Meet the team
Thomas Plant - Phoenix Co-ordinator
Thomas joined Holyhead Fire Station as a retained / on-call firefighter in 2003 and later moved to Colwyn Bay in 2015, before becoming a full-time / rural firefighter in 2014. He joined the Phoenix Project in 2022.
He says: "I have worked for the fire and rescue service for nearly 20 years. I have enjoyed working as a retained fire fighter for 11 years and later as wholetime firefighter. My recent accomplishments have involved being part of the team writing our online e-learning modules for the Service and in collaboration with the other Welsh fire and rescue services and the UK as a whole.
“Working as the Phoenix Project Coordinator keeps me very busy, enacting the Service's core principle of putting ‘people’ at the forefront of everything that we do - and our ‘young people’ are certainly not left out."
Gillian Roberts - Assistant Phoenix Co-ordinator
Gillian's career has been in administration until deciding to complete a teacher training course which led her to joining North Wales Fire and Rescue Service in 2006. She initially worked within the Community Fire Safety department delivering fire safety in the workplace and schools throughout North Wales; she was then appointed Assistant Phoenix Coordinator in June 2009.
Born and brought up in North Wales, Gill lives in the Conwy Valley. Gill is a huge animal and nature lover, with ambitions of travelling far afield to encounter wild life such as the Polar Bear on the Artic Tundra, the Orangutans in Borneo, and the migration across the Serengeti. She is also a keen scuba diver, but only tropical seas!
Brian Drawbridge - Phoenix Assistant
Brian lives in Conwy having moved to the area at the age of 11. He joined the Phoenix team in September 2017. Brian joined North Wales Fire And Rescue Service in January 2010 as a Retained Duty System (RDS) firefighter at Conwy fire station and still continues his operational duties alongside his role as Phoenix Assistant.
Before joining the Fire and Rescue Service Brian was a driving instructor and ran his own driving school for 10 years.
Outside of work he enjoys motor sport, both taking part and attending and also family time.
Olwen Griffiths - Phoenix Administrator
Olwen's career was initially in Finance. After having her children, she trained as a Beauty Therapist and owned and ran a Beauty Salon in Ruthin.
Most recently, Olwen worked as an Exams Officer in a Welsh High School before joining North Wales Fire and Rescue Service in 2019.
Olwen lives in Llanarmon Yn Ial and is a fluent welsh speaker. She is a member of her local Community Choir and enjoys spending time walking her dogs with family and friends.