Opening Doors
Student Profiles: September 2006

Kirsty: I'm 19 now, and was about 13/14 when I first went to a Signing activity - I discovered sign language at an after school workshop, which was run by Lizard Outreach Trust's Duo Deo project. I found it fun and exciting that I could have conversations without anyone knowing what we were saying. It's another language and it's allowed me to meet new people. It also gave me an idea for a career choice, which I am extremely thankful for (I'm currently studying to be an audiologist). At the moment I use sign language to talk to some of my friends who use it as well. In the future some of the patients that I will treat will use sign language and being able to sign myself it will be easier for both me and the patient to solve the problem. Kirsty Shannon
Ben: I took the refereeing course during October and November of 2002. This was all funded and organised by the Lizard Outreach Trust. I began to referee at my local youth football club in January 2003, which I found really enjoyable - youth football has a great atmosphere. I knew the manager of my local football team and he asked me to become the club's linesman when I was just 14, which really excited me. I "ran the line" for the club for two seasons gaining a great deal of experience and becoming more and more recognisable to local clubs and referees. I soon joined my local Referees Association and just lately was asked to represent Falmouth/Helston Referees on the local league committees. I soon became a well-known face in the world of Cornish refereeing.
I have officiated in two County Cup finals, one being the Junior Cup Final, an honour which I am very proud of. This last season I have been promoted to a Level 6 referee which has opened even more doors to me; recently I was invited to attend a conference for young referees in Daventry organised by the F.A. Refereeing has really changed my life. At times it is extremely difficult and can be the loneliest job in the world but it is a challenge which, every week-end, I cannot wait to undertake; (in the week I'm a farmer). Refereeing has made me a much stronger person, helping me to deal with very difficult people, a skill which is needed in all walks of life. Without LOT I would never have dreamt of becoming a referee, so I must thank them for making my life much more entertaining! Benn Lugg
Tom: I am 20 years of age, and I have been involved with boats since the age of 7, when I first started sailing with my Grandad on his 1934 Blackwater sloop. It wasn't until the age of 14 when I got involved with the boatbuilding course run by the Lizard Outreach Trust that I started considering a career in boat building. As the course progressed I became more and more enthused by the idea as this as a career. My first experience of boatbuilding would have to be making small fibreglass boats with John at Lanarth. I remember waiting with intense anticipation to see if this thing I had made really floated, and to my joy it did! The course with John gave me the drive and enthusiasm to progress to the next stage, Falmouth Marine College. It was here that I studied Traditional Boatbuilding for 2 years. Once I had completed this very enjoyable and rewarding course, I moved to Australia for a year where I used my trade to fund my travels and also increase my skills.
I spent time in Brisbane working for a very successful and well-established Boatbuilders "Norman R. Wright & Sons". During the time at this yard I worked on a new ferry build and also a luxury and very stylish fishing craft named the Weapon. After returning back to the UK I promptly started work as a boatbuilder at Gweek Quay specialising in traditional yacht repairs and complete restorations. Work there has involved completely reframing done by a process of steaming and also fitting new deck beams and deck on a 1912 21ft. NORMAN DALLIMORE yacht. Work has also included working on a 42ft Abecking and Rasmussen yacht, renewing all frames, floors, removal of keel to gain access to floor bolts and re-plant waterline down. I spend my days surrounded by tradition and skills slowly dying away, so I'm happy to know I'll carry it on and hopefully pass it on as it has been done for me. I now spend my spare time sailing the boat I first started sailing in with my Grandad in Maldon; sailing down the Helford River after carrying out several structural repairs and brightwork. I'm a serving member of the local coastguard Search and Rescue team. I'm now starting to pack up again as I'm off to South America and New Zealand to get involved with the boatbuilding scene out there and broaden my skills. Tom Penman
Tom: At the tender age of 18, I was busy stacking shelves at the local Tesco, when the wife of one of my ex comprehensive school teachers, Maggie Roberts, approached me to be a trustee for a charity helping young people. Now, at that age I didn't know what a charity was - let alone being a trustee of one, but I said I'd think about it and, as I'd taken quite a lot from my community when I was growing up and liked to have the opportunity to put something back, I became a trustee. I'd just started doing a Hons Degree at Cornwall Business School in Business Administration and being part of Lizard Outreach Trust was very useful - I actually used the charity as the case study for my dissertation which worked really well (and got me the highest mark).
