Experience

Imagemakers

• United Kingdom
• Design Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Project Manager / Consultant

  • Jan 2000 - Present

  With Imagemakers, I have gained experience working on a broad range of different heritage subjects and settings – all kinds of historic sites and buildings, museums, tourist attractions, visitor centres and urban parks and gardens.I specialise in creative copy writing and ‘ideas’, interpretive and heritage activity planning and projectmanagement. I have developed content for, and project managed, interpretive schemes for town trails, audio tours, smartphone apps, signage, exhibitions, leaflets and guide books. I've been known to dabble in voiceover work too!I have also authored numerous HLF plans and strategies and led a wide variety of community and training workshops for projects all over the UK.



National Trust, Holnicote Estate, West Somerset

• European Project Officer

  • 1997 - 2000

  Key skills and experience – management of operational budget of £310,000 (i.e. grant claims, progress reporting, management of contracts and tenders); scheduling of works for a range of sub-projects, including construction works, farm diversification schemes, visitor interpretation, green tourism initiatives and archaeological and biological surveys. More detailed involvement in writing material for leaflets, panels, visitor centre exhibitions; designing and conducting surveys; devising and writing content for teachers’ resource book; organising workshops and leading guided walks and bus tours. Devised, obtained funding (from 6 different sources) and implemented a £59,000 project which led to the creation of three disabled-accessible paths (and accompanying interpretation materials), a wheelchair-friendly bird-hide and various other access improvements to buildings. Liaised with a broad section of the local community in designing the project. Represented the National Trust on the Greater Exmoor Environmental Education Forum – a group set up to co-ordinate events, improve marketing of facilities and ensure best use of member’s resources in delivering environmental education across the Greater Exmoor area. Group members included, the Field Studies Council, RSPB, Devon and Somerset Wildlife Trusts and Exmoor National Park Authority.



Countryside Recreation Network (CRN)

• Network Manager

  • Jan 1996 - Aug 1997

  CRN is a national network (funded by all the major countryside and recreation agencies) with a remit to promote best policy and practice in countryside and recreation management. Key skills and experiences – editing and desktop publishing a quarterly journal (Countryside Recreation Network News); organising and securing sponsorship for workshops and conferences (topics included: geographical information systems, European and lottery funding, equality of access, consensus building and access to water); responding to public enquiries; administering a budget; editing workshop and conference proceedings and the CRN research directory (a compendium of research conducted by the CRN member agencies); designing promotional material; and extensive liaison with CRN members and outside organisations.



Cardiff University

• Research Assistant

  • Oct 1995 - Dec 1996

  1 year research contract on the Meithrin Mynydd project (a European Union LIFE funded project looking at the management of upland commons) in Brecon Beacons National Park. Key skills and experiences – designed, conducted and reported on a visitor perception study to inform recreational policy development; published an article in ECOS journal and wrote a chapter for an undergraduate textbook. 1 year research contract on the Meithrin Mynydd project (a European Union LIFE funded project looking at the management of upland commons) in Brecon Beacons National Park. Key skills and experiences – designed, conducted and reported on a visitor perception study to inform recreational policy development; published an article in ECOS journal and wrote a chapter for an undergraduate textbook.



British Mountain Biking Federation

• Voluntary Access Officer

  • 1992 - 1995

  Key skills and experiences – becoming conversant with access law; acting as a focal point in resolving access problems; liaising with County Council officers, National Park officials, landowners and recreational user groups, designing three mountain bike routes and an accompanying leaflet in collaboration with Exmoor National Park, Crown Estate, Forest Enterprise and West Somerset District Council. Key skills and experiences – becoming conversant with access law; acting as a focal point in resolving access problems; liaising with County Council officers, National Park officials, landowners and recreational user groups, designing three mountain bike routes and an accompanying leaflet in collaboration with Exmoor National Park, Crown Estate, Forest Enterprise and West Somerset District Council.