Meet our Trustees and Directors
Our board of Trustees and Directors continuously donate their time and support to enable Longtown Outdoor Learning Trust to operate. Together with our small staff team our main objective is provide every young person with the opportunity to build their character and resilience through outdoor learning and adventure.
Alistair lives locally near to Hay-on-Wye. His area of expertise is human exposure and risk assessment to plant protection products (pesticides). As well as technical expertise Alistair manages the agrochemical group of the company and forms part of the senior management team which involves management and business development responsibilities.
Outside of his day job Alistair has always enjoyed the outdoors including walking, running, mountaineering, climbing, and caving over the last 40 or so years. Since moving to the area he has enjoyed longer distance running in the hills.
Since autumn 2019 Alistair has been working as a volunteer instructor at the Centre following a visit with a group and being inspired and impressed with the instructors, facilities, and the Centre ethos. Over the last couple of years’ he has gained qualifications as an archery instructor, paddlesport instructor (canoe) and a Hill and Moorland Leader.
Mike is a qualified teacher whose most recent school-based post was as Deputy Head Teacher. He is qualified to lead, instruct and coach a broad range of Outdoor activities and is an Accredited Member of the Outdoor Education Advisers Panel.
Mike has a life-long passion for adventure activities and remains active as an outdoor instructor, a Mountain Rescue Team member (Longtown MRT) and fell-runner. He has a strong belief that the outdoors can provide the stimulus for significant growth and development for individuals and teams and feels privileged to be a Director and Trustee of Longtown Outdoor Learning Trust. He is determined that the charity should extend its reach to enable more children, young people, adults and families to experience the outdoors through programmes hosted at the centre, through outreach and through training opportunities.
Nick Wilson is a trustee of The Wilson Foundation (https://www.thewilsonfoundation.org.uk).
Nigel is an estate agent and has vast experience in property and buildings. Born and bred in the county Nigel is established within the local communities and has a number of connections, some of which may have a benefit to LOLT.
Nigel is very much involved in outdoor activities. He has been part of the local Longtown Mountain Rescue Team for the past 25 years which gives him an insight into some of the experiences that the users have at the centre and why the centre’s work is so important. He also volunteers for Vision Links who support blind and partially sight people.
Fran has a background in policy research and prior to moving to Longtown she completed her PhD with the Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University, where she also taught at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Prior to becoming a trustee of the Longtown Outdoor Learning Trust, she was a trustee of Longtown Pre-School where she took an active role in policy development. She aims to bring her research and analytical skills to new areas of policy underpinning the important governance work of the Trust. Fran is currently a managing partner, in a family farming and hospitality business, responsible for corporate governance in addition to over 25 employees.
Fran is a local parent of three children, the oldest of whom has used the Centre for after-school and holiday clubs for the past couple of years. Through her children’s experience, Fran acknowledges to the enormous repository of skills, knowledge and enthusiasm that is held within the centre which inspired her to want to volunteer as a trustee.
Amy is a local primary school teacher and has a thirst for taking learning outside the classroom at every opportunity. She is very much looking forward to brining some of her educational expertise to the group.
Amy went to school in the Brecon Beacons and enjoyed a wealth of outdoor pursuits. She often takes the lead in organising and booking school residential trips, both locally and further afield. Following a residential trip to Longtown, Amy’s school entered the national, ‘My Best School Trip Award.’ They were shortlisted into the top three and attended the awards ceremony in London where they were placed runners up. Amy says “it was an honour to share some of the magic of our trip and get Longtown on the map!”
Jean is a secondary school teacher based in Hereford, with previous experience working in both the outdoor and charity sector. She has an MSc in Charity Management and spent 3 years working for a charity that specialised in strategy and leadership development within the Third Sector.
Jean is an outdoor enthusiast and as a young adult, worked at outdoor centres in the UK, France and Spain. She is also currently a member of Longtown Mountain Rescue and helps to run the Duke of Edinburgh programme for her school.
Simon is a member of the Association of Accountancy Technicians and has been in the accountancy profession for 39 years, running his own business for 15 years. During this time, Simon has acted for a number of small charities assisting with the preparation of management and annual accounts and providing accountancy advice.
Claire graduated with an equine business degree and completed a post graduate certificate in equine science. In 2014 she became a member of the CIPR and completed their Advanced Certificate. She currently runs her own PR and marketing business and works for a number of clients across the UK.
Claire volunteered to act as Clerk to the Trustees following her children’s participation in activities at the outdoor centre. She has witnessed first-hand their growth in confidence and teamwork skills whilst making new friends and thriving in outdoor challenges.