Why are you interested in applying to become a Hostelling Scotland Trustee?

I believe in the mission of improving accessibility to the outdoors, particularly for the young – and have benefited extensively from this myself through my 20s and early 30s. I can bring a powerful blend of business experience, audience understanding, and lived experience of mountaineering – to help SYHA navigate strategic decisions.

What relevant skills and experience make you a good candidate for the role?

Software/IT – I work in the Tech/Video Games industry in a commercial/strategy/product capacity. My role as a Senior Product Manager is to drive product strategy and be the interface between developers and customers/end-users. I’m comfortable in all aspects of designing and shipping consumer software and interfacing with outsource IT vendors on contracts and provision of services.

Finance – I joined Barclays as a graduate in 2014, was promoted to a VP/Head of Marketing covering a few divisions after five years, and stayed in that role for a further three. I wasn’t in a ‘Finance’ role, but worked in a highly regulated environment and managed my own budget of c. £5m. I was then Head of Marketing & Product at a Fintech (Further) where we were creating a platform enabling retail investors to invest in Venture Capital funds (EIS/SEIS/VCTs). In my role now at Build a Rocket Boy I’m responsible for the profit & loss of my division (and all the commercial levers to manage that). I’m comfortable around a balance sheet and navigating finance and commercial discussions.

General Business & Strategy – Chartered Marketer, Business degree from Strathclyde, and roughly a decade in industry working across everything from Pre-Seed start-ups through to Series E scale-ups, and large corporate environments. Given my Marketing & Product background I’m very comfortable working with consumer insight, forming brand narratives, working with marketing agencies or guiding in-house creative talent etc.

What does Hostelling Scotland mean to you? How will you shape its future?

Financial and social accessibility to the Scottish outdoors – particularly for the young. As someone who understands Gen Z and Alpha audiences intimately through my day job (video games) and someone who is very active in the outdoors – I hope to be able to guide development of a proposition that speaks to these generations, both digitally, and in the physical real estate.

Our mission is to inspire all, especially young people, to experience Scotland through the provision of great value and welcoming hostelling accommodation. As a trustee, how would you demonstrate your commitment to this?

I’m an active member of Clyde Mountaineering Club, and I am running for either Vice Chair or Treasurer (to be confirmed at our AGM on the 12th) for 2025. I am currently and will become more so, actively involved in booking trips for our community, many of which utilise SYHA locations. This year I’ve already been to Glen Nevis Youth Hostel twice with CMC.

As a Board Trustee I will be hands on understanding the customer experience across the entire SYHA estate.

Why are you interested in applying to become a Hostelling Scotland Trustee?

Hostelling Scotland has shaped many of my best adventures. It’s more than accommodation - it’s a gateway to the outdoors. Affordable and welcoming, it connects people with Scotland’s landscapes, culture, and communities. I’ve benefited personally and want to help keep hostelling relevant and accessible for the next generation.

The focus on financial resilience, youth engagement, and sustainability is spot on - and these are areas where I can contribute with both insight and energy. I want to be part of the team making sure hostelling stays relevant, accessible, and future-ready.

What relevant skills and experience make you a good candidate for the role?

I bring a mix of operational leadership, governance experience, and over a decade of youth development. In my day job, I manage strategic planning, risk, and finances in a fast-moving, complex environment.

Through the Boardroom Apprentice 2025 programme, I’ve sat on both the Main Board and Audit and Risk Committee at the Imperial War Museums. I’ve contributed to high-level discussions on governance, financial scrutiny, and long-term planning. I know how boards function - and how to ask the right questions to support clear, effective decision-making.

I’ve also spent over 12 years volunteering with the Air Cadets, planning expeditions, delivering leadership programmes, and working directly with young people. I’ve seen how hostelling helps them grow - building confidence, independence, and a connection to the outdoors.

What does Hostelling Scotland mean to you? How will you shape its future?

Hostelling Scotland represents accessible travel, community, and adventure. As a trustee, I’d support clear strategic planning and champion affordability, sustainability, and partnerships that bring in new users.

