This is a reflection from Tahir Mahmood who recently attended a Hill & Moorland Leadership Training course in the Peak Disctrict National Park.
“I’m writing to express my sincerest thanks for providing me with the opportunity to attend the Hill and Moorland Leadership training last week. It was an incredibly insightful and practical course, and I’m truly grateful for your support in making it happen.
The training was exceptionally beneficial in so many ways. I gained a much deeper understanding of effective group management in challenging environments, advanced navigation techniques, and crucial decision-making processes under pressure. The practical scenarios and expert guidance from the instructors were invaluable, significantly boosting my confidence in leading groups safely and responsibly. I learned so much, from refining my map reading skills to understanding the intricacies of route planning for diverse weather conditions. I’m excited to implement these enhanced skills directly into our future outdoor activities, ensuring every participant has a safe, enjoyable, and educational experience.
Crucially, the course also brought into sharp focus the absolute necessity of having the correct equipment – not just for effective group leadership, but also for ensuring my own safety in unpredictable conditions. While I have some basic gear, the training highlighted gaps in my current clothing and equipment that are essential for safely leading groups and for my personal protection, especially when dealing with unforeseen circumstances or prolonged exposure to adverse weather.
Given the critical importance of being properly equipped to uphold the highest safety standards for both myself and the groups I’ll be leading, I wanted to inquire if there might be any avenues for financial assistance or funding available to help me purchase the necessary clothing and equipment. Investing in this gear is directly investing in the safety and success of our future expeditions, and it would enable me to contribute even more effectively to the team and our participants.
Thank you once again for this transformative training opportunity. I’m eager to put my new skills to good use and continue to grow as a confident and capable leader.”
The Walk Leadership Training course is a National Trust Project which is part of the Trust’s efforts to provide skills and expertise for interested individuals who want to be walk leaders from minoritised communities with training provided by the Mountain Training Company.
SEM’s CEO, Maxwell Ayamba BEM said, SEM is one of the environmental charities working with the National Trust to support interested minoritised individuals such as Tahir Mahmood to undertake Hills & Moorland Leadership Training courses in order to be adequately equipped with skills and expertise to lead groups in communities. He said several other individuals through SEM, have already benefitted from the Lowland Leadership Training and that SEM was very grateful to the National Trust and Co-ordinator of the project, Clarissa Ducie for this opportunity.
