Cymbrogi

Cymbrogi We're on a mission to help next generations of learners and leaders build sustainable futures for themselves and their families.

We have many more stories to share about the magic created by Year 8 learners at our recent annual Hackathon, but we're ...
28/08/2026

We have many more stories to share about the magic created by Year 8 learners at our recent annual Hackathon, but we're not the only ones singing the praises of these entrepreneurial young changemakers.

Thanks to The Pembrokeshire Herald for sharing this future-focused story of hope!

All 5 finalist teams demonstrated tenacity, creativity and collaboration on enterprise-based challenges in the construction, tourism and hospitality sectors.

Huge congratulations to the winning team The Green Guardians from Llangatwg Community School in Neath Port Talbot. Watch this space to see how the team put their future thinking skills into action…

And there's a lot more to come as we expand our Tomorrow's Changemakers programme this coming year...find out more in the article:

https://pembrokeshire-herald.com/144112/haverfordwest-pupils-impress-judges-with-eco-friendly-cleaning-business/

Huge thanks Morgan Sindall Construction Port of Milford Haven Tai Tarian CWM Environmental Ltd Future Generations Commission WEPA Pembrokeshire County Council Admiral Insurance UWTSD Carmarthen Business School Haverfordwest High VC School Ysgol Bro Preseli Llangatwg Community School Ysgol Bae Baglan School St. Joseph's Catholic School & Sixth Form Centre

We held our 4th annual Tomorrow's Changemakers Hackathon recently. It’s one of the highlights of our year…and this year ...
13/08/2026

We held our 4th annual Tomorrow's Changemakers Hackathon recently. It’s one of the highlights of our year…and this year didn’t disappoint!

And as Liza explains, we’ve seen a few changes since 2023...

‘Before our young finalists took the floor, I talked about climbing frames. How they're so much better than ladders. They allow for smaller steps, sideways moves. Or - why not just hang there a while and figure out your next move, with your mates? Ladders are designed for walls, not learning pathways or career choices. And what we saw that day was a roomful of 12-13-year-olds who've mastered the climbing frame.

The language has shifted. Year 1 it was mostly about recycling. Saving the planet. This year: biomimetic design. Grey water systems. Sensory gardens. Nature-based solutions. Concepts they've genuinely grappled with and made their own. Interdisciplinary thinking.

Emerging enterprise mindsets…One 13-year-old had run price sensitivity simulations for different customer segments (small AirBnBs vs hotels) for his team's proposed range of nature-based eco-cleaning products. At 13! Imagine what he could be doing by 25?

They've figured out what adults still struggle with. Working collaboratively. One learner said this about her team's journey: "Sometimes we fell out and didn't talk to each other. But in the end we realised everyone was good at something - so we had to get over it or the job wouldn't get done." Hark there, adults! Leadership programmes charge thousands to teach that.

Over one million young people in the UK are currently not in employment or further education - the highest in a decade. We won't solve that alone. But education that connects to real employers, real challenges and a real sense of purpose? That can make a meaningful dent.’

exists to build the climbing frame. Our Hackathon reminded us why that’s important.

Huge thanks to Morgan Sindall Construction Port of Milford Haven Tai Tarian CWM Environmental Ltd Future Generations Commission WEPA Pembrokeshire County Council Admiral Insurance Big Change UWTSD Carmarthen Business School

Schools out for the summer and everyone here at Cymbrogi is getting into holiday mode…Our Conversation Manager Zoe spott...
28/07/2026

Schools out for the summer and everyone here at Cymbrogi is getting into holiday mode…

Our Conversation Manager Zoe spotted this ‘2 minute beach clean’ set up in Devon back in 2018 and it was the inspiration for her to start litter picking with her family. During the pandemic she invested in a set of pickers from Waterhaul made from recycled fishing nets, and bought a few extras for her friends, family and neighbours.

Over the years Zoe and her two kids have picked up 1000s of bits of litter from their local area, tidying the streets and making new connections with neighbours. They’ve also run sponsored litter picks, raising £100s for WWF (adopting a Rhino in the process!) and their local hospital combined.

Zoe and family are planning to pack up their litter pickers for their trip to Devon this Summer to help clear up the beaches.

Have you spied any beach clean kits on your travels? We’d love to hear about them…

Second image: we had to include a beautiful Welsh beach - here's a snap from one of Zoe's holidays in Tenby.

Teignbridge District Council The Wildlife Trusts Plastic Free July

09/07/2026

With our annual Hackathon fast approaching, here’s the next team who made it through to the finals…

…St Joseph’s School in Port Talbot! Their showcase event earlier this year was an inspiring day in which 25 teams from year 8 presented their ideas to a panel of friendly, expert judges. Parents and teachers in attendance too.

Now in their second year of our Tomorrow’s Changemaker’s programme, St Joseph’s has fully embedded this way of learning into their work. Ian was delighted to see how much these young learners had developed real, transferable skills…

He had this to say:

“Communication, collaboration, problem solving and critical thinking were on full display throughout the showcase. These are the moments where learners begin to understand not just what they are learning, but why it matters..’

