Client feedback

"Fantastic five days, well delivered, loved every minute! We packed in loads of skills over the five days, and made great progress from placing gear to attaching to anchors etc etc, to feel great about leading routes. A brilliant learning experience and a really fun five days" Ellie Price September 2014, Learn to Lead course.

Thanks James,

Had a great weekend and now want to jack my job in and get back outdoors!!!! 

I'm sure we'll be in touch soon about getting something else booked in 

Kind Regards

Steph 

-Steph James, Private Climbing course September 2014.

Hi James,

Many thanks for our superb weekend of climbing!   I really did have a great time and came home really fired up to get outside again as soon as possible. It seemed that I particularly out of the group found it most challenging at first, but by the end of the second day I really felt I’d progressed.  It was so different from indoor climbing that I just couldn’t work it out on day one, but it came together much better on day two and I started to feel as though I could do it after all! Thank you for your patience and I apologise for being a complete wimp at first – you were unfailingly patient with me and that helped me get my confidence back.  I felt that the weekend was pitched perfectly for our skills (or lack of them on my part ;-)!) and I know everyone felt the same.  I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you to others and we are already planning a repeat weekend with you!!

Thanks again and to Ollie too – it was such a great bonus to have two of you and he was so supportive and calm as well, it was perfect.

 Kind regards, Claire Donald (October 2014, Private Climbing course.)

James,

Myself and Kellie just wanted to say thanks for a great weekend. Loved every minute and are definitely looking to get into doing more scrambling and climbing. Again couldn't have asked for anymore from the weekend, it was a great experience and we both loved it.

Again thanks

Oli & Kellie.
(Introduction to Scrambling, North Wales, September 2014)

It was fabulous. I learnt so much and can't believe what we all managed to achieve. It far exceeded my precourse expectations!  I can't praise James and Jamie enough for their patience and calm unrushed /unjudgmental approach.
(Claire Reynolds, Fear of heights course September 2014).

I have been involved with James's development for 10 years or so.

James has taken part in several DES expeditions. All DES participants have to take on some leadership role before and during the trip. It was noted by the expedition leader, John Hegarty, that James had natural leadership potential. Thus James was given assistant leadership responsibilities on further expeditions. When the time was right, the DES encouraged him to lead a peer group expedition and James did just that. He planned an epic six week trip cycling through France and Spain and then on to Morocco where his team stored their bikes and proceeded to climb Mt Toubkal. The expedition was a resounding success. James led the trip exceedingly well. James has gone on to lead young people from a number of organisations one being World Challenge. He has also gained the requisite qualifications. In this the DES has provided James with grants along the way. 

James is an excellent communicator especially with young people ( but not exclusively ). I asked him, and he readily accepted, to be our guest speaker at the DES Christmas Ball 2013. He was an excellent and motivational speaker. He spoke passionately of his experiences with the DES. As a member James keeps in regular contact with the DES.

James's 'hard' and 'soft' skills make him a suitable leader for different activities for differing age groups. He is, for example, an outstanding mountaineer and rock climber and can teach the youngest to more 

'mature' citizens. He is very perceptive,organised,trustworthy, good humoured, kind and never takes his eye off the ball. He gets to know all the team members very quickly and as a good leader should, assesses risk all the while. He is a young man with high standards and we are proud of his achievements.

James would be an asset to your organisation. 

Clive Burgess (November 2014)

Co-Founder, Dorset Expeditionary Society ( DES ) and Expedition Leader 

James, 

I think I speak for everyone we had a very enjoyable experience. Your teaching skills were excellent, very calm & knowledgable. We learnt a great deal but realise there's so much more to learn. On the way home we discussed when we could come up for another weekend.  It looks like it's going to be next early next year. We will thrash out some dates & get in touch to see what weekends you can do.

