Our Patron
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Trevor Clarke MBE – We were delighted when Trevor agreed to be our patron. He was the principal of Bendrigg Trust for 33 years until his retirement in 2016. He remains active in the outdoors and shares our belief that outdoor activities should be accessible to all. |
Our Trustees
| Steve Bateman – Chairman of the trustees – Retired civil servant. Past president of the Windermere and Ambleside Lions Club. Steve ignited the project 8 years ago when he came on an expedition that Jill ran for people with various disabilities. The following year he returned with 4 other visually impaired people and 5 guides for an expedition down the river Spey. Since then he has participated regularly. Steve enjoys all the activities although his main pursuit in life is long distance cycling. Recently he completed the Cycle Across America! |  |
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Paddy Finn – Retired Business Studies teacher and management trainer. He races for the GB Age-Group triathlon team and is a coach at the Kendal triathlon club. Paddy also coaches on our triathlon training events. |
| Paul James – Boeing 737 pilot and Training Captain of Jet2. Paul has always been very active in the outdoors and holds a MIC award (Mountain Instructor Certificate). He enjoys many different activities but his main love is skiing in the mountains. His achievements include summiting Mount Everest and representing GB in his Age-Group at long distance triathlon |   |
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Dave Corso – Treasurer and Co-founder of VoA and retired IT consultant. In the outdoors, Dave’s passion is for sailing and has skippered his boat across the Atlantic in both directions. Dave also maintains the fleet of tandems for VoA. |
| Francesca Higgins – Started out as an outdoor education instructor working in the Lakes, Australia and Salford before switching to study Human Resources Management. Spent the next 20 years working in a range of HR settings including with the BBC, NHS, Housing Association, an airport authority and the Cairngorms National Park, before going full circle and working as the Head of HR at the Outward Bound Trust.
Started to lose her sight in 2008 due to a previously un-diagnosed genetic macular dystrophy (Stargartds Disease) and volunteered for a while with Sight Advice South Lakes in Kendal. Has also been very involved in fundraising for Henshaws (a sight-loss charity based in Manchester).
Currently working part time after stepping down from her role at Outward Bound. Took up running a few years ago and has completed the Lakes In A Day Ultra Marathon.
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Other Advisors
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David Newman – Retired IT consultant. Was on the first trip with Steve Bateman and instrumental in spreading the word to many of the VIs and Guides we see on the courses today. David travels the world supporting his VI partner who is a professor at Leeds University and a well regarded expert in the field of disability law. |
| John Crosbie – Chair of the Institute for Outdoor Learning and Associate Lecturer at the University of Derby. Former Head of centre at both the Outward Bound Trust and the Calvert Trust. John is well placed to advise the VoA charity in its formative years. |  |