One moment that will stay with me was speaking to a parent who felt compelled to attend the showcase to share the impact the project had had on her daughter. She was visibly emotional as she watched her present her team’s idea on promoting sustainable transport in schools – especially given that, in her own words, her daughter "would usually struggle to speak to a shop assistant in their local Co-op due to anxiety".

That’s the kind of change we’re after.

Teachers also remarked that during a recent Estyn visit, inspectors had recognised the difference – noting the impact the programme is having on learners.

St Joseph’s winning team - The Naturals - will be presenting their idea to tackle water pollution and waste, at the regional Hackathon next week. We can’t wait to see them in action once more!

Thanks to our partners Morgan Sindall Construction Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council Tai Tarian






Ahead of our Hackathon next week, it’s time to share more about some of the schools and young changemakers taking part. ...
03/07/2026

Ahead of our Hackathon next week, it’s time to share more about some of the schools and young changemakers taking part.

First up….Llangatwg Community School, where students were tasked with designing a sustainable school of the future. And they certainly rose to meet this real-world challenge. The head teacher Lauren Mackie wholeheartedly agrees:

‘It was a real pleasure to watch our pupils present their ideas with such confidence, creativity and pride. Many of our learners stepped well outside their comfort zones, and the growth in their self‑belief and communication skills was evident. The project created a safe and supportive space in which pupils were encouraged to think imaginatively, work together effectively and articulate their ideas clearly…

…The project not only supported pupils’ creativity and confidence, but also helped them develop essential life skills such as teamwork, resilience and problem‑solving. Pupils were clearly proud of their work and empowered by having their ideas valued and taken seriously.’

Number of learners = 140
Number of teachers = 5
Number of teams/projects = 35

That’s a lot of young (and a few older) minds getting fit and ready for a climate-smart future!

Cymbrogi Hackathon, here we come…

To find out more about our Tomorrow’s Changemaker programme visit: https://cymbrogi.org.uk/tomorrows-changemakers-programme/

Thanks to our partners Morgan Sindall Construction Tai Tarian Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council






We’re betting that a number of you parents out there will have had school closures this week thanks to these record temp...
24/06/2026

We’re betting that a number of you parents out there will have had school closures this week thanks to these record temperatures. This is to put it mildly, one helluva teachable moment - for adults and children alike.

And proof (as if we needed more!) that we need to adapt - and fast - and to do that, we need to learn how.

So how about this for an idea: involve young people in designing the sustainable school of the future? Well, as it happens, that’s exactly what we’ve been doing for the last 2 years.

We exist to equip learners and educators with the knowledge, skills and mindsets they will need to shape thriving sustainable futures for themselves, their communities, and the planet.

Next month’s hackathon will showcase the collaborations of a brilliant bunch of young changemakers who were tasked with this very thing. A primary school fit for a climate-changed world.

The work is not just about giving learners knowledge about the circular economy, systems thinking and design for a hotter world, it’s also about the parts that teaching typically doesn’t reach – climate anxiety, critical thinking, creative enterprise and collaboration. Supporting parents and teachers who themselves struggle to know how to respond to anxious questions. (A tip of the cap here to the expert on climate anxiety Caroline Hickman - more on that to follow...)

“We are extremely grateful to the Cymbrogi team for giving our Year 8 pupils the opportunity to be part of such an inspiring and meaningful project. Throughout the programme, pupils worked collaboratively in teams to develop creative ideas for a sustainable school of the future, encouraging them to think critically about real world issues while applying their imagination and problem solving skills.”
Lauren Mackie, Headteacher, Llangatwg Community School

To date 5 schools and over 1000 learners in Wales have designed their sustainable school of the future. From this autumn we’ll be reaching 15 more.

Imagine a whole generation of young people who leave school knowing how to design buildings fit for the future? That’s got to be an ambition worth fighting for.

We’ll be sharing more projects from our young learners over the coming weeks. To find out more about our Tomorrow’s Changemaker programme visit:
https://cymbrogi.org.uk/tomorrows-changemakers-programme/

[Note: This message was written by a human with a cold flannel on their head]

Thanks to Morgan Sindall Construction, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and Tai Tarian.

19/06/2026

1,000 learners, 6 months, 5 finalist teams, 3 counties…

It’s nearly showtime…

We’re gathering a fine crew of Cymbrogi Companions for our annual Tomorrow’s Changemaker Hackathon, the culmination another year’s journey placing young people at the centre of real-world sustainability challenges.

On 10th July those finalist teams from schools across Pembrokeshire and Neath Port Talbot will pitch their ideas for the future of sustainable tourism, hospitality and construction to a panel of judges, mentors and Welsh Government representatives.

At a time when only one in four 16–29-year-olds believe they have a fair chance of succeeding in life, this is our response to a national crisis in youth confidence.

