IE Llanfairfechan’s 2025 Year In Review

Every Incredible Edible group is unique. They each embody the Incredible Edible ethos in their own special way.

This year we are sharing a round up of reflections looking back over the year from a small selection of our groups. Today, we’re hearing from Incredible Edible Llanfairfechan. They had a tough year in 2025, but their resilience of spirit and a few adjustments to their ambitions for the year meant that they still achieved wonderful things for the community and the environment in the place they call home.

What is your favourite or most successful crop you have grown this year?

Strawberries were great and saved-the-day this year!

What has been your biggest success, or something you are proud of?

This year we hosted a children’s gardening session as part of Big Green Week. We welcomed children along to show of their bean plants, or to have a go at planting their own beans in pots, which they could take home and were also offered out to the wider community.

Are there any challenges or difficulties you overcame this year?

This year has been very challenging as a few of our regular volunteers have been unable to help due to family care commitments. We decided the best thing to do was to pare back our gardening plans to focus on strawberries for the children and nasturtiums to fill the beds with pretty edibles. This hid the fact we were unable to meet as often as usual or do as much.

Can you share a valuable lesson you learned this year, big or small?

It is possible to continue with the project even in really difficult times – its important to be realistic about what can be achieved and lower aims and expectations to suit.

What are you most looking forward to in 2026?

We have new volunteers signed up and some of our original volunteers are now able to return to the project and are committed to doing more. Rather than a weekly Thursday session, we are planning on more flexible sessions sometimes at the weekend to be more attractive to children and families who work.

Do you have any words of encouragement you would share with someone thinking about starting a new Incredible Edible group?

Never give up and don’t worry if you have a difficult year. The community gardens are very forgiving and will be there next year to greet you!

“Nothing can beat gardening with friends and neighbours as the sun goes down over the promenade garden. We are so lucky to have our community plots and we value what its brings to the community.”

– Jayne