My Curriculum Vitae
Practical Fall Protection Equipment (FPE) Inspector
Qualifications RYA International Certificate of Competence
RYA Dinghy Senior Instructor
RYA Advanced Power Boat Instructor
RYA Start Windsurfing Instructor
RYA Personal Watercraft
BCU Level 3 Coach; Sea, Inland & Open Canoe
Rescue 3 Swift Water Rescue Technician
MLTB SPSA
MLTB Summer Mountain Leader
MLTB Winter Mountain Leader Training (03/03)
1st Aid Professional Trainer
Automated External Defibrillator Trainer
First Aid at Work
Full Driving Licence (with D1+E entitlement)
Minibus Driver Assessment (City of Sunderland)
BCU Disability Awareness Endorsement
Certificate of Competence in Radio Telephony
ISRM National (swimming) Pool Plant Operator
PADI Rescue Diver & Enriched Air Diver
Educational Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector
Qualifications Craven College, 2009
Dip. HE in Community & Youthwork
Durham University, 1994
TEC Diploma in Motor Vehicle Engineering
Tile Hill FE College, Coventry, 1985
About me
My interests follow my career, I enjoy all sorts of recreational outdoor activities including sea kayaking, kite buggying, sailing, mountain biking, climbing and dog walking my biggest dilemma being the choice of toys to use on a given day.
I am a great cook and I enjoy music, socialising and the natural world.
I have been married since 1997. I am in excellent health and I am not usually prone to illness. In a voluntary capacity I am a Community First Responder and I have served time as the Regional Coaching Organiser for the BCU Northern Region, a member of the Management Committee for the Faramir Trust (sail training organisation), Treasurer of the Tyne & Wear Outdoor Workers Network and as an Executive Committee Member of the Northern Council for Outdoor Education, Training & Recreation (now known as IOL)
Work History
2001 - Present
2001 - Present
Freelance Instructor / Trainer
Outdoor activity instructor, Professional First Aid at Work Trainer providing scenario based 1st aid training for all professions. I also work with a number of organisations including: VLM Adventure Consultants – providing 1st aid training, ropes course construction, maintenance and inspection, outdoor activities, technical advice and training to schools in the UK and South East Asia. Brathay Hall Trust, Outward Bound Professional, Derwent Hill OE Centre - providing technical support and frontline training for schools, management development and apprentice training courses, and Derwent Water Marina where I teach watersports as well as doing some light engineering / boat maintenance.
1997 - 2001
Chief Instructor, The Calvert Trust – Kielder
The Calvert Trust provides activity holidays for disabled people and their families and friends. As one of two managers responsible for all the staff and resources of the Trust I had overall responsibility for a team of up to 17 instructors and up to 120 residential guests. My responsibilities included, the safe conduct of all
outdoor activity provision (including all AALA related responsibility), writing of operating procedures, liasing with statutory inspection bodies, development of activities, staff training, equipment maintenance and repairs, vehicle maintenance, swimming pool maintenance, salary and equipment budget control and recruitment. I also led Disability Awareness training for external organisations including Plas-Y-Brenin (instructors), the MLTB (national workshops), Northern Rock and Northumbrian Water. This post was made redundant following a “Strategic Management Review”.
1994 – 1997
Outdoor Activities Officer, Hartlepool Borough Council
As part of the Sports Development Team I was employed on a fixed term contract to develop outdoor activity provision within the borough. My work revolved mainly around a young people’s Outdoor Activity Club and training outdoor instructors to provide activities once my contract ceased. I also wrote the Borough’s “Code of Practice for the Safe Conduct of Outdoor Activities”.
1992 – 1994
Student at Durham University
1991- 1994 (including work during university vacation times)
Freelance Outdoor Instructor / Trainer
I worked for various agencies in the North East including Mobex North East, Sunderland Outdoor Activities Association, City of Newcastle Outdoor Education Service, North York Moors Adventure Centre and Eldon Leisure Centre in Newcastle. I worked with groups of people including disaffected young men in East Durham, Princes Trust Volunteers in the West End of Newcastle, a range of school groups from the Tyne and Wear area and two separate groups of young people training towards outdoor activity qualifications on structured long term courses funded by the government. During this period I organised and ran expeditions with trainees throughout England and Scotland and to Norway and Belgium.
1990 – 1991
Centre Warden, Bearsports Outdoor Centre
Having recently returned from ‘Operation Raleigh’ in Chile, I spent 2 seasons as a multi-activity instructor at a privately owned outdoor activities centre in Northumberland.
1985-1990
Motor Sports Engineer
During this period I worked for three motor sport companies. My responsibilities ranged from race engine builder, pit crew and race preparation for Ford and Mitsubishi Touring Car racing teams to building Formula One, Formula 3000 and
American Indy Racing engines for a specialist racing engine building company.
