Our Team…

My life in the outdoors goes back to being raised on the family farm high in Y Bannau Brycheiniog, being outside in all weathers.
I started in the outdoors industry nearly 30 years ago and have been involved in DofE expeditions for 20 years.
I have worked in various youth organisations and activity centres in Wales and had additional experience in Scotland and New Zealand, before becoming a DofE County coordinator in West Wales and the DofE Assessor network coordinator for the Mid Wales wild country area.

I set up Expeditions Wales in 2009 and am now living in western Bannau again, while spending as much time as possible continuing to explore the Cambrian Mountains.

I developed a love of expeditions as a teenager in the Air Cadet Force. Having ridden and competed horses all my life I set up the successful Horse Riding expedition programme, as well as organising all the Open Walking Expeditions. I love to add fun and enthusiasm when working with groups of all ages.

I also go on personal expeditions and in 2022 undertook a 100km expedition in sub-zero conditions over 5 days in The Arctic.
Read more about it here...www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/alix-arctic-2022

I love working in the outdoors because you can never be sure what the next day will bring. Its an ever changing environment and no matter how good the weather forecast is there's always the chance of a little surprise.

Tomos is the longest serving member of the team, having joined in July 2010, is based in the Elan Valley. He spent several years at University in Scotland, escaping to the Highlands as often as possible before returning to the Cambrian Mountains.

Another highly experienced instructor and a long serving team member, having joined us in October 2010. Brian is often working on Bronze expeditions, where his dedication helps even the most challenged of participants to succeed. When not on expedition, he is a member of Brecon Mountain Rescue Team and provides safety cover for film locations.

Brian recently completed the Telemark Challenge in Norway.

The outdoors is an escapism that offers a chance to face personal challenges and adventures. I see it as a chance to feel the refreshing forces of the natural environment and understand when and why young people can find the experience challenging.

Owen is a vastly experienced Outdoor and DofE instructor, who joined us in June 2012.
Having spent many years living in Southern Snowdonia, he is now based in the Midlands.

A retired librarian who has returned to the Brecon area and in 2016 completed all the Scottish Munros.
Mark is an active member of Brecon Mountain Rescue team and since joining us in June 2015 has thrown his enthusiasm into expedition work.

DofE and Outdoor Education Manager for a South Wales Local Authority for many years, as well as being a regular Expedition assessor for the Brecon Beacons Network, Kerry enjoys helping young people through the challenges of expeditions and seeing them grow in confidence and ability.
A fully qualified Youth & Community Worker with over 30 years experience, she is enthusiastic about supporting young people in an outdoor, natural environment.
A keen swimmer, she sometimes swaps her walking boots for fins and Scuba kit; and can also be found working with young people on sailing residentials for Challenge Wales.  https://challengewales.org/

Kerry joined in June 2016 and is based in the South Wales valleys.

After a 16 years of teaching Music and PE, which included 7 of helping support and run the school's DofE programme, I left teaching in 2021 to pursue a career in the outdoors.
I love helping people fulfill their potential, and learn to be independent and safe as they explore all the mountains have to offer. In my former life my spare time was given to playing county cricket for Warwickshire and then Worcestershire.
Having recently moved to mid-Wales, my free time is now given to getting out in the mountains as often as possible, giving me more opportunities to get out and about in Wales.

I have always loved the outdoors, having grown up in Australia and now living in here in the U.K.
I've been an educator my entire life, having trained as a teacher.  I'm also a qualified Mountain Leader and love taking people out on charity hikes, and mountain skills and confidence building days.
I've been working with young people for over 20 years to include training and assessing young people on DofE for the last few years. I love seeing young people develop their confidence, resilience and teamwork on expeditions.

Paralympian in 2012 & 2016 and adventurer. Mel holds the hand cycling record for Land's End to John O'Groats, then in 2021 hand cycled around the whole of Britain, setting another record. Currently a member of the GB Para-triathlon team.
Mel joined us in 2019.

Eliza has earnt all Bronze, Silver and Gold DofE awards – walking for Bronze and Silver, and canoeing for Gold. She has also completed the Ten Tors 45 mile expedition.
She loved doing these so much that she decided to become a DofE leader to help others have great experiences in the outdoors!
As well as working on DofE expeditions, Eliza has worked as an Outdoor Instructor, teaching groups bushcraft, taking groups coasteering, paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing and walking. She has also undertaken expeditions as an Officer Cadet in Wales UOTC.
When Eliza is not out in the hills, you can find her running along coastal paths, cycling, jumping in the sea, or on the pitch playing lacrosse.
She is currently in her 4th year at Cardiff University, finishing her master’s degree.

