About

I caught the travel bug on a school Art and Language trip to Barcelona as a fresh-faced 12 year old.  The excitement and buzz of a 24 hour coach journey, being away from home completely immersed in a culture that seemed so foreign to me is something that I will never forget.  Having now worked in the school travel industry for some nineteen years, and being a keen worldwide traveller, I couldn’t see myself working in any other industry!

 In my current role as Operations and Customer Relations Director at Rayburn Tours, I oversee all aspects of STF compliance and Safety Management, a responsibility that has become ever more important as the nature of travel and best practice continually evolves.  I was motivated to join the STF committee having seen the challenges and complex issues the school travel industry faced in its Covid recovery, to be a part of safeguarding school trips for future generations and to ensure continual improvement within the sector.

Having worked in the industry, in a variety of roles, for over twenty years I believe that I have acquired wide-ranging knowledge and experience that will allow me to be a useful member of the Committee. The fundamental aspect of what every member does is to provide young people with experiences and memories that will last a lifetime, and this should be at the core of how we approach our work.

Additionally, I believe that a key benefit of STF membership is to allow open discussion between members on non-competitive topics, which is something that I will continue to foster.

I have worked in the travel sector since 2015; prior to this, I taught within the Further Education & Prison Sectors, and before that, I was an Army Officer, so my perspective, outlook and insight is somewhat unique and where I feel I can contribute to the wider STF Community. As a Band B provider within the sector, I would be well positioned to represent pertinent issues and challenges, and as someone who is passionate about professionalisation, quality and staff
development, I would like to open up channels to wider knowledge sharing and best practice within our community.

I have worked in the school travel industry for the last 15 years, gaining a broad operational knowledge of both the travel business and the educational landscape having liaised with DfE on several initiatives.

I would like our customers’ experiences and concerns to be reflected in the work of the STF and firmly believe in the objectives of the organization, to expand horizons for young people.

NST are committed to ensuring that school travel remains a core part of every child’s education, now more than ever, and that every school’s experience is safe, enjoyable and provides a quality learning opportunity.

I took over as MD of Next Generation Travel in October 2020 after 30 years in mainstream travel, including roles as MD of Saga Holidays, Directline Holidays, Hayes & Jarvis and Travel 2 Travel 4. 
I am passionate about providing the best possible educational tours and events for school children as I know from personal experience what a great impact they can have on enhancing learning as well as on influencing future hobbies and even career choices.  
I'm passionate about helping the STF to continue to increase its relevance to members and to ensure it provides the best possible service and value across the membership profile.
I am keen to support Gill and the committee in ensuring that  the key issues impacting our sector are given the priority focus they deserve and that we raise the profile of student travel within the wider travel industry.

With 20 years’ experience in school and youth travel, most recently as a product manager, I have previously held lead responsibility for adherence to STF requirements. Both this role and my previous role as contracts manager at DTW mean I am very experienced in navigating the challenges of working with suppliers to meet contractual and auditing expectations.

I believe the role of the STF in representing the school travel sector has never been more crucial in these uncertain geopolitical and economic times. If elected, I will endeavour to ensure the benefits of school trips remain high on the agenda.

I have dedicated my career to the travel industry, and my time delivering school trips with Halsbury Travel has been the most rewarding experience of all. Playing a part in shaping young people’s experiences and broadening their view of the world has been a privilege, and I am passionate about supporting the STF and its members so we can continue to deliver life-changing trips. I previously served on the ABTA Health & Safety Committee, working with industry colleagues to drive positive change. I would bring that same collaborative, pragmatic approach to this committee, representing members with integrity, enthusiasm, and commitment.