I’d particularly support deeper links with schools and youth programmes like Duke of Edinburgh and the Air Cadets. Hostels can be life-changing spaces for young people, and I want to help make that happen. I would advocate for deeper partnerships with youth organisations and educational programmes to expand hostelling's reach.

My governance experience and operational insights will help ensure financial sustainability without compromising the affordability or welcoming spirit that defines Hostelling Scotland.

Our mission is to inspire all, especially young people, to experience Scotland through the provision of great value and welcoming hostelling accommodation. As a trustee, how would you demonstrate your commitment to this?

I’ve spent over a decade volunteering to make outdoor experiences more accessible. I’ve led expeditions for young people where the biggest win wasn’t reaching the summit - but watching teenagers cook spaghetti for 12 with one pan and sheer optimism. Hostelling Scotland enables those moments daily.

I’d bring that same commitment to the board. I understand the challenge of keeping an organisation sustainable while protecting access. I believe in practical support as well - as a trustee I’d champion the mission not just in the boardroom, but in real hostels, listening to users, staff, and volunteers.

As a Mountain Leader and regular hostelling user, I know what travellers value. I’d use that insight to support practical, clear, people-focused decisions that keep Hostelling Scotland inclusive, affordable and future-ready.

Why are you interested in applying to become a Hostelling Scotland Trustee?

For approximately 35 years, I have been a keen traveller, and fortunate enough to enjoy exploring new places and meeting new people in Scotland and internationally. Becoming a Trustee of Hostelling Scotland offers the opportunity to support the Organisation in its strategic objectives. My values align fully to its ambitions, and my professional knowledge and expertise would, I believe, be an asset - particularly in work to increase equality of access. I have a strong desire to support the organisation’s long term sustainability and growth and, in doing so, to broaden access to the enriching experience that Hostelling Scotland offers to people.

What relevant skills and experience make you a good candidate for the role?

My career has involved leading high profile and large scale delivery/change programmes at national and local levels, working with partners from a range of backgrounds to develop collaborative and cohesive strategies into the medium and long term plus, in the shorter term, onward business planning, performance monitoring and impact evaluation.

I am a creative and strategic thinker, with experience in systems and service design, and strong expertise in person centred design (how we design delivery around the people we serve). I would be delighted to support/strengthen application of this thinking to strategic ambitions of Hostelling Scotland, if needed.

I bring considerable skill and experience establishing true partnership approaches. I am collaborative, insightful, logical, supportive and always keen to improve impact. I have a constant eye to strategic ambitions, and act as a 'critical friend’ to support shared solutions to be found to strategic challenges. I am a strong problem solver, having led a range of change programmes, and working always to do so in a way that achieves our strategic ambitions in partnership, to the best possible standards appreciating cost-quality constraints.

Having worked in health and social care for more than 25 years, I also bring strong public health knowledge, particularly in health inequalities, wellbeing, and improving access to services for marginalised/underrepresented groups.

I have also travelled solo and in groups in Latin and Central America, the Caribbean, North America, South East Asia, the Middle East, Australasia and Europe. I would be delighted to support thinking around how Hostelling Scotland evolves its visitor offer and experience in future.

What does Hostelling Scotland mean to you? How will you shape its future?

Hostelling Scotland offers an unrivalled network of affordable accommodation, with a welcoming culture, in some of Scotland’s best and most beautiful scenery and settings. It offers the opportunity to become part of a human network, to join a population of supporters from within and beyond the country.

I will shape the organisation’s future by supporting the application of strategic planning where useful, supporting a clear and SMART strategy to be developed to 2031 and beyond. I would work to translate my knowledge and experience to support the organisation’s ambitions and impact to be maximised in the short to long term.

Our mission is to inspire all, especially young people, to experience Scotland through the provision of great value and welcoming hostelling accommodation. As a trustee, how would you demonstrate your commitment to this?

I would:

• champion Hostelling Scotland in relevant arenas, and work constantly to support its ambitions to be achieved

• take a values-led, purpose driven approach

• ensure I give the necessary time to be well informed, participative and add value

• support the operational leadership and wider team.

