Meet the Leaders
Lia Guilietti-Simner - Expedition Leader
Devoran (17th Truro) Scout Leader & Pendynas Network Scout
When I started Brownies aged 7, I never thought that being a member of the Guiding and Scouting family would end up being such a huge part of my life (almost as much as cake!). With Scout leader parents and an older brother in Scouts it was inevitable that I would join too; however going on scout camp aged two months may have been a little bit over enthusiastic. At 16 I moved from Guiding to Scouting and haven’t been able to leave since! Guiding and Scouting has helped me become who I am through the great opportunities it has given me. Three International Scout Camps and climbing snow covered hills in Scotland whilst an Explorer gave me the confidence to travel in Kenya, Malaysia and around Norway to name a few, then onto become a qualified Mountain Leader and overseas Expedition Leader. In the mean time I’ve also gained a degree in Sports Performance and Coaching and Outdoor Education where I met fellow leader Chris Stanlake. When I’m not being a Scout Leader in Devoran, I work with Duke of Edinburgh teams on their expeditions, on overseas trips with school groups or random other jobs from working in a care home making cups of tea or in an outdoors shop to gardening in the rain.
I believe Scouting is a great opportunity for all and I am honoured that I have the chance to bring this fantastic overseas opportunity to the Explorers of Cornwall.
Devoran (17th Truro) Scout Leader & Pendynas Network Scout
When I started Brownies aged 7, I never thought that being a member of the Guiding and Scouting family would end up being such a huge part of my life (almost as much as cake!). With Scout leader parents and an older brother in Scouts it was inevitable that I would join too; however going on scout camp aged two months may have been a little bit over enthusiastic. At 16 I moved from Guiding to Scouting and haven’t been able to leave since! Guiding and Scouting has helped me become who I am through the great opportunities it has given me. Three International Scout Camps and climbing snow covered hills in Scotland whilst an Explorer gave me the confidence to travel in Kenya, Malaysia and around Norway to name a few, then onto become a qualified Mountain Leader and overseas Expedition Leader. In the mean time I’ve also gained a degree in Sports Performance and Coaching and Outdoor Education where I met fellow leader Chris Stanlake. When I’m not being a Scout Leader in Devoran, I work with Duke of Edinburgh teams on their expeditions, on overseas trips with school groups or random other jobs from working in a care home making cups of tea or in an outdoors shop to gardening in the rain.
I believe Scouting is a great opportunity for all and I am honoured that I have the chance to bring this fantastic overseas opportunity to the Explorers of Cornwall.
Paul Davey - Assistant Expedition Leader
Storm Dragon ESU (Newquay)
I've been in Scouting since I was ten and what an adventure it's been! I started with a small Scout group in St Newlyn East and I've been hooked ever since. I've had so many adventures with Scouts I could write a book but my favourite and most recent was the Scouts On The Pole Expedition to Norway for a training camp to cope with an expedition to the North Pole. Sadly the expedition wasn't to be due to lack of funding but the things I learnt on that week in the snow and ice camping in -35 has taught me the world is only as big as you make it, dreams are achievable, it all depends on the people you share the moments with and the time and effort you put into making those dreams a reality.
Being apart of this leader team I hope to enthuse the young people to spread there wings and show them there's a world out there to enjoy. Grab some friends put a plan together and make those dreams come true!
Storm Dragon ESU (Newquay)
I've been in Scouting since I was ten and what an adventure it's been! I started with a small Scout group in St Newlyn East and I've been hooked ever since. I've had so many adventures with Scouts I could write a book but my favourite and most recent was the Scouts On The Pole Expedition to Norway for a training camp to cope with an expedition to the North Pole. Sadly the expedition wasn't to be due to lack of funding but the things I learnt on that week in the snow and ice camping in -35 has taught me the world is only as big as you make it, dreams are achievable, it all depends on the people you share the moments with and the time and effort you put into making those dreams a reality.
Being apart of this leader team I hope to enthuse the young people to spread there wings and show them there's a world out there to enjoy. Grab some friends put a plan together and make those dreams come true!
Chris Stanlake- Assistant Expedition Leader
1st Bugle Cub Scout Leader & Mid Cornwall Network
I ended up attending my first Beaver meeting at the age of 6 mainly because I wanted to be a Brownie only to be told boys couldn't join. So I went to 1st Bugle Scout Group in what was St Austell & Par District. Little was I to know that this was going to open me up to a world of adventure and shape my career. I stayed with 1st Bugle through Beavers, Cubs & Scouts and left to join Mid Cornwall Explorers, spent some time in a Scouts and Guides unit in Bristol. I've now returned to 1st Bugle as an Assistant Cub Leader, come full circle!
Outside of Scouting but due to it I took part and led 3 Ten Tors Teams on Dartmoor at 35,45 and 55 levels with Poltair Sports College. I also completed my silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award whilst at Poltair. I was lucky enough to go to Peru in 2006 for 3 weeks as my expedition for my Gold Award. Peru was fantastic I learnt so much about the wider world and (apologies for the cliché) myself.