Best regards

Billy Wilson, (private climbing course, September 2014)

"Despite the terrible weather and horrific road conditions, with a lot of help from James we managed to have a great day. I learnt everything I hoped to and more, the whole day was full of adrenaline fueled laughs. Needless to say this is just the beginning of my rock climbing experience."
-Nathan (Introduction to Climbing)

"I thought James was a very effective instructor. He listened to my objectives and guided the day accordingly, so I now have the confidence to go out and continue with my plans. His enthusiasm for the outdoors was obvious and very contagious. He was able to keep the day light-hearted and fun whilst still covering all the technical aspects I was after. In terms of after service care, I have also been impressed. James has sent me several links to books that might interest me about navigation in general, and also specifically on the Tour du Mont Blanc which I'm doing next month. Many thanks for the day, it was one I would recommend to anyone looking to improve on their navigation skills." 
-Ellis (1 day Navigation Course)

''James was brilliant, very patient, knowledgeable and friendly''
-Tom.

''We both really enjoyed the weekend - lots learnt and Andy definitely interested in a more advanced course (this weekend was a present for him and my skills are definitely limited to bronze!). He'll be in touch with you as there was some discussion about whether he has the knowledge/ ability to go straight on to the gold course. We both thought James was a really good instructor, catering for the range of abilities on the course.''
- Julie Siddons (Hill Skills 1 -NNAS Bronze)

"Hi James, I had an awesome time, thanks for imparting all your great knowledge, found it very useful, for work and play." 
-Jenna Holford (Hill Skills 1 -NNAS Bronze)

''Really interesting and insightful, there was a lot to take on board but because James went over it until we fully understood it broke it down into smaller chunks and made it seem like less work. There was also a good flow to the information which made it more understandable as you could see the links between different things and, more importantly, why those links were made. There was enough time to think about things and learn them properly without getting tedious or repetitive. Really good level of feedback, I particularly liked that it was a combination of personal feedback and general group feedback as it gave you a range of things to think about. Extremely useful and informative.''
-Lauren Jorden (Moving outdoors Climbing course)

"All went really well, thoroughly enjoyed the course.  James was first class at instructing and setting us challenges requiring additional skills as the weekend progressed.  I have returned home not only with considerably improved hill skills but also much more confidence in my own ability to read and follow the map thanks to James’ encouragement. What a great guy he is ... he is a credit to your business! " 
-Margaret (Hills Skills -NNAS)

"We had a very good 2 days climbing with James, he is a very good instructor and I think we all got a lot out of it. Despite being only 4°C and dodging rain and hail showers our daughters really enjoyed it and want to do more climbing on rock. The girls amazed me with what they were willing and able to do, and all credit to James in that regard, as he had them doing stuff that we wouldn't have thought they could/would do. At the end of the day, Keira (aged 8) said to James "can I tell you something as a friend ?" - and said "I love you" so i think its safe to say she enjoyed herself.
many thanks" 
- Clare (Family Adventure day).  

"I had an amazing weekend - I was completely delighted, including with myself, by the end of it.  My partner said I came out of the station beaming & was still beaming when I woke up this morning.  Even the bruised knees & aching muscles pale into insignificance.  Thank you to everyone involved.  Especially James - how he managed to keep patient while repeating about 8 times where I might find a foothold, gradually decreasing the area to look in until I found it "myself", is beyond me. I loved his calm instructions and patient and supportive manner, I'm sure he has a great future in the business."-Maureen (fear of heights course)

Thanks very much for a great couple of days. I really enjoyed the course. I have learnt so much and have followed your advice and started to make notes. I appreciated how clear you were with your instructions and the right amount of detail was provided. Also a bonus that you checked to make sure I understood what it was you were telling me. Hopefully I will have most of my gear sorted in the next few weeks and will be able to start ticking off all the VDiffs! Thanks also for the advice and pointers on improving my overall climbing, rather than just leading, plenty to think about.
-James Broomhead. "Learn to lead course"

