CAG is very lucky to have a dedicated team of volunteers running all sorts of CAG events. None of our leaders are paid for their time, of which each gives significant amounts to enable activities to take place.
So why do we do it? Because we get to work with a great group of co-leaders and a fantastic membership that never fails to amuse, enthral and delight.
Leading a group of individuals to greater confidence and happiness through our series of weekly meetings, events and overnight trips & adventures is hugely rewarding and fun.
More importantly, being able to make a significant positive impression on a young person that will last a life time is a real privilege and one that all leaders value immensely.
All leaders at any CAG meeting or event are all CRB checked and have undertaken safeguarding training.
All of our leaders have significant experience of working with young people, either through working with CAG or other youth organisations.
All activities undertaken by CAG leaders are activities for which they have been trained and hold certification issued the national governing body where required and appropriate.
Join Our Team
We always love to welcome new members to our leadership team and / or the CAG committee.
If you would like to get involved in anyway please fill in the quick form and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!
Join Our Team
Meet The Leaders
Simon Thomas
Leader
Simon is the founder and leader of Challenge Adventure Group and has almost 30 years experience working with young people in a wide variety of settings and volunteer / paid roles.
Simon loves going away on CAG overnight trips and holds leadership certificates in many of the activities CAG undertakes.
Interesting Fact: Simon can actually levitate and is fighting global warming by using his own built in bio-digester to provide plentiful amounts of renewable natural gas.
Jerome Ment
Assistant Leader
Jerome is a sun chaser and wannabe beach surf dude, but missed that particular bus.
Jerome likes to keep a low profile as he is on the run from fashion police and has been since the mid 1970s. His love of flares and the fact his bicycle of choice is a chopper strangely hasn’t held him back career wise and he is at the top of his game in the world of cardiology. He owns an extensive collection of stents and has nearly completed a film, years in the making, entitled ‘Saving Private Ryan: bare metal stents on the battlefield’ which is set to be a blockbuster in an incredibly niche market.
Interesting fact: Jerome is formidable, has always been and will always be, but he has a soft spot for crocodiles and everything gator. He once wrestled one as a bet and came out the victor - next time you see him check out his shiny new shoes….
CAG Baby (aka Zach Smith)
D of E Manager
CAG Baby (or "Zach" to his face) is one of CAG‘s longest members we couldn’t get rid of, so is now a CAG leader and doubles up as the CAG DofE Manager.
As such, Zach is in the weird position of managing and signing off his older brothers Gold DofE award, which he hasn’t finished!!!
Interesting Fact: Zach is currently working as a Solid Waste Disposal Administrator in America,
but will be back in Blighty in time for this trip, unfortunately. Whilst he has been away he’s learnt how to sing “100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” - it took a little while to learn the lyrics but he got his head down, grafted and got there in the end. Well done Zach!!
Ruth Billingham
Safeguarding and Membership Co-ordinator
Ruth is our safeguarding officer and chief surfing dude wannabe.
Ruth makes sure all our leaders are DBS checked and have taken part in the required safeguarding training.
Ruth longs to live the high life and consequently spends most of her time with her head in the clouds. She has recently bought a fortnight in a timeshare yurt somewhere in the Himalayas but is so rubbish at map reading has yet to find it. She has vowed to never in her lifetime play foxy bingo although she can’t resist a game of mousetrap using real mice and plenty of cheese.
Interesting fact: Ruth can never go barefoot as, in a bid to become a hobbit 5 years ago, the hair transplant she had on her feet went horribly wrong and she now has to shave them three times a day.
Ellen "Schmellen Crochet" Crockett
Assistant Leader
We don’t know where Ellen came from, she just turned up one day and never left but we aren’t complaining (at least not when she’s around...). Ellen is the newest CAG leader but has more trip leadership experience than Zach, is more interesting than Zach, is more talented than Zach and better than Zach at everything (or so she wrote).
Interesting Fact: Ellen has just become a contestant on the Great British Bake Off and has knitted tea cosy’s in space with Elton John - she really has! He is the rocket man after all, and she is the rocket baker - good luck Ellen!!
Join Our Leadership Team
Want to come out and have fun with a great set of members? Find out more and join our team.