Why are you interested in applying to become a Hostelling Scotland Trustee?

I have had the immense privilege of serving as a Trustee with Hostelling Scotland for the past three years.

My main reason for wanting to remain a Trustee is my belief in the importance of hostelling and the limitless opportunities for adventure, friendship and self-discovery that we offer to customers, and most especially young people.

When I took on the Trustee role in 2022 the organisation was still reeling from the shock of Covid and looking at how to create a solid future in a very uncertain time. It has been a very powerful experience to be a small part of the Hostelling Scotland team as we have moved through the challenges of the past few years towards a more robust future.

There is still so much to do and I would love to put my shoulder to the wheel for the next three years to contribute however I can.

What relevant skills and experience make you a good candidate for the role?

I am a broadcaster and communications specialist and as Head of Radio at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) my main aim is to raise the voices of blind and partially sighted people to reduce social isolation and barriers to inclusion.

Other examples of my experience and skills are:

Broadcasting and Communications:

• Broadcaster on various radio stations including Northsound and Kingdom FM.

• Served as Communications Manager for The Prince's Trust.

Leadership and Management:

• Head of Radio at ARIA award winning RNIB Connect Radio, leading a team of staff and volunteers broadcasting around the UK

• Financial responsibility for a significant budget

• Excellent interpersonal skills, developing strong relationships with both internal and external partners including funders.

Training and Development:

• Conducts extensive training for blind and partially sighted individuals fostering a supportive and inclusive environment.

• Lectured in broadcasting at Aberdeen College.

What does Hostelling Scotland mean to you? How will you shape its future?

Hostelling Scotland means a huge amount to me as it has given me so much throughout my life. I started using hostels as a Venture Scout in my teenage years and I still clearly remember as a single, young woman, the thrill and freedom of exploring Scotland that access to affordable, safe accommodation gave me. I am committed to working collaboratively with staff, customers and other Trustees to uphold the organisation’s values and to tackle challenges, so generations to come will have the same opportunities I have enjoyed.

Our mission is to inspire all, especially young people, to experience Scotland through the provision of great value and welcoming hostelling accommodation. As a trustee, how would you demonstrate your commitment to this?

I believe that opportunities to explore the rich history and natural heritage of Scotland and her landscapes should be available to everyone, not just the wealthy. The cost-of-living crisis and the current political climate is reducing the chances for people, particularly the young, to travel.

Hostelling Scotland holds a key position in upholding these freedoms and as a Trustee I will advocate for:

• centring our customers and their feedback

• young people to be included more fully in our decision making as an organisation

• ensuring Hostelling Scotland remains financially healthy but also financially available to our customers.

• adapting and innovating while not losing the essence of what makes hostelling such a life affirming experience.

Why are you interested in applying to become a Hostelling Scotland Trustee?

My drive and work across over 30 years of government and NGO sector work has been to promote inclusion and gender equality. Recently, through their Equality Advisory Panel, I have supported the CNPA to meet and extend their inclusion and equality ambitions. I am a strong believer in what HS is aiming to achieve through the 3 year Recovery Strategy, and believe I could particularly add value to Aims No. 1 and 2 around improving diversity and inclusion opportunities which will be critical to protecting and growing HS for future generations.

What relevant skills and experience make you a good candidate for the role?

I have used evidence to develop and advise on policy and programming in order to improve equality and inclusion outcomes. This has included writing and delivery of government strategic plans for gender equality and inclusion, which has informed decision-taking and budgeting. I have developed inclusion and gender analytical frameworks, written guidance and provided training on gender and equality. I have applied equality legislation such as Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). I have sat on a number of advisory panels to improve equality and diversity outcomes. I also have experience of NGO sector and the challenges of matching inclusion ambitions to budgetary constraints.

What does Hostelling Scotland mean to you? How will you shape its future?

HS has always represented an inclusive affordable institution, that has pivoted over the past 20 years as you have sought to remain relevant, and create welcoming environments for diverse groups. To me personally, HS has enabled affordable safe access to the outdoors that has been critical to my wellbeing.

