Meet Joe, one of our Trainee Activities Instructors…

"I take groups to play outside" Jo Beynon

We thought you might like to know a little more about one of our instructors. So, here, let me introduce you to …

Hi! Tell us who you are?

Josiah Beynon

I hear you get called “Joe.” Is that right?

Yes, most of the time.

How old are you Joe?

24 and a third

What do you do at Lendrick Muir?

I’m one of the Trainee Activities Instructors. Basically.

I have a set of questions that will help our readers discover more about you. So what was the last gift you gave someone?

I’m not really sure. I’m in the process of repairing one of my unicycles to give to a friend on long term loan if that counts?

Yes, that definitely counts. If you could be any animal in the world, what animal would you be and why?

If I could be a non-fictional animal, then I would like to be dragon. Preferably a dragon like Toothless. I think it would be really fun to be able to fly.

And if it was a real animal?

If I had to pick a real animal, then maybe a sparrow hawk. Again I think it would be fun to fly and their way of flying by skimming the ground and darting between obstacles looks really fun.

What has inspired you in your work at Lendrick Muir?

The other week we had a school of children with learning/physical disabilities. We weren’t sure how much of the sessions they were going to be able to do, but they came here and had a go at absolutely everything and loved it. My favourite moment was round the campfire, they all spontaneously started making up songs and everyone just got up and danced. It was great fun. I just really enjoyed being able to facilitate them having such a good time.

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?

Any day where my friend Neil is about, is always fun. He works as one of our freelance instructors for us, but we also spend a lot of time together working on bushcraft skills. Anytime we’re together though, we always find something to be absolutely hilarious, for example just developing the idea of setting up ziplines to commute between our houses.

Here are some unusual scenarios. How would you deal / answer them?

You’ve been given an elephant. You can’t give it away or sell it. What would you do with the elephant?

I would take it home and tell my wife, “we have a new pet”. I think it would make her year. I’m not quite sure exactly what we’d do with it. I’d quite like to use it like a horse and make saddle bags and go for expeditions on the back of my elephant. Maybe Lois(my wife) and I could do an elephant tour along the Great Glen or something fun like that.

You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why?

Cake crayon. It draws cakes that then become real and edible, because everybody likes more cake.

Who would win a fight between Spiderman and Batman?

Batman, I think they made a comic about it. But it’s a bit of a silly fight. Couldn’t they just go for coffee and cake?

I can see a recurring theme here with the cake?? Okay, one more weird scenario just because I am enjoying your answers so much. A penguin walks through that door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?

“Hola estoy aquí para tus paletas” “Hola, I am here for your popsicles”

I suppose that’s a bit different from cake!

Finally, what advice would you give someone who wanted to apply for the Trainee Activities Instructor’s role at LM?

Make the most of every opportunity offered. I have done some amazing things both on and out of work time. But almost all of them have taken a bit of effort and me saying, “yes”. It’s always worth the bit of effort to do something different, whether it’s bivvying on top of the A’Chir ridge in Arran, crossing the Rannoch Moor by bike or paddling Loch Awe and Loch Shiel in a stormy week in November – they’ve all been brilliant experiences.

Thank you Joe. It’s been great to find out a little more about you.