Hi James, Just a quick note to say thanks for your excellent teaching this weekend, I really enjoyed it and learnt loads. My confidence has improved, I've got a much better understanding about where to place gear and my anchoring ...well I'll hear you saying "is it a 9 or a 10" whenever I'm setting up an anchor. So job well done!! Hope you get the thorn out of your leg and have a fantastic trip to India...remember your sun cream and your mosquito spray....thanks again Judith :)

-Judith morris "Learn to Lead"

Hi James, thanks for a great two days and for being so patient, we learnt loads and can't wait to start putting it into practise! I'll put a post on Facebook (the Club have a page and so do I) and give you a mention.......you never know you may get hoardes of middle aged women wanting to learn to climb ha ha. Hope your leg gets better and have a wonderful time in India.  Helen :)

-Helen Jackson "learn to Lead"

James is an accomplished expedition leader and I have worked with him on a number of international expeditions where he has been responsible for the planning, budgeting, selection and risk assessment documentation. He has in-depth knowledge of expedition procedures and planning and can effectively manage the expedition team both during the expedition and in the UK. He has excellent communication skills and a charismatic personality, which is particularly effective in expedition team management. In previous expeditions he has worked with students from a variety of learning abilities and has gained their trust and respect with his leadership style. 

An accomplished climber, James has always been very conscious of complying with National governing body regulations relating to Health and Safety. While running expeditions for the Dorset Expeditionary Society, he was responsible for the all aspects of expedition planning, mitigating risk and ensuring the safety of the team during the expedition. He has completed an impressive number of leadership and first aid courses and has hands on experience of rescue emergency care within the wild country environment. James has led numerous expeditions for several commercial operators specifically catering for the youth expedition market. His buoyant character works well with youth groups and we have found that he is an instant hit with the expedition teams he has led. He has a professional approach to everything that he does and has worked extremely well supporting mainstream students and those with additional learning needs. His calm and patient manner creates a positive learning environment that facilitates personal growth for the participants. James has been travelling on expeditions to remote locations and international wild country areas since he was fifteen years old. He has gathered some tremendous experience in his independent travel and has gained international recognition for climbing virgin peaks in India. He has produced some astonishing film reports from his independent travel and I often use these for motivational talks to my college students. He has successfully inspired many young people to take part in expeditions through his expedition talks on his personal experience and the Dorset Expeditionary Society has used him as a shining example of a very successful young leader.

I have absolutely no hesitation in recommended James to you as a high caliber expedition leader; he would make a positive and valuable addition to your company. Are there any other comments you wish to make? (This could include willingness to use initiative and potential for the post)

James excels in the Outdoor industry; he has an inherent ability to create opportunities for adventure and embraces the spirit of adventure in everything he does. He has the skills, qualities and experience to make a first rate expedition leader for Outlook. In addition he has an understanding of how to make an expedition a life-changing experience; something that the participants will 

remember and cherish. This is a leadership quality that James has naturally and that has evolved through his own adventures and expeditions. He is a dynamic individual and can be relied upon at all times.

Lucy Wyman (November 2014)

Outdoor Adventure Learning Support at Kingston Maurward College, Dorchester and former sectary of the Dorset Expeditionary Society. 

Susannah Painting a mural, on project, at a school in India.

"Thank-you so much for leading a really amazing expedition!! It's been really inspirational, especially the discussion by the side of the camp fire at the begging of the trek. I really appreciate someone taking the time to help me realize that there is no such thing as failure if you learn from your mistakes, and to remember that there is a bit more to life than exams and university! Your advice about traveling was really useful, and although I know it's a big step from this expedition to go around south america solo, your tips have definitely given me the confidence to start to make it. Thank-you for inspiring me to see more of the world, and to be the change I wish to see in it. -Susannah. India Expedition 2013.

 

The entire expediton members: Outside the himalayan conifer school, Burua, India. 

