Nestled in a small coastal town close to Snowdonia (Eryri) National Park, King George V Playing Field Harlech has something for everyone – from children’s rugby and football to a living food bank to gardening opportunities for all members of the community.
The playing field was established as part of King George V’s legacy and has been legally protected forever since June 1958.
We caught up with local volunteer Joe Patton who is committed to ensuring the playing field brings as many benefits as possible to the people of Harlech.
“I've been helping to promote initiatives on the field for over five years now,” says Joe. “Although the field is owned and managed by the council, my home faces it and myself and neighbours recognise its importance to the town.
“We arrange events and projects on the field that bring people together.”
One key achievement of Joe and his fellow volunteers has been to make the playing field an incredibly varied space. For example, with the support of a grant, they developed an unused corner of the field into a striking wildflower garden.
“It’s such a beautiful and peaceful place that people walking by were stopping and taking notice,” says Joe. “What was once an untidy rubbish dump had been transformed into something that was worth looking at and spending time in.”
Following this success, the volunteers applied for another grant from the Police and Community Trust to help celebrate St David’s Day.
“We planted hundreds of daffodils and the local schoolchildren took them round to the elderly residents of the town,” says Joe.
“It was very meaningful because during the cost-of-living crisis, one of the things that people might not be able to do is put flowers in their house. People got a knock on the door from a child giving them some daffodils to celebrate Welsh culture. It was a really uplifting experience, and we've continued to do it.
“We've also developed part of the area into a living food bank,” explains Joe.
“Within Harlech we've got a sheltered housing complex. For the last three years, we've planted items that residents can water and weed. They come along and have a cup of tea and spend time in the area. They then harvest what's grown and learn new cooking skills.
“The problem with growing veggies is that you always grow too much and it all comes out at the same time,” adds Joe. “One of the people who lives in the housing complex volunteers at a food bank, so all the surplus goes to them.
“Our garden is a garden that gives because it's freely accessible and that's really important.”
Last year, local children designed a planting plan for a new meadow orchard in the field. It’s home to one of five storyteller’s chairs in Harlech – each chair has a QR code on it and tells a different story from Welsh mythology.
“We’ve surrounded the chair by fruit trees that are all native to Wales,” says Joe. “The fruit trees are important because they reflect past occupations. People who worked in slate mines would take fruit into the mines because it’s a food that would provide moisture in the dry working conditions.”
The volunteers have also been working on creating a sensory garden which officially opens in June.
“We've got to look after our mental health these days,” says Joe. “We've planted an array of flowers that have been grant funded by the Welsh Church Fund in raised beds.
“Some have scent, like roses. Some have scent to touch, like mint. Others make a lovely noise when the wind blows. We've got grasses, lupins and gladioli. The colours are stunning. One of our plants is a lamb's ear. It’s silky smooth to touch. It's very therapeutic.
“What we're trying to do with our sensory garden is help people feel grounded in the moment when they visit,” Joe explains. “They're seeing things, they're hearing things, they're smelling things. Anybody can just come along, sit down and relax.”
Joe and his fellow volunteers are also passionate about supporting nature.
“If we don’t look after the soil we can't look after our plants, and without plants, we don't get the birds and insects,” explains Joe. “And if we don't get pollination, we don't get food. So that's what we're all about.
“We have an array of birds, moths and butterflies. Some are more common, like the cabbage butterfly, but we also see less common species like goldfinches and red admiral butterflies.”
“We've just secured funding to introduce special swings and a roundabout for children with disabilities,” says Joe. “So we're looking forward to that. That will be in place by the summer.
“We’ve also made sure that our noticeboard is something that people with sensory difficulties can use. It’s bilingual in English and Welsh and we’ve also included images of the different zones of the field for those who can’t read. The images also help to show people with anxiety what they can expect to find in the field.
“We’ve also created a range of volunteering opportunities,” adds Joe. “People forget that loneliness in old age is really harmful. We have volunteers who come together and work in the gardens. I think it’s so important to enrich lives and support other people. It's great to have a chat with everyone and newcomers to the area can make new friends.”
Ensuring free access is hugely important to Joe and the local community. The field is entirely financed by grants.
“This is an area which, employment-wise, is socially deprived,” notes Joe. “There's hardly any work here, which I think also underpins the need to have a green space for people to come to.
“No charges are made for anything at all. The sports and activities are free. The food that we grow is given away freely. The daffodils are given away freely.”
Joe also feels strongly about the importance of protecting green spaces like this for future generations to enjoy.
“We can't build on everything,” says Joe. “Because once it's gone, it's gone. The legal protection of the field is so important.”
Find out more about the King George’s Fields programme.
Find out more about our work to legally protect the UK’s parks, playgrounds, playing fields and green spaces.