As a long-term partner of Y Môr a Ni, Wales’ national ocean literacy programme, we’re proud to have taken a lead role in celebrating our amazing marine environment and the people who act to help protect it.

Starting on 19^th June in Barry, the King’s Baton Relay ventured its way around Wales, reaching us in North Wales on 22^nd and 23^rd June. The Relay has been running simultaneously around all 74 nations of the Commonwealth, before arriving in Glasgow in time for the Games to start in summer 2026. 

On Monday 22^nd June, we joined forces with Team Wales and our Y Môr a Ni partners Project SIARC, BSAC (British Sub-Aqua Club) and Pen Llŷn a’r Sarnau at Porthdinllaen to celebrate our amazing Welsh seas and coasts, our unique marine wildlife and our incredible volunteers. We were given the exciting opportunity to celebrate with our extra-special volunteers acting as ‘baton bearers’ during the week’s events. We kick started the day by running a shark eggcase hunt with baton bearers and long-time Project SIARC champions Teri and Bob who proudly paraded along the beach, collecting and ID-ing local shark and skate eggcases.

The baton was then passed onto Elis, Anna and Isobel, our three baton bearers from the Seagrass Ocean Rescue project who took the baton into the water over one of Wales’ largest seagrass meadows. We smiled and cheered as our snorkelers followed the baton over crystal-clear waters on what was a very hot summers day on Pen Llŷn. Isobel continued the baton’s journey as she passed it onto a BSAC boat, where our marine staff were waiting to whizz out to sea. James Bond, eat your heart out!

“Excitement, pride and action – we all felt it at Porthdinllaen. To be part of such an historic event was something that none of us will forget. Celebrating and spreading awareness of Welsh seas and coasts on the local, national and international stages felt so special to us all” 

Reece Halstead, Ocean Literacy Co-ordinator at Y Môr a Ni.

On Tuesday 23 June, the excitement continued as we crossed the Menai Strait and joined Team Wales for marine-themed activities on Anglesey. We led a guided nature walk around Menai Bridge and were welcomed by Canolfan Porthaethwy - the local Menai Bridge community centre and a few familiar faces from the Welsh TV soap Rownd a Rownd. We then headed north to Trearddur Bay to support our friends at the RNLI who were running important water safety sessions with local school children. Our marine team took the young people into rockpools to show them the wonders of our local marine environment; they found crabs, sea snails and even ‘pink noodles’ (also known as sea slug eggs!).

“It has been inspiring to visit counties, collaborate on events, and witness the genuine passion across the country to be part of Team Wales. We are thrilled to have taken the Baton to as many communities as possible, whilst supporting the Commonwealth’s Clean Oceans Campaign”

Cathy Williams, Head of Engagement and King’s Baton Relay Lead for Team Wales.

That concludes our journey working with Team Wales on the King’s Baton Relay for this year. However, the need to spread awareness of our Welsh seas and coasts continues. Our North Wales Wildlife Trust marine team will continue to work with partners from across North Wales, and beyond, to help grow ocean literacy in Wales, helping protect our marine environment for generations to come. 

Check out our Y Môr a Ni webpage for more information on our involvement in the national ocean literacy programme:

Y Môr a Ni: Ocean Literacy for Wales