You've been such a great expedition Leader! Thank's so much for all that you've done for us & actually making it an enjoyable trip for me! -Surprising me very much! Yes there have been some noticeably shit times (Continuously shitting and vomiting whilst trekking up to 4000m). Both as we both know these  moments have both positive and negatives.  You've really helped me understand so much about myself, that first night trekking will stay with me forever. You are seriously good at psychology! Despite the stress I have even enjoyed being part of the budget team. On the last day of the trek I said I haven't found this a challenge; but I think this is a result of how fun and great you have made this for me!  Many thanks, Caroline. India Expedition 2013. 

Thank-you so much for making this trip so unforgettable -I know I would have struggled so much more if you hadn't made me laugh at everything. You have also genuinely inspired me to go travelling -researching into south america starts as soon as I go home! You have managed to make this expedition fun; even when it's raining and we'er digging a hole to poo in. I will never forget the last two weeks: everything about the expedition has been amazing. -Lizzy. India Expedition 2013.

 Dear James, Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you for an incredible expedition! You have been a phenomenal leader, and have adjusted to us crazy girls perfectly. You have been more like a friend to us that a "leader". I found that you eased my nerves during the trek phase and for that I am very grateful  Your support and funny jokes got us through a tough six days. I was always laughing and it took my mind off the walking. All the best for the future; you can achieve your dreams if you put your mind to it! You've been awesome :) -Sukiran Khurmy. India expedition 2013.

Dear James, thank-you for giving us such an amazing time on our expedition! I am so greatful for the HUGE amount of support you gave us through-out the whole trip- actually making this 'holiday' such a brilliant and unforgetable experience. I reallly appresiate all the time you gave when helping me be team leader; making a daunting task seem so easy. During the trek you were so helpful and always had a cheery face dispite having the shits... You also lifted my mood during my ill days and helped me to keep on walking! You were a great member of the himalayan hood, and have inspired my to get on with my hopes to travel the world, like you, and create even better memories. Hope you have a wonderful time on the rest of your travels. -Anika Patel. India expedition 2013. 

Dear james, Thank you for being such an amazing expedition leader. I have a numerous amount of things I want to thank you for so firstly thank you for the fun and happy memories which allowed the most difficult periods of our expedition to pass with ease. Secondly thank you for being so open and honest with us including talking about your own experiences, your family background & your happy vibes. These memories will help to encourage and support us to try new experiences and will last a life-time. Furthermore, thank you for pushing us above and beyond our own capacity, I genuinely believe I could not have achieved the goals I did if you weren't our expedition leader. Another awesome thing about yourself is that you are extremely positive, even when your going through some sort of hardship...e.g lack of sleep etc. You always manage to have a smile on your face. Lastly I would like to thank you for being so welcoming to my family. Thank's for taking an interest in our emotional, as well as physical well-being. Thank-you for supporting me, to make a very strong bond with my mum's family. Your a legend!!! -Varni Mudgal. India Expedition. 

Dear James, thank you so much for being a wonderful expedition leader and for making these last two weeks so un-forgettable. They have been the most inspiring of my life. Your constant support and sense of humor have made this trip amazing. I don't recall a time you have not been positive, keeping us all entitained with your stories, which have been so inspiring. I really like your phrase 'simple problems, simple solutions' which is one I am already using in response to my petty worries. You have inspired me to travel. I have learnt so much from this trip that I could not learn anywhere else. -Saskia Travers, India expedition, 2013.

Dear James, I genuinely don't know where to begin! Since day 1 you have been a pillar of support, helping me to think past my suicidal thoughts and appreciate the world that is around me! I genuinely believe I have been living under a rock for the last 17yrs because the last two weeks have been a real eye opener. Your amusing jokes and considerate nature have made this expedition truly memorable. Sitting at the camp fire talking about the meaning of life, talking on the roof of the school about how much I have learnt from this expedition, listening to your well thought-out emergency plans, and the constant support you have given me and the team, have been a few of the many memories I shall take away. I am so grateful for the way in which you have shaped my life. I want to go traveling. I want to glimpse new cultures, and I want to meet more people like you James, so I can truly appreciate how beautiful this world really is! Shameena Sangarapillai.