Tomorrow’s Changemakers (TCM) is designed to equip young people with the knowledge, skills and mindsets they need to feel more confident and hopeful about their future.

As each year goes by, as more schools and progressive enterprise partners join us, it’s a clear signal that we’re doing something right.

Calling all Cymbrogi champions and supporters - let’s do this!

Check out this video of the magic from last year’s Hackathon which captures the spirit of the day.

For more details about TCM, visit https://cymbrogi.org.uk/tomorrows-changemakers-programme/

With thanks to our partners Port of Milford Haven CWM Environmental Ltd Morgan Sindall Construction, Tai Tarian Housing Association, Admiral Insurance, Future Generations Commission, Government Sandrine Trinity Saint David County Council Woodknowledge Wales

Swansea University UWE Bristol University

17/06/2026

‘I tell stories because I think that’s how we make sense of the world, how we make meaning and how we connect with each other.’

At The Big Retreat Festival we were joined in Darwins Den by local legend Phil Okwedy for ‘Voices of the Water’, exploring myth, legend and folk tales from Wales. Phil told stories about the river and the sea. We heard about ‘the way our ancestors viewed the big blue and of how we can connect to it right now’.

At a time when so many of our rivers and seas are in distress, stories that connect us to them can surely inspire us to protect them better.

When did you last stop to listen to voices from the water?




11/06/2026

We’re still coming down from our The Big Retreat Festival thebigretreatfestival high. The sun may have gone missing in the two weeks since, but our energy has not!

A couple of spotlights we wanted to share from that weekend: first up: Tessa Clarke, Co-founder of OLIO - Share More, Waste Less, the local sharing app that dreams of a waste-free world.

For those of you who didn’t make the festival to hear her live, we asked her to share some insights:

- Sustainable living doesn’t have to mean sacrifice or compromise: you can be healthier, wealthier and happier

- Small Steps Approach: sustainability is about "direction, not perfection," Achievable through small daily steps and simple swaps

- Engaging the Next Generation: meet them where they’re at – this might mean online with short, bite-sized pieces of inspiration and information containing simple hacks and tips

- Collective Impact: By taking small individual actions, people can collectively become part of the solution to environmental challenges

Watch this space for news of Tessa’s upcoming book - we will update here when it lands!

Interested in how to equip the next generation with skills and mindsets for a climate-changed world? Visit cymbrogi.org.uk.





05/06/2026

Hard to sum up a fabulous 4 days of joy and inspiration…but check out our reel for a taster!

One thing we’ve learned after 5 years of hosting the exploring, change-making space known as Darwin’s Den at The Big Retreat Festival, is that the ripple effects continue beyond those intense few days in a field with 4000 others, after the last campervan trundles out of the gate. And that’s the point.

This year feels like a noticeable shift has taken place. We had 2 packed tents all weekend. Conversations spilled out beyond the sessions and into the evenings as the tide came in and the sun went down. There was grief and despair about breaking systems (climate, food, education), but so too was there joy and solidarity at ‘finding the others’, courage and confidence in discovering inspiring ways to think differently, get involved and make changes that mattered.

People felt moved to write and perform poetry for the first time. Connect with strangers, trees, time & space in a way that the hurry-scurry of life outside rarely allows. The telling of Welsh myths brought ancient wisdom to modern life. Time-travel stretched our minds to 2040 to imagine what better futures might be possible.

We even had flipcharts and post-it notes. Who does that at a festival?! But you’d be surprised how engaged people can be when they’ve got an ice cream in one hand or a flower crown on their head.

Huge thank you to the fabulous line up this year that brought so much joy, life and hope to many on topics that we all care about…

ReAction Collective... mending, making and repairing not just clothes but bodies, minds and souls..

Tessa Clarke, Founder of OLIO - Share More, Waste Less, sharing tips on how to take on food-waste and win

Louise Hill, Founder of GoHenry, revealing the impact of financial literacy on young people

Al Brunker, Harrison Wavell and Phil Okwedy channelling our inner story-telling poetic selves

Ian Chriswick and Tom Tatchell encouraging us to see the power of learning done differently

Jillian Reilly calling on us to throw out the old rule-books and give ourselves permission to be and do what we are called to do…

Petranka Malcheva and Liza Lort-Phillips navigating the pull of the future, the weight of the past and the push of the present - and why that’s important in building better futures…

Car y Mor and Celtic Deepic Deep revealing the power of sharks and seaweed; WWF, Pobl Tir Môr and Anna Waters - Art Studio showing how we can protect and connect to community, the wild and the waterways

Last and most of all, the incredible Big Festival crew and volunteers. Nobody but them knows just how hard it is to deliver a 4 day experience in a wild West Walian field that brings such joy, nourishment and inspiration. (And with temperatures exceeding those in Lagos on at least one of those days!).

Amber Lort-Phillips and Adrian Lort-Philips, what you’ve created here is no longer just a festival, it’s a movement…just the kind we need for the times we’re living in. The kind that puts purpose and positivity back in our stride.

See you in Cambridge in September!

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