Chris Bourne has been involved with outdoor activities since a young age when his dad would take the family camping, with open fire cooking, usually in the woodlands or moorland. This then progressed with cubs, scouts, ventures, and as a leader. Many an expedition camping trip was soon to follow and undertaken with his growing family as they came along and now it’s often with his grand children. Chris is married to Brenda and lives in Okehampton Devon. They have four children who are all married and have 9 grand children.
He is a Wild Country Assessor for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, (DofE) both here in the UK and Overseas. He is Chairman of the local DofE Committee and runs the Open Award Group with other leaders. He is also a Tutor and Course Director for the Award for Supervisors and Assessors.
With the Award he has taken groups regularly to South Africa for their Residential Project and Expedition at Gold Level as well as here in the UK with all three levels of Bronze Silver and Gold participants.
He has led and supervised groups on Dartmoor, Exmoor, Bodmin Moor, The Brecon Beacons, The Lake District, The North York Moors, Snowdonia, The Scotland Glens and Mountains, In France on their footpath network and in the Pyrenees, In South Africa in the Baviaanskloof Mega Wilderness Reserve, The Groot Vaders Bosch World Heritage Site, Landeberg Mountains and the Drakenberg Mountains
He runs Pegasus Outdoor Ventures, which have been developing and evolving since Oct 2006 where he has become more directly involved with environmental education and awareness.
He leases and manages woodlands under a Land Management Plan in conjunction with the Forestry Commission on behalf of the landowners, it is here where the Bushcraft, Woodcraft, Survival Skills, Earth Walk and Environmental events and programmes mainly take place, working with groups, schools, other organisations, families and individuals.
He and Pegasus Outdoor Ventures are organisational members of the Institute of Outdoor Learning and Special Interest Group members for Bushcraft and Survival Skills, where he serves on the executive committee he is also a member of the Special Interest Group for Forest Schools. Pegasus Outdoor Ventures are also members of the Council for Learning Outside of the Classroom.
He is a qualified assessor and internal verifier for Lantra Awards, Land Based Activities and also deliveries programmes for teachers, care workers and play leaders to help them grow in confidence and safety awareness in the outdoor woodland environment.
The woodlands are a designated Learning Destination where children can add to their Passport for learning, see childrensuniversity.co.uk. The Children’s University (CU) Trust offers 7 to 14 year olds (and 5 to 6 year olds with their families) exciting and innovative learning activities and experiences outside normal school hours. If you are a child, parent/carer, school or potentialpartner organisation this is the place to start.
Pegasus Outdoor Ventures are an Approved Provider for the John Muir Award. See http://www.jmt.org/jmaward-home.asp The John Muir Award is an environmental award scheme focused on wild places. It encourages awareness and responsibility for the natural environment, in a spirit of fun, adventure and exploration
The three Levels of the John Muir Award – Discovery Level, Explorer Level and Conserver Level – encourage a progressive involvement.