James, thank you for being an amazing expedition leader, keeping an eye on us in the mad rush of India. You were always there to look out for us, yet you taught us Independence by letting us make mistakes in some situations. I now know that I would like to further my travelling experiences, and maybe work abroad  which is something I'd never considered before  as I can see from you it is possible. This has been a brilliant experience, I will never forget -We are already planning our holidays next year as a group for an expedition round Europe as our confidence for independent travel has grown through this adventure. Thank you again! Mettha Wimalasundera, India expedition 2013. 

I'd just like to thank you again for leading us on such an incredible trip, I had the best time of my life and I wish I could do it all over again. And thank you for not only being a great leader, but for being so open and funny and weird just like us and also for never getting sick of us.. i know we were probably alot to handle. You definately taught me alot about passion and drive and going for what you want in life, you really inspired me to chase down my goals and to work hard for what i want in the future. Life lessons that i'll keep forever. I remember something you told me about, what defines you as a person is the way that you act, and i always seem to keep that in the back of my mind now... 
-Maddie Lyonns, Vietnam & Cambodia 2013/2014

"i would just like to say a huge thank you to everyone in charge of organising this kind of project. it was the single most incredible experience of my life and i absolutly loved it. every single day i woke up and explored this amazing new country and saw things i thought only exsisted in the documentarys. it was amazing to work in the orphanage, by far my most favourite part of the whole expedition. i loved being able to interact with the kids and see how they were living their lives in such a way that i never really believed would happen. there were so many amazing memories created and i miss it all so so so much. i miss all the people who we went with us, the newlands college group who i clicked with really well and am still in contact with and i really really miss our leader!! james moneypenny was our replacement after tegan angel became sick. he was the best leader we could of wished for, very relaxed but firm. allowed us to make mistakes and just guided us. he gave us all something to take away from our incredible experience and i would just like to thank him for stepping in and sharing our month with us and for just being genuinly awesome!! he was encouraging and definately passed on alot of knowledge to me personally. i know we had many a good chat at night with another challenger who i became very close with and still am from newlands, talking about life and the oppertunities out there. he was easy to talk to and was very funny and always taking time to tell us a funny as bed time story at night before he went to bed. he has inspired me, along with this whole experience and the country and just my love for the outdoors and travel to become apart of the world challenge team when i leave school. this is the dream job for me and i would love to take kids around the world to the third world countries and watch them develop as young people and see the country and experience, see new things with them. this is a great aspiration of mine and i will not stop until i have achieved this goal. so bear in mind you will be recieving a CV from me in a few years to come! :P it would be helpful with this if you could tell me what corses i need to sit and the qualifications i need to do this. i thoroughly enjoyed myself and remember standing outside our hotel thinking, WOW. and for the whole entire month i was thinking this is insanely incredible and awesome! i cried when we had to come home and i still look back on the trip at night and get a tear in my eyes. i think you should get a programme to help with the withdrawl symptoms and the insane greiving that follows the best month of our lives! haha i am really struggling with trying to get over it still. i cannot tell you how much this trip has taught me, how much i took on board, how much there is still to explore out there, the people who i got introduced to and spent the month with, and how much to just get out there, take every oppertunity and live life to its absolute fullest. you have brought the programme back to darfield and this time they are off to cambodia and thailand. i am encouraging everyone who i see with the signing up form to do it and telling them it was the best experience of my life and once they start there is no turning back.
it would be much appreciated if you could forward this email on to the main organisers and even to james. that would be much appreciated.
thank you for everything again and this will not be the last time you hear from me!"

thanks again,
kennedy evans, vietnam 2012 darflands, World Challenge.