Not only did LOT help my degree, but also, through being part of the Voluntary and Community Sector I made lots of contacts. Through these contacts I got my first full-time job after my degree. Since then I've not looked back and the Voluntary and Community Sector is my home. When I first embarked upon my Business Degree, I had grand business sector plans and had never heard of the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS), but the degree and the knowledge and skills I learnt with LOT have certainly put me in good stead: At the age of 27, I'm now the Partnership Manager for West Cornwall Together (www.westcornwalltogether.org.uk ) working for the VCS, in partnership with the Private and Public Sector, with 6 staff under me and earning good money. In five years' time? Well, who knows - but I know I'll be living in Cornwall. I feel that I'm living proof of LOT's belief: that you don't have to go out of Cornwall to learn or get a good job. Tom Jane
Dan: Listen to GOLFDAY report Hello from Madrid. Having always been interested in journalism, I arranged a work experience placement, at the end of Year10, at Radio Cornwall. I enjoyed the week so much that I continued working with the radio station at weekends and during the school holidays. At first, I carried out the work of a broadcast assistant but then I began to help with producing the Saturday Sports Show.I was very aware of how young people in the area benefited from the work of the Lizard Outreach Trust and was keen to promote it on the radio. The annual golf day provided the perfect opportunity. It was a typical Cornish August day with wind and rain battering the course, but I managed to overcome the elements to put together a feature on the event which was broadcast. The BBC enjoyed the style in which I had produced the package and I was given more "on air" time as a result.
After A levels, I did a Broadcast Journalism degree at Southampton and following graduation I went into local televsion and eventually became Head of Sport for Southampton TV. The next step was a weekly show on the The Golf Channel. Following a successful audition in London, on 1st July 2005, I took up my present post in Madrid as a presenter and commentator on Real Madrid's English speaking satellite channel. The channel, which broadcasts to Asia, North America and Australia, has recently been launched on Sky, channel 446. Daniel Thomas Daniel Thomas
John: I started working with the Lizard Outreach Trust in 1998 when I was approached with regard to using my workshop as a base for LOT's boatbuilding activities; I also designed the courses and worked as tutor, regularly evaluating the course content with the students. Tony Roberts brought the students after school from Mullion School; he stayed for the sessions, being in charge of the kitchen making hot chocolate and jacket potatoes! Another new venture was the BiG project (Building includes Girls), where 14-84 year old students learnt basic DIY skills - carpentry, plumbing, painting and decorating. We considered a patent for our roaming loo!
These activities developed into negotiations that subsequently had for me a life and career changing effect , which continues today. For my part the change of direction that was offered by LOT's intervention has allowed me to move from retired fireman to plumber/boat builder and lecturer of sorts, this encouraged me to qualify as an educational post 16 lecturer, and I have this year (2006) obtained an Honours Degree in Education and Training. Over the last four years I have been teaching boat building at my workshop for the local comprehensive school two days a week, and I still work with Maggie at the Lizard Outreach Trust. John Hughes
Chris: Just to give you a bit more information on what I've been up to and what I'm doing in the next few months. I've started a new group for young carers between the ages of 18-25 as the young carers project have identified a gap in the service provided for young adults over the age of 18. I placed two bids to get some beginning funds and both were successful. I applied to 'Our money your dream' and we received £3000 and also applied to another charity the Local Network Fund. This was also successful and they gave us £7000. A brilliant start to our group. We have also received various donations from local Rotary clubs.
The aim of the group is to provide carers with respite from their caring roles and also hold educational workshops and events to ensure that these young people can further their career or education and in some instances have an education to begin with. We also aim to identify more young people who are carers but don't yet realise that they have a caring role or lack the support they need. I have also helped to draw up the constitution for the group and risk assessments and equality policies for the group. Since my brilliant trip last August on the Tall Ships with LOT and the Joseph Rank Trust I have also been able to book 8 berths on the Lord Nelson. This was also done with the help of the Jubilee Sailing Trust Cornwall branch who have funded half of the berths. 4 berths are going from Plymouth at the beginning of March to Dublin for a week and we have 4 very excited young carers who are currently preparing and getting ready for their trip. The next four berths will be used later this year probably after the main summer months. I have also been in the office at Camborne a lot helping the carers support worker with the usual mountain of paperwork that has to be completed!!This has been eye-opening into how much is needed even just to organise a trip to Plymouth for the day or a meeting in Truro! I am also completing my gold youth achievement award with the young carers which includes organising and running various events and at the end doing a presentation in front of people (who I get to invite) on one of my challenges! I am still at college trying to complete my a-levels and cannot wait until they finish and the summer is here again!! I'm also doing some work experience for a company called Proper Care which involves going into peoples houses and helping them get ready, do housework and generally tending to their needs due to a disability or illness that they may have and I am really enjoying it and again it is a very eye opening experience into how people are able to cope and manage with their disabilities. My main plan for this year is to go to Australia at the end of this year, probably November time but it keeps changing!! So many opportunities are opening up which all sound exciting and could mean putting Oz on hold for a few years but I'm just going to see what happens!! On writing this and looking back at what I've done since last August, and the equally brilliant City & Sea Exchange with Tower Hamlets and what is ahead of me this year it seems that I am going to be very busy and hectic trying to do as much as I can and grab every opportunity that is offered to me! And now I am driving it is so easy to do so much more! Anyway have included a picture of me on a Tall Ship! Chris Mitchell: February 2008