Steve is based in the Rhondda Valley and has been part of the team since July 2018 .
His other skills, outside of outdoor leadership include being an artist and a landscape gardener.

I've been working in outdoor education for around 15 years in Wales and Ireland as well as overseas and am qualified in mountaineering, climbing and canoeing.
A long standing love of expeditions began in Y Rhinogydd in Snowdonia aged 15 and I've since had many experiences in mountain ranges and wilderness areas at home and abroad.
I'm a qualified PE and Geography teacher and (very) ex pro footballer.
I also currently work as a woodland surveyor across the UK, while for interests, I am a keen amateur naturalist and birdwatcher with a concern for the natural world that I try to act upon in my own life, as an example to others.

Will joined our team in April 2013 and lives on the Ceredigion coast within easy reach of the Cambrian Mountains.

Joined Expeditions Wales in April 2013. Lives in Oxfordshire

My love of the outdoors came from my Army days. When I left, I wanted to continue to explore having been on a few expeditions in the Alps.
I have been involved in DofE since 2004, starting as expedition support, then running a popular DofE programme at a School for several years.
I become a DofE Supervisor and Assessor in 2012 and haven't looked back.
I have travelled most of the UK, but still a few places yet to explore.

Sixth Form College DofE Manager, Uni Lecturer and Student, Paul is our School liaison in the South East. Years of experience as an assessor and supervisor, adding to our knowledge of local areas and our attempts to avoid expedition hot-spots in the busier areas.

Paul joined in June 2016, having been a client of ours for several years and lives in Surrey.

Matty is a former DofE officer from Snowdonia who brings a huge level of DofE, outdoors and youth work experience. Matty has worked with us since April 2018 and is involved in both walking and cycling expeditions.

When I was aged nine some kind people (Newchapel Scouts) took me from the centre of smoky Stoke-on-Trent to the Lake District. I fell in love with the lakes and the mountains. I just love being out in all weathers, to breathe the fresh air and to share that experience with young people, just like Newchapel Scouts did for me over forty years ago.

Patrick joined us in February 2014 and lives in the West Midlands and mixes DofE expedition work with life coaching and the very occasional bit of supply teaching.

Tori has been supervising and assessing DofE expeditions for over 20 years and is a Gold Award holder herself.
Her personal experience of the DofE Award fostered a love of human-powered journeys and a healthy addiction to setting herself bigger and bigger goals. In 2007 Tori became the first Welsh woman to climb Everest. She has also skied to the Magnetic North Pole and she and her team hold the record for the longest sea kayak in UK waters when they completed the first ever straight-line journey between Land’s End & John O’Groats.
Tori lives in Cardiff with her husband and two children.
She loves trail running, cycling around Cardiff on her cargo bike and planning the next adventure.

Find out more at https://torijames.com/

A new recruit to the mountains and ourselves. Catherine went from novice to qualified instructor and climbed every mountain over 600 metres in Wales in just 2 years.

Catherine joined us in April 2018 and lives in Carmarthenshire.

Lissy completed her own DofE Silver and Gold expeditions with us while at College.
She is now a qualified leader and assessor in her own right, inspiring other youngsters to follow in her footsteps.

Started as a qualified teacher before moving into the outdoors many, many years ago. Graham brings a wealth of experience and many exceptional stories. Led many expeditions and trips both home and abroad and when not out on expedition is often manning control for Brecon Mountain Rescue.

Graham is another long serving team member, having joined us in August 2011

Gordon is Physical education instructor in the prison service for over 25 years and works as a freelance instructor in his spare time. A qualified Mountain Leader, an outdoor first aid instructor, as well as a canoe touring leader. In his spare time he goes mountain running with my two dogs in the Beacons and also volunteers for the Brecon Mountain Rescue team.

Could you fit into a strong, tight working team, developed and enhanced over 12 years.

We take a long term, development view to employing outdoor leaders.
You don't have to be qualified, as we can support you with this.
Key to us is a love of the outdoors, the ability to learn from others, share and adapt to an ever changing environment.
You would want to promote good practices in the outdoors, both in terms of responsibility and sustainability, while having an understanding of the challenges communities based in popular areas face.

In return, there are ample opportunities to work with some fantastic youngsters, build relationships and enjoy being part of a team that has a long track record of delivering quality outdoor experiences based on huge experience, knowledge and sharing of key information.