Our Team
Our Educational Advisors Jim Potter and Giles Smith, are members of the National Panel of Outdoor Education Advisers. With extensive experience, skills, knowledge, and a deep understanding of the field, both Jim and Giles offer expert guidance on all aspects of planning Educational Visits.
Jim Potter
Educational Visits Adviser
Jim has worked in the education, training and outdoor learning sectors for over 30 years. He has held Learning Outside the Classroom Advisory Teacher and Education Visits Advisor roles for two North West local authorities, supporting more than 180 schools. He has extensive experience in Enhanced Risk Category C visits, which include residential, adventurous and international visits, as well as visits involving planned use of outdoor water.
Jim is a member of the Association of Advisors for Outdoor Learning and Educational Visits (AAOLEV), previously known as the Outdoor Education Advisor Panel.
Jim’s experience includes:
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A qualified teacher and trainer for AAOLEV EVC, Visit Leader and Outdoor and Environmental Learning courses. He also designs and delivers bespoke training for Primary, Secondary and University/SCITT clients.
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Experience working in mainstream secondary schools, specialist SEND settings and outdoor education centres, including leading school visits and BTEC and Duke of Edinburgh expeditions.
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Line management and technical advisory experience within a large outdoor education centre on Anglesey.
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Qualified Outdoor Activities Instructor, Coach and Leader, with experience working across a range of challenging environments, including mountains, rivers, coastlines and underground environments.
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Leading adult trekking groups abroad at altitude, including expeditions in Nepal and Peru.
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Voluntary experience as a Primary School Parent Governor, Cub Scout Group Chairperson and Canoe Club Chairperson.
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Currently a Board Member of Paddle Cymru, the national governing body for canoeing in Wales, where he also leads on Anti-Doping.
Giles Smith
Educational Visits Adviser
Giles Smith is the Centre Director for Longtown Outdoor Learning and acts as an Educational Adviser for the Trust. Giles is a member of the Association of Advisers for Outdoor Learning and Educational Visits (AAOLEV) and has over 30 years’ experience in the school travel sector.
Giles is a qualified teacher in post-16 education and training and has extensive experience of organising and leading offsite visits in the UK and abroad. He was previously the Outdoor Education Adviser for Herefordshire Council and now runs a 130-bed residential centre in the Black Mountains.
Giles’ experience includes:
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Instructing, coaching and leading groups in adventurous activities including skiing, sailing and powerboating.
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Managing residential outdoor education centres in the UK and France.
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Working as the Duke of Edinburgh Award Coordinator for Herefordshire Council.
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Founding the Herefordshire Expedition Group which provides young people with transformative experiences in challenging environments.
Jeanette Pryce
Business Support Officer
Jeanette joined the Longtown EVAS team in 2025 and works part-time as a Business Support Officer. In addition to her role here, Jeanette is also a Level 3 teaching assistant in primary education. She supports inclusivity and a strong emphasis on outdoor education within schooling.
She is a school governor and has worked in a number of education-related charities. Before having a family, Jeanette worked in town planning, including managing caseloads of planning applications, forward planning, and investigating planning breaches, where she developed her skills in negotiation, approachability, and organisation.
VESN - Visit Emergency Support
All our customers have access to the Visit Emergency Support Network (WESN) which offers 24-hour critical incident support from a team of five experienced advisers working in partnership to provide this service. You can find more about VESN here.