The Able 2 Adventure Team

Staff Team

Gemma Hendry

Gemma is the Organisational Manager and Lead Instructor for Able2Adventure. She instructs on all of our activities and is the trainer for our Climbing For All and Paddle-ability courses. She has her Level 1 in BSL and is currently studying for her Level 2. Gemma is passionate about the physical and mental health benefits outdoor activities can have on our overall well-being. She enjoys activities that enable her to journey through a landscape, the more time she has outside, the happier she is, whether it's walking, climbing, canoeing or ski-ing as long as she's outside. She's been told she never stops smiling, we don't think that's a bad thing. Look out for her wearing her favourite colours on your session, lime green and turquoise.

Calum Hendry

Calum is the Hub Manager for Access Mhor Cairngorms and is an instructor for Able2Adventure, when he's not fixing the bikes and wheelchairs. He is qualified in a wide range of outdoor activities and is working his way through his bike mechanics awards. He is always interested in the in the human part of instructing and has completed a variety of therapy and counselling courses to better understand why we do the things we do and how to create a supportive environment for participants. 

Taking a chance on a cleaners job at an outdoor centre 17 years ago completely changed Calum and began a life-long relationship with the Outdoors. He believes being active and connected to nature can be of huge benefit to everyone and is passionate about helping others to build their own relationships with the natural world and finding their own journeys. 

Directors

Gemma Hendry

Gemma has been working in the outdoors since 2001 both in the UK and overseas. For the past 10 years she has worked for the Bendrigg Trust, a disability adventure centre in the Lake District. It is this knowledge and experience of adaptive equipment and accessible adventurous activities that Gemma brings to Able2Adventure. She is passionate about creating long term pathways into disability adventure sports. In 2015 she set up the Bendrigg Para climbing Club, where two of the members now compete in the GB Para climbing Series. She is focused on enabling the organisation to support the wider outdoor activity industry, national sports organisations and landowners to improve opportunities and access to the outdoors for the disability community. 

Calum Hendry

Calum has been working in the outdoors since 2006 both in the UK and overseas. During this time, he has worked on a number of adventure therapy programs where he discovered an interest in counselling and wilderness therapy. Calum is enthusiastic to develop mental health programs for Able2Adventure using adventurous activities for a therapeutic purpose.  He also helps in overseeing Health and Safety procedures.

Leanne Wrightson

Leanne Wrightson brings a fresh perspective to the Board of Directors with a background in care working for Sense Scotland before changing career to work as an outdoor instructor. Leanne is now able to bring these worlds together as well as an interest in mental health, counselling and yoga. Leanne helps us to ensure we are meeting the needs of the disability community. She is creative and passionate about access for all in the outdoors, promoting the importance of education and training in the wider community.  Leanne is helping us to develop activities with a real long term therapeutic purpose. 

Laura May

Laura studied Outdoor Activities at Manchester University and is a full time wheelchair user. Laura works with a number of organisations such as the British Mountaineering Council to improve access to the outdoors as well as supporting the development of specialist outdoor adventure equipment. She is an excellent networker, ceasing every opportunity whether in the office or at a football game. We think this is down to her skill as a real chatterbox. Laura is the proud owner of a mountain trike and can often be found hitting the downhill tracks on her new e-trike. She loves to adventure, the more independent and challenging the better.