Lle Ni | Our Space - Glasbren’s Volunteer Blog - July 2026
The past few weeks have moved from the hazy blurs of late spring warmth to searingly intense summer heat brandishing amber and red weather warnings. Last week we were grateful to wake each day to a mist that hung until mid morning, offering the land at Lords Park some much needed nourishment. It feels a million miles away from the constant rain and wind barrelling us across the first half of this year, but we are heartened to know that, whatever the weather, our amazing volunteers continue to turn up and in that there’s always a warmth. Recently our volunteers have been invaluable with getting the Little Stewards area ready for families (you should see the geodome and pond!), as well as harvesting crops, weeding and sowing for next season.
Thursday Volunteers United
Volunteers Week 2026
The beginning of June welcomed Volunteers’ Week, a nationwide celebration to show thanks and gratitude for the wonderful work volunteers do. To find out more about this event, you can read the latest blog post which headlines Glasbren’s very first volunteer, Nick Anthony, who has since grown his own gardening business and designed a show garden at RHS Malvern.
At the farm, we celebrated Volunteers’ Week with a delicious lunch, a quiz, and a very special community poem created by our wonderful visitors and volunteers. As part of the week, we also attended the CAVS (Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services) event at Parc Dewi Sant, which celebrated volunteers across the county through fun free activities, including a talk about the history of the site, lindy hop dancing, singing, and making a nettle cordage.
Volunteer Coordinator Lottie acknowledges our wonderful volunteers for Volunteers’ Week
Churchyard Care
Volunteers at St Ystyffan’s Church, Llansteffan
Glasbren Volunteers have recently teamed up with St Ystyffan’s Church in Llansteffan to help care for the churchyard. This is part of a wider management plan designed to enhance and encourage conservation and biodiversity whilst also respecting and caring for the needs of those who have friends and family laid to rest in the grounds. Following ‘No Mow May’, the grass has been cut in stages, brambles have been removed from graves and trees, allowing holly and ash to breathe once more, and a bat expert has confirmed the site provides food for up to three species of bat, highlighting how the wide variety of plants support the insect populations which in turn support the bats. We shall continue to assist the church, which has already been awarded the bronze award for Ecochurch, and we are excited to see where this partnership will take us. We usually meet on a Wednesday afternoon, so a good alternative for those who are unable to volunteer up at the farm on a Thursday.
One of Glasbren’s Little Stewards on the Loud and Proud March
We had a wonderful time supporting the community at Llansteffan Pride this year. And what a vibrant event it was, walking around the village waving flags in the Loud and Proud March, listening to the speeches made by the Mock Mayor, enjoying poetry from Wales Book of the Year Winner Jeremy Dixon and the Narberth Poets, eating street food from the Inn at the Sticks, and listening to live music. Well done to all involved.
In the arts and crafts section, Glasbren had a stand selling beautiful nature friendly seasonal flowers, grown and curated by Chloë, our assistant grower. You can purchase them from the farm shop at Lord’s Park, the Inn at the Sticks and Aardvark in Carmarthen. You can’t get more local than this!
Dr Mz Visit
Young people from Dr Mz in the shade of the trees
We were delighted to welcome young people from Dr Mz Carmarthen Youth Project to the farm last week. We explored the land, from the history of the old barns with nesting swallows to the polytunnels with promises of sun blushed tomatoes, to the flower beds, vegetables and bees. It was a hot day so we enjoyed the cool of the shop and the young people chose some ingredients to make wraps with, and then relaxed in the cool of the trees, soaking up the view. We are really looking forward to collaborating more with Dr Mz in the future.
Meet our Volunteers - Alice
With each Lle Ni blog post, we introduce one of our amazing volunteers. Today we welcome Alice, who has been volunteering with us since Autumn 2025.
“The positive impacts have been piling up right from the start: a supportive atmosphere, somewhere to belong, the beautiful environment, nourishing organic food, positive social interaction , and fun! ”
So Alice, when did you start volunteering at Glasbren?
I started in October last year. I volunteer on one or two Thursdays per month and come to most of the community days. As part of my recovery from long term chronic physical and mental illness I felt the need to connect with like-minded Earth-care folks in a supportive environment.
What are your favourite tasks to do here, and why?
I don’t have a favourite task because I like to try a bit of everything and learn new stuff, and luckily there are a wide variety of activities on offer and great flexibility when it comes to what you can actually manage to do on any given day. Actually, my favourite ‘task’ could be said to be the communal eating!
Do you think volunteering at Glasbren has had a positive impact upon your life?
The positive impacts have been piling up right from the start: a supportive atmosphere, somewhere to belong, the beautiful environment, nourishing organic food, positive social interaction , and fun! Oh, and did I mention the communal food!
What would you say to anyone thinking of volunteering with us?
There is probably something for everyone here as a volunteer, so I’d say give it a go, and you’ll never find out unless you try. I was nervous and it took me a while to get in the car and get down here, but it is one of the best decisions I’ve made for years.
Diolch yn fawr, Alice. We are so grateful for your time and energy, as well as enjoying communal food with!
If volunteering at Glasbren is something you are interested in, further details can be found here. Everyone is welcome.
