The construction industry serves as a vital indicator of a successful economy. In the UK, circumstances rooted in the 1982 Industrial Training Act have collided, creating a perfect storm of labour market shortages whose effects are likely to be felt well beyond the construction sector. The successful revitalisation of the stagnating UK economy will rely …
Our social relationships hold power. The more people we know, from a range of different backgrounds, the more likely we are to achieve financial, occupational and financial success. The outdoor industry is no exception to this, and in fact, perhaps moreso; accessing the outdoors is much more likely if we know someone who takes part …
The question is asked time and again. Only 6% of Winter and Mountaineering Instructor qualification holders are women. It is often hard to get hold of a woman to run a course because there are so few qualified women, and yet at that level some instructors have reported to me that they still get offered …
Why are there fewer women in the outdoor industry? Read More »
There is nothing intrinsically hard or soft about any type of skill. When it comes to technical skills and people skills, our industry has created a construct whereby the technical skills are the most highly valued and have thus been named ‘hard’ skills, becoming the focus of mountaineering qualifications in the UK. The other skills, …
A few weeks ago, I met someone whose description of their experiences in the outdoor field made me question what I know and understand about leadership in the outdoors. It was a chance encounter. After small talk and niceties we meandered to the topic of leadership in the outdoor industry, and through my hazy knowledge …
In a few weeks, I’ll be embarking on one of my most exciting projects yet with pupils from Oakwood High School in Salford. Working with the Maths and Art department we’ll be travelling to France to take time out to explore the work of Russian Constructivists Popova and Rodchenko and using their artwork as inspiration …
Over the past four months I’ve been working at Bluecoat Arts Centre with a group of volunteers on their Growing Creativity Project, which is helping people with learning difficulties and disabilities to reshape the Bluecoat Garden and create some unique artwork for the outdoors space. The Bluecoat Arts Centre is situated in the heart of …
Growing Creativity at Bluecoat Arts Centre Liverpool Read More »
And the winner of the Oakwood Art Competition is….Jane. Congratulations to Jane, who produced some lovely drawings and worked hard to put into practise new techniques learned whilst on a school trip in the Dordogne, France. She was really willing to try out new things and to develop her thinking and her skills in all …
I have been very fortunate to work with Groundwork Cheshire on a commission at their Grozone project since October. The commission is an extended participatory project – working with volunteers and visitors to the Community Garden to create an arts trail using materials from the garden around the theme of Humans within our Landscape. At …
As part of the arts trail commission for Groundwork we have been working with willow grown in the community garden at Grozone in Northwich. Using nature’s own resources and working with the ethos of Groundwork, the garden and the volunteers we used willow cut freshly from the grounds and from the weeping willows along the …
Working with Willow at Grozone with Groundwork Cheshire Read More »