have always liked that it can attract many different people who can get many different things from the freedom that it brings. Having seen generations of early climbers develop over the years (including one Olympic gold medallist!) it is something that can become a lifelong passion and have huge benefits for both the physical and mental health of all ages.

The best climbing centres are the ones that create a real sense of community and bring together people through their common love. We hope to create a centre in the beautiful Buarth Hall with the best parts of all the great climbing gyms that have developed over the years and to bring a facility to Aberystwyth that can be enjoyed by all.

Hi Ifeyinwa here!

The first time I went up a wall was 3 years ago but my actual climbing journey started this past year. And I guess you can say I “fell in love” with climbing as it resulted in me moving to Wales.

With me moving to Wales, meeting so many kind-hearted people and gaining so many opportunities to be outdoors or just climbing in general.

Growing up, my grandfather had a farm and we had so many animals (snails, chickens, goats, dogs, sometimes monkeys) and trees and plantations in Nigeria. When I moved to England to live with my mother, the outdoors offered me solace and closeness to him as he passed away a couple of years back. I started as part of a youth group to train more diverse (Bame) young leaders in the outdoors and my DofE Gold and now it feels like such a huge part of my life. We (the youth group) had to travel to Dol y moch, Outward bound Ullswater or peak district to do any of the courses that we wanted. This motivated my move as I wanted to access these beautiful scenarios easily. I did my winter skills in Plas y Brenin and still closely work with Outward bound now.

I am studying Psychology at Aberystwyth University. The human mind and just understanding and hearing different sides to a story have always fascinated me. I can’t see myself choosing between being a climber/explorer or being a psychologist. So with every opportunity I get , I try to integrate them.

Bowldro Buarth, seems like a genuine and kind idea. There have been so many strangers who have been kind to me and this is a perfect opportunity to pay it forward in whatever capacity I can. Some of the skills that stand out when I think of what I can offer include; Social media skills, BSL, Admin skills, diversity and inclusion in terms of mental health, culture and lots more, climbing coaching/skills as the training goes along….

Hi Emily Here!

I help out with the visual design for the project…

I’m a recent graduate, now pursuing a career in visual design and marketing. Growing up in Aber, I have always felt very connected to the outdoors and try to get out into it as much as possible, whether it be through climbing, mountain biking or hiking. It is such a lovely opportunity to be able to bring my love for the outdoors and my creativity together on this brilliant community project.

As you might have seen, climbing is really growing, not only a sport, but a really fun activity that anyone can participate in. It doesn’t matter whether ‘working out’ isn’t your thing, because it is so much more than that. Climbing is a way to feel good in your body and mind, to socialise and meet new people, to destress after a difficult day, or push yourself in a new way. I began climbing about 3 years ago at Exeter Uni, and soon after started working in a climbing gym. Climbing quickly became my world; I made most of my closest friends through it, got much stronger and even wrote my dissertation on climbing culture!

After returning back to Aber, it was amazing to hear about Bowldro Buarth, as I always felt there was a gap for a social climbing space in our town – the nearest big climbing adventures (both inside and outside) are pretty far away!

I think the opportunity this project brings to our town is so exciting – a hub for people to try something new, make friends and build a climbing community. I strongly urge you to get involved and give climbing a go if you haven’t already!

Hello! My name is Thea

I am the student liaison for this project!

From Manchester originally, I have studied in Aberystwyth for 4 years and began climbing in and around Wales over 2 years ago. The climbing community in Aberystwyth is wonderful and diverse, each member sharing a passion for sharing their experience and teaching others about the physical, mental and social benefits of climbing.

Sharing my own experience and creating opportunities for others to benefit from climbing as I have is what drove me to become involved with this project.

One issue climbers currently face in Aberystwyth is limited access to climbing walls, with most requiring over an hour drive and at least twice the journey by public transport!

My aim is to aid our local climbers and community by supporting the development of a safe, diverse and accessible space for everyone to grow! Climbing has done something for me that no other sport, activity or hobby has, it has granted me a space place to leave the commotion of the world beneath me as I focus solely on the present, while massively improving my physical and mental health. I deeply hope to see this project do the same good for anyone interested and I look forward to seeing the project come into fruition!

Hi! I am Naomi

I’m a member of the voluntary committee of Bowldro Buarth.

