Our team comes from a variety of backgrounds. We use our passion and professional expertise to deliver F3A courses and help save lives.
B.V.M&S. M.R.C.V.S. Dip I.O.D. C.Dir F.I.O.D.
Colin is a farmer’s son originally from Galloway where he was brought up on a beef and sheep farm.
In 1989 Colin qualified as a veterinary surgeon.
After brief stint in the south of England and overseas, he came to Cumbria in 2001, and settled in Brampton. Retiring from General Practice in 2018.
Colin has always had a love for travel to far flung and remote locations. It was during an expedition first aid course that it struck Colin that there was a lot of technology and battlefield dressing which would be suitable for use in a farm and forestry setting, and this is when the idea for a First Aid Course specifically for farmers was born.
OBE
Mark is a retired Army doctor currently working for the Great North Air Ambulance as a Consultant Helicopter Emergency doctor. He has over 35 years’ experience in pre-hospital emergency care in and out of the Army.
He wrote the course built on his extensive experience as a doctor on the battlefields of Afghanistan, Iraq and Bosnia having recognised that it is the simple things that saves lives and that only a minimum amount of equipment is needed to achieve this.
Moira came to Cumbria in 1987 from a hill farm in the Scottish Borders to start her nurse training at the Cumberland Infirmary. After qualifying she worked in the Intensive Care and Coronary Care Units at Carlisle before training and working as a Midwife in Dumfries.
During this time, she married Robin and had her two sons. For many years Moira worked in General Practice specialising in improving management, care, and outcomes for patients with Cardiovascular Disease.
Tragically in November 2004 Moira's brother John was killed in a farm accident. Moira understands how challenging and dangerous working with livestock and machinery is and is passionate to improve first aid training and practices on UK farms.
Moira hung up her uniform a few years ago to help Robin develop their farming business and they with their son Tom farm just outside Longtown in North Cumbria.
Having worked in the agricultural sector all my career for various organisations including been the Cumberland Show Secretary and currently for SRUC, I am well aware of the dangers of working in rural environments and the incidents and accidents that can and do occur. I am pleased to be able to help in running such an important and vital course, by looking after the administration aspects.
Josie has been brought up on a broiler and beef farm outside of Carlisle, she has always been surrounded by farming. After finishing Newton Rigg college Josie completed her BSc in paramedic practice. Following this she worked for the North East Ambulance Service for 4 years before transferring ‘back home’ to the North West Ambulance Service in 2023.
Josie is a keen member of young farmers and is enjoying being able to mix the two main parts of her life by delivering this training, understanding it from both sides has been beneficial and seeing how easily and quickly things can go wrong both personally and professionally.