During her entire working life, Jan has been fortunate to successfully blend her passions and interests with professional qualifications – and vice versa. The result being a wonderfully diverse and colourful career pathway!
An initial career in nursing, latterly working as a nursing sister in general practice, with health promotion being the cornerstone of her work. In her spare time (between raising a family) she always enjoyed getting out and about into the mountains and wild country areas of Scotland, often volunteering as an Expedition trainer and assessor with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. From this work, grew a desire to work with more people in the outdoor environment and use it to promote better health and wellbeing. In order that she could pursue this interest she gained professional outdoor qualifications, along with a couple of academic degrees.
The outdoor adventure element of her working life has now overtaken teaching and she now Project Manages a charity which delivers Health and Wellbeing Education, including Outdoor First Aid, to youth and communities in Tanzania which includes a partnership with Kilimanjaro Guides Association and MWEKA Wildlife College. Together with local Tanzanian colleagues she delivers Health, Wellbeing and First Aid courses to the Porters and Guides working on Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, to the Safari Guides working in all the East African National Parks and to college students who aspire to work within the outdoor environment in Tanzania.
Jan is our Africa expert and has guided and climbed her way to the summit of Kilimanjaro seven times and counting!