I am an academic in the field of education with experience of leadership and governance in the state and charity sector.

Back in January, amidst the doomscrolling, I saw a facebook post from Marcus about setting up a co-operative bouldering gym in Aberystwyth. Though sadly unable to help out by buying his house in Spain, I was able to offer experience of editing, strategic planning, and bid writing to help get the project off the ground. (Luckily, someone else bought the house).

It has been great to see the enthusiasm of the local community for what Natalie, Marcus, and the team are developing and to see the vision for the space and bids for funding support start to come to fruition. The Bowldro Buarth project will provide an invaluable facility for the local community as well as providing an important hub for climbers visiting mid-Wales.

Hi I am Heather

I am president of the Aberystwyth mountaineering society, have completed my assessment for hill and moorland leader and am now working towards becoming a climbing coach. I am also a student at Aberystwyth University going into my second year of a PHD in Psychology.

Since I was young I always loved climbing but rarely had the opportunity to get on a wall. Around 3 years ago I joined the university mountaineering society and really fell in love with climbing and was finally able to climb multiple times a week. In this time I have learnt to lead sport and trad climbs and really fallen in love with bouldering (something I previously avoided). Climbing has brought me so much joy, it’s a way for me to destress, if I am on the wall I am not thinking about anything else just how not to fall off (however I do enjoy that quite a lot now as well). I have climbed across the UK and Europe and have loved so many different crags. Sadly, Aberystwyth does not have much climbing that is nearby, so I am so incredibly excited about this project and being able to climb so close to home.

I was born in North Yorkshire and love to climb around there when I am home but again I tend to travel around an hour for climbing so having a wall so close by is not a luxury I have had before and I really can’t wait to be involved more. This sport has a really special ability to bring people together, improve mental health and keep you fit in a super fun way so I am so happy that this is being brought to Aberystwyth as a community run project!

Hi! I am Dylan

I’m a member of the volunteer committee of Bowldro Buarth! I was born and raised in Sheffield but have lived in North Wales for the past 6 years (bar a year in Edinburgh), and this September I moved down to Aberystwyth for a 2 year stint whilst I study veterinary medicine.

I’ve been climbing since I was ~18 and love it. It’s a great gravity in my life and has taken me to some incredible places in both the UK and abroad! When I found out I would be moving to Aberystwyth I immediately searched online for a local wall and was dismayed to see there was no substantial facility for climbing here. Cue the Bowldro Buarth cooperative! The project is an incredibly exciting opportunity to bring climbing to the local area, and I know first-hand the fantastic mechanism that climbing is for improving physical and mental wellbeing, as well as the friendly and supportive community that climbing fosters. I’ve worked on a small number of community projects before as a supporting hand, so seeing a project like this combine climbing and the local community, I couldn’t resist getting involved.

The potential for this project is amazing to see: from training up the next generation of wads (climbing terminology for the uber strong), to offering opportunities for those with disabilities and from marginalised groups to get stuck in, and, selfishly, to create a welcome hub for climbing geeks like me in mid-Wales!

Hello! I am Tatum

I’m going into my third year as a part of the Aberystwyth Mountaineering Club, this time as vice president, and my second year doing a Fine Arts degree. I’ll be helping out with social media, any artistic design components and just being extra support when needed.

I began climbing after the covid-19 lockdown as a way to reconnect with friends and family, and still use climbing in this way. I grew up in Boulder, Colorado and coming to Wales for University was a big undertaking. I knew it would be challenging to find a sense of community in a new country, but through climbing, I managed to find a large, diverse and friendly group of people that I now call friends. In addition to the social benefit of climbing, having a physical activity that I not only enjoy, but requires a level of focus and bravery has been massively beneficial. Through personal experience and my work running a day camp for children, I know the impact exercise can have on mental health and wellbeing. I’ve watched people who see exercise as a chore fall in love with climbing and actually begin to enjoy exercise. Giving more people this opportunity would be an incredible gift.

Unfortunately, the closest proper climbing gym is over an hour away and as someone who is busy with uni and doesn’t have a car, I’m climbing a lot less than I would like to be. I think that turning Buarth Hall into a climbing gym would be an ideal use of the space. One of the main building blocks for the project is care for the community, and the desire to share a love for an amazing sport. I look forward to getting to be even a small part of it!