I ended up studying Outdoor Education at Truro College where I met fellow leader Lia. Through the course of our studies we got to go to Scotland several times, North Wales and the Lake District. In 2013 I completed my Mountain Leader Assessment in the Lakes. At the moment I am working as a Bushcraft Instructor in Oxfordshire. I regularly see first hand the power of the outdoors and I am really excited to be involved with the Explorer Belt!
1st Bugle Cub Scout Leader & Mid Cornwall Network
I ended up attending my first Beaver meeting at the age of 6 mainly because I wanted to be a Brownie only to be told boys couldn't join. So I went to 1st Bugle Scout Group in what was St Austell & Par District. Little was I to know that this was going to open me up to a world of adventure and shape my career. I stayed with 1st Bugle through Beavers, Cubs & Scouts and left to join Mid Cornwall Explorers, spent some time in a Scouts and Guides unit in Bristol. I've now returned to 1st Bugle as an Assistant Cub Leader, come full circle!
Outside of Scouting but due to it I took part and led 3 Ten Tors Teams on Dartmoor at 35,45 and 55 levels with Poltair Sports College. I also completed my silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award whilst at Poltair. I was lucky enough to go to Peru in 2006 for 3 weeks as my expedition for my Gold Award. Peru was fantastic I learnt so much about the wider world and (apologies for the cliché) myself.
I ended up studying Outdoor Education at Truro College where I met fellow leader Lia. Through the course of our studies we got to go to Scotland several times, North Wales and the Lake District. In 2013 I completed my Mountain Leader Assessment in the Lakes. At the moment I am working as a Bushcraft Instructor in Oxfordshire. I regularly see first hand the power of the outdoors and I am really excited to be involved with the Explorer Belt!
Ashley Jones - Assistant Expedition Leader
I have been in Scouting since I was 8 and have really enjoyed every minute, the times and memories Scouting has, and continues to give me I will remember forever. I started as a cub all those years ago and have progressed all the way through between Devoran and 1st Lanner Hill to where I am now, having started my own Scout troop at Lanner, although we are only a small troop I still throughly enjoy every evening and meeting.
Through the years scouting has given me many opportunities including allowing me to complete every level of the Duke of Edinburgh awards and every level of the Ten Tors challenge, I have since returned to the Ten Tors Explorer Unit as a leader to continue to enjoy the many hours we spend on Dartmoor, passing on my skills and experiences to other young people is something I never fail to enjoy.
More recently Scouting has also given me a much greater challenge in the form of being involved in 'Scouts on the Pole' the first Scout expedition to the North Pole and whilst we never managed to find the funding to actually make the final expedition the whole experience taught me a lot, it really showed me the support of our Scouting family to get behind a cause and the support I saw during the run up to the expedition and even now continues to amaze me, the enthusiasm of the young people that support us is something I still admire to this day.
My other personal highlight is a trip to Peru with BSES during which I spend 6 weeks living and working in the jungle and with local people, whilst this wasn't a Scout expedition it was an opportunity I wouldn't have had if it wasn't for my involvement in Scouting.
I got involved with the Explorer Belt expedition as I am fully aware many of my best memories and my biggest life experiences have come from other people giving up their time and expertise, offering me an opportunity. Most of the people I look up to most are involved in Scouting and believed in me enough to give up their time if I can do that and allow or inspire just one person to step out of their comfort zone and to take an opportunity then any amount of time I have to give up would be worth it.
I look forwards to meeting each and every one of you that are keen to give this challenge a go!
I have been in Scouting since I was 8 and have really enjoyed every minute, the times and memories Scouting has, and continues to give me I will remember forever. I started as a cub all those years ago and have progressed all the way through between Devoran and 1st Lanner Hill to where I am now, having started my own Scout troop at Lanner, although we are only a small troop I still throughly enjoy every evening and meeting.
Through the years scouting has given me many opportunities including allowing me to complete every level of the Duke of Edinburgh awards and every level of the Ten Tors challenge, I have since returned to the Ten Tors Explorer Unit as a leader to continue to enjoy the many hours we spend on Dartmoor, passing on my skills and experiences to other young people is something I never fail to enjoy.
More recently Scouting has also given me a much greater challenge in the form of being involved in 'Scouts on the Pole' the first Scout expedition to the North Pole and whilst we never managed to find the funding to actually make the final expedition the whole experience taught me a lot, it really showed me the support of our Scouting family to get behind a cause and the support I saw during the run up to the expedition and even now continues to amaze me, the enthusiasm of the young people that support us is something I still admire to this day.
My other personal highlight is a trip to Peru with BSES during which I spend 6 weeks living and working in the jungle and with local people, whilst this wasn't a Scout expedition it was an opportunity I wouldn't have had if it wasn't for my involvement in Scouting.
I got involved with the Explorer Belt expedition as I am fully aware many of my best memories and my biggest life experiences have come from other people giving up their time and expertise, offering me an opportunity. Most of the people I look up to most are involved in Scouting and believed in me enough to give up their time if I can do that and allow or inspire just one person to step out of their comfort zone and to take an opportunity then any amount of time I have to give up would be worth it.
I look forwards to meeting each and every one of you that are keen to give this challenge a go!