As I have with CNPA, I would seek to bring an understanding of exclusion and diversity needs into policy making and monitoring, through evidence and proactive engagement with representative third sector organisations. For example, I would like to see communication materials and social media promoting access for black and ethnic minority groups. I am particularly keen to improve disability access; and to proactively market HS among groups in lower economic deciles and refugee populations. I have led policy on gender based violence and would continue to promote safety and protection for all genders.

Our mission is to inspire all, especially young people, to experience Scotland through the provision of great value and welcoming hostelling accommodation. As a trustee, how would you demonstrate your commitment to this?

As well as working on inclusion and diversity, I also volunteer with young people, working as a trainer and supervisor for Duke of Edinburgh, where I regularly taking groups into the hills for bronze and silver expeditions. I am training for Mountain Leader specifically so that I can do more to support young people, women and more marginalised groups to take on new challenges. I volunteer supporting efforts to protect women and girls from gender based violence in the UK; and am a member of an advisory board for anti-bullying policy and practice at schools level.

I firmly believe that strong and clearly articulated values, alongside a comprehensive set of policies that underpin these, is critical to building a safe and inclusive environment – for staff as well as for visitors. I have a lot of experience of developing policies and training for government and for the third sector and would continue to promote inclusion and gender equality across everything HS is developing.

Why are you interested in applying to become a Hostelling Scotland Trustee?

I am a current member of the Hostelling Scotland Board standing for re-election. I am also a member of the Remuneration Committee. If successful, this will be my second term with the Board. My background is in Human Resource Management and Cultural and Organisational Development. I have worked across several sectors including health, education and tourism, leading HR, Volunteering and Member Services teams. As Head of Culture for a large NHS acute trust, I currently lead a range of teams focused on employee experience, organisation development and inclusion. My previous role was as Head of People for the Lake District National Park Authority.

Throughout my leadership roles, I’ve had a strong focus on wellbeing for teams, including developing benefits packages that support colleague wellbeing and ensuring robust support is in place for teams navigating the challenges of today’s world. This has involved increasing mental health support, developing financial awareness programmes and developing initiatives to keep colleagues with disabilities and long term health conditions in work. In all of my organisations I have championed flexible working – meaning we can engage with a wide range of potential colleagues.

I’m passionate about broadening horizons and opening up opportunities for young people and those who face challenges accessing the outdoors. My current Inclusion work supports me to bring the lived experience of people from different backgrounds and communities into my work with the Hostelling Scotland board, and I’ve really appreciated the chance to contribute to development of a strategy that prioritises youth engagement work.

What relevant skills and experience make you a good candidate for the role?

• Understanding of employment law

• Remuneration and reward strategy

• Strategic recruitment experience (up to Executive recruitment)

• Workforce planning

• Succession planning

• Governance

• Volunteering

• Learning and development

• Organisation development

• Complex employee relations experience

• Twenty years HR and OD experience, with six years’ experience in senior leadership roles.

What does Hostelling Scotland mean to you? How will you shape its future?

I’ve got two daughters and we’ve spent a lot of their childhood holidays in hostels, in Scotland and beyond. We love the social element of hostelling and the opportunity to feel part of a community. There’s nothing to beat sharing stories around a fire about your adventures that day with new friends.

I want to make sure this opportunity is open to as many children and young people as possible. I am committed to supporting our charitable objectives to work with young people and volunteers and to create a sense of welcome to all our guests regardless of their background. I am excited about supporting the Hostelling Scotland team to keep improving their employee experience and really value the opportunity to influence strategic decisions around people matters.

Our mission is to inspire all, especially young people, to experience Scotland through the provision of great value and welcoming hostelling accommodation. As a trustee, how would you demonstrate your commitment to this?

Hostelling has the potential to have make a huge difference to open up experiences to people and groups who may not be able to otherwise visit some areas due to financial and other limitations. I’m particularly interested in bringing a new generation of children and young people from all backgrounds into the outdoors and the beautiful locations Scotland has to offer. I feel really honoured to be part of the Hostelling Scotland story so far, and hope to have the opportunity to contribute to it going forward.