About Us
Cymbrogi Futures
The People
The Who
The Place
The Where
The Purpose
The Why
Who is Cymbrogi?
Cymbrogi is an ancient Celtic word meaning 'Companions of the Heart.' It is about creating a safe space in an extraordinary place where we can equip learners and leaders with the skills, knowledge and mindsets needed to take on our collective futures.
Liza Lort-Phillips, CEO and Co-Founder
Pembrokeshire born, Liza has worked in sustainability and emerging markets for over 20 years. Over this time she has lived and worked in China, Africa and Latin America and worked with some of the world’s biggest brands, charities and social enterprises, many at Board level.
A farmer's daughter, she has a particular interest in sustainable food systems. Time spent in both farms and factories around the world has taught her much about the importance and inter-connectedness of local livelihoods, global consumer choices and the need for systems change.
She has also co-created poetry pop-ups and teen theatre workshops, and volunteers as a mentor to young asylum seekers for the educational charity Refugee Support Network (RSN).
Inspired by The UN Global Goals, Wales’ Wellbeing of Future Generations Act and a desire to put her skills to work for the next generation of learners, she is committed to building the heart of Cymbrogi on one of the most iconic natural sites in Wales.
Her co-founder Jamie Burdett, himself a long-time sustainability expert and co-creator of a closed loop innovation in the fashion industry (Worn Again), remains a close friend and advisor.
Mathew Jones, Director of Learning
Mathew is Welsh born and bred, with over twenty years experience in education and a passion for making a difference to young people’s lives. He has worked with over 400 Welsh schools and trained over 3200 Primary and Secondary Teachers.
A Psychology graduate from Cardiff University, he completed a PGCE Primary course at Trinity College Carmarthen in 1998 before becoming a Primary school teacher. He worked at Ysgol Nantgaredig as both class teacher then Deputy before becoming a successful Head Teacher in Ysgol Gynradd Blaenau at the tender age of 31. In 2010 he went on to become Senior Lecturer at the Initial Teacher Training Department with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s (UWTSD), Programme Director of the Undergraduate course and then Assistant Director of Teacher Training in the Athrofa at UWTSD (Wales’ Institute of Education). In his ten years at the University, Mathew sat on the National Digital Learning Council for Wales, worked with the Welsh Government on the new Curriculum as well as with Estyn, the Education Workforce Council (EWC) and the Education Consortia. He moved to the Open University to become the Primary PGCE Tutor for Wales.
Mathew has joined Cymbrogi because he shares a belief in enabling future generations sustain and nurture an equitable, sustainable and socially-progressive world - in Wales and beyond. One that puts wellbeing at its heart. He is passionate about nurturing the wellbeing and creativity of all young people in a fast-changing and challenging world.
When he's not busy building better futures for young people, Mathew is also a husband, father, musician, artist and devoted fan of Metallica, Welsh Football and Liverpool FC!
How we arrived at Cymbrogi Companions
We talked and listened to teachers, parents and education experts.
We started with a simple hypothesis.
- The world's challenges lie in the hands of future generations of young learners - and their teachers
- They need access to a different way of learning if we are to meet those challenges
- There is a significant disconnect between what is learned at school and what future employers and society will need to build a sustainable future
We'd like to help join up the dots.
We Tested our ideas on teachers and experts and we learned that:
- Teachers are over-worked and under-resourced and in need of help
- They want greater access to learning opportunities from business
- Both children and teachers remain disconnected from nature and its power to transform the learning experience, mental health and wellbeing
We conducted research with schools and they agreed that:
- Children need future-facing knowledge, training in creativity, and skills in empathy, collaboration and resilience. So do teachers.
- They also need a positive connection to nature, and a stronger sense of wellbeing - both physical and mental. So do teachers.
- There is room for support to help the change happen at the speed needed to make a difference
