BAC Team
BAC is run by a team of dedicated staff and volunteers. The staff and committee organisational charts can be viewed by clicking on the appropriate link below:
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Stephen Dickson
Job Title: Centre DirectorStephen has been involved with BAC since shortly after it opened and is now the Centre Director. He has a range of outdoor pursuits qualifications including International Mountain Leader, British Canoe Union Level 3 Coach, and RYA power boat instructor to name but a few of his awards. Stephen has recently become one of the first Accredited Practitioners of the Institute of Outdoor Learning in Ireland. He has a vocation toward the charity and its personal development work with old people.
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Matt Tranter
Job Title: Operations ManagerMatthew Tranter has been involved in Experiential Education in the Outdoors for over sixteen years and managing outdoor centres for the past eight. Based in Asia for the last five years he has been running training organizations located in Hong Kong and before that he helped develop the Outward Bound centre located in the Garden route of South Africa. His interests include climbing and kayaking and he has a passion for travelling to the hard to reach areas of the world. Moving to Belfast after fifteen years in the sun he is hoping for a mild winter and investing heavily in warm clothes.
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Cath McBride
Job Title: Development ManagerCath recently returned from maternity leave to undertake the part-time post of Development Manager. Cath has been with the Centre since 2003 and has been responsible for the Centre's fundraising and marketing remits. Cath is also a keen paddler and swimmer and enjoys climbing, although much of this was put on hold since the birth of her first daughter Lucie in December 2006.
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Kit McCormick
Job Title: Manager of Training & Volunteer Development
Congratulations to Kit who gave birth to her first baby on 9th July. The baby is called Jack and weighed in at 10 lbs 10!Kit plans to take extended maternity leave and we expect her to return in June 2008. In her absence contact Centre Director
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Samantha Moore
Job Title: Business ManagerTelephone: 028 90600132Samantha is undertaking this newly developed role of Business Manager to streamline the financial systems of the Centre. Samatha has been involved with BAC for a number of years as a dedicated volunteer at the Open Award.
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Ruth Van Ry
Job Title: Office AdministratorTelephone: 028 90600132Ruth has just started with BAC this January 2008. Her duties will include administrative work as well as dealing with general enquiries, taking conference suite bookings, and assisting with charity abseils. At the weekends Ruth can be found out walking her dog Sparky who she rescued a year ago.
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Jill Crothers
Job Title: Project Worker for TrainingJill became involved with BAC in 2003 as a volunteer after completing her Gold Award with the Belfast Activity Centre. Previously being a teacher she became a full time member of BAC staff in 2005 as part of the training team. Jill holds a number of qualifications including a BMus (Hons), P.G.C.E., A.T.C.L., REC Trainer, MLC and Leave No Trace Master Educator. Jill’s main interest is mountainering and also co-ordinates the centre's Open Award
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Nicola Campbell
Job Title: Disability Project WorkerNicola has been involved with the Centre for over 16 years. She started off as a Gold Participant in 1990, undertaking a Gold expedition to the French Alps, before going on to be a volunteer. In 1997 she took up a full-time post at the Centre and in 2002 became the Disability Project Worker. Nicola’s qualifications include Mountain Leader Award, Rock Climbing Leaders Award, Level II Canoe/kayak Instructor as well as a number of others. She recently passed an MA in Disability Studies at Leeds University.
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Raymond Braham
Job Title: InstructorAs well as leading the Young Carers programme and working with a number of BAC's disability groups, Raymond works on our Adventure Activity programmes and can often be found crawling around in the cave! Raymond has a wealth of experience and can turn his hand to pretty much anything. When he is not making an impact in the lives on the Belfast youth he is usually to be found out in the hills or on a raging river and when he finds his energy is a bit lacking he will take his seven grandchildren out on an adventure/fun packed weekend!
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Michael Gibson
Job Title: Trainee InstructorMichael has been with BAC for a year full time. He works as an activity instructor with the groups that come to use the centre. He also assists the other staff with their projects including Disability groups with Nicola and PBNI groups with Chris. His qualifications include REC Advanced First Aid and Grand National Archery Instructor. His outdoor interests include Mountain Biking, Hill Walking, Climbing and Canoeing.
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Andy McSparron
Job Title: Resource Co OrdinatorAndy has been volunteering at BAC for over 5 years. His roles include helping out in the abseils and the upkeep of the centres resources and buildings. Andy has been involved with young people for many years and he brings many skills and crafts to the centre.
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Ryan Hanvey
Job Title: Project Worker. Belfast ALPAs an MIA trainee Ryan is one of Northern Ireland's top mountaineers and has a broad range of outdoor qualifications to compliment his talent and ability in the outdoor environment. In his new role as Belfast ALP Project Worker, Ryan has contributed to the success of the ALP project including helping to build it with his bare hands! As if that is not enough, Ryan is also a qualified youth worker so undertakes a lot of facilitaion work with young people and has assisted in the Centre's development of community relations programmes.
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Phil Maxwell
Job Title: Project Worker. Belfast ALPPhil has been involved with the centre for just over a year now and coming from a youthwork and teaching background, plus over 13 years as a Scout leader provides him with the grounding for his new role at Belfast ALP. His qualifications include B.Ed (Hons), MLC, RCD Ropes Course Open Instructor Award and GNAS Leader. When not caving or hanging around on ropes, Phil enjoys spending time in the hills with his dog, canoeing and off-road driving.
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Enda Young
Job Title: Part Time Community Relations Project WorkerTelephone: 02890600132Enda has been involved with BAC for the past two years developing the Centre's Community Relations programmes. Enda started with us on a GAP placement through the Rank Foundation while completing an MA in "Theory, Culture and Identity" at Queens University. Enda is now utlilising his expertise to continue the excellent work in the field of Community Relations and addressing issues of identity through the medium of outdoor activity.
Enda also has a passion for paddlesport and has been assisting in the progression of paddlesport in the centre. He also works part-time as an instructor for Belfast ALP. Enda recently headed to South Africa for six weeks to look at conflict, identity and outdoor learning thanks to winning a Fellowship from the Winston Churchill Trust.
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Taina Nordgren
Job Title: Project Worker - Inside OutTaina is the Scandinavian addition to the BAC team bringing in some special Finnish expertise in the field of outdoors and youth work. Her history is with the YMCA having worked as a volunteer and part time instructor at YMCA Turku in Finland and Lakeside since 1991. Her passion is mountaineering; she has her SPA and ML training, and she loves the green Mourne mountains. She has also ventured to the water side of things getting her level 2 kayak coach award (but she's not too big of a fan of white water). When arriving in Northern Ireland she swore not to become a leader in the cave, but is now known to live in the ALP cave for days on end! Taina has also completed a degree in youth work and masters in educational sciences and to let you in on a little secret - she is also the Finnish Showdance champion (2002) and likes to play guitar and sing in her free time.
By the way if you are tryng to contact Taina her name rhymes with China!
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Mr Peter Gibson
Job Title: Trainee InstructorTelephone: 028 90600132Peter has taken 6 months unpaid leave from the civil service where he had been employed for the past four and a half years to take up a voluntary trainee placement with BAC. In 2004 and 2006 he took part in trips to Nicaragua and Ghana with the charity Habitat for Humanity and in September 2006 started volunteering with the Open Award at BAC in an administrative role. Peter is continuing to volunteer with the Open Award while on placement as well as working closely with various staff and providing support on certain programmes within the Centre including Duke Of Edinburgh Bronze and Silver Awards. It is great to have Peter on board and already he is having a super impact on our work.
