I've just returned from a week working as a Duke of Edinburgh supervisor in the Brecon Beacons National Park. I was working on a freelance basis for AtoZ Expeditions and my role was to teach a small group from a school from Surrey the necessary skills to complete a four-day, self-supported walking expedition. I would also supervise the group as…
First Aid Courses have been an integral part of my life as an instructor and leader in the outdoors. In order for my outdoor qualifications to be valid, it is a requirement that I hold as a minimum, a Rescue & Emergency Care Level 2 first aid certificate. This certificate lasts for three years and explores the skills and develops…
I got a taxi to the metro at Kartel which was undoubtedly the most dangerous thing I’d done in the last year. This was the second taxi I’d used since arriving in Turkey and unfortunately I was still in the UK habit of getting in the back seat, clutching the seatbelt and expecting there to be something to fasten it…
I’m sat on a plane on my way to Istanbul, my sister moved over there a few years ago and, despite my travelling lifestyle, I haven’t visited her once. I am a terrible brother (and uncle!), but better late than never. My 35th birthday is next week and for the first time, I’m paying some attention to what it all…
The Future of Fundraising Challenge Events Having worked with countless fundraising organizations and charities over the years, I have seen a real shift in how participants and their supporters perceive challenge events. There have been huge changes in how these events are run, how they are marketed and how public perception of them has changed. Fifteen years ago it was…
Learning to ski has been on my bucket list for longer than I can remember. Having not learned as a child or on a school trip, I’ve been consistently putting it off for a long time. I’d spent countless days mountaineering all around the world, in both summer and winter conditions, so this was a really exciting step and I…
Driving to the Alps has always been a hugely popular way for Brits to access the snow and ice of Europe. With regular ferries and Channel Tunnel crossings daily, it has never been easier to get onto to the continent. The actual costs of doing so however depend largely on when exactly you wish to travel and how long you…
Firstly, I’d like to take the opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy New Year, I hope you’ve had a lovely time over the festive period and have plenty of exciting things to look forward to in 2016. There is a lot of talk at this time of year about New Year’s Resolutions, with promises of giving something up or…
My family and I had decided to spend Christmas 2015 in Germany. My brother had spent some time on a family road trip there during the summer and had fallen in love with it. On their previous visit they had taken their car on the overnight ferry from Harwich to the Hook of Holland, then driven down, covering a total…
As my friends and family will happily confirm, I love my coffee. Some would even call me a coffee snob. I don't do instant, regardless of how many adverts of 'just like the real thing' I see or how many gold stripes are contained upon the jar design. So I've been on the search for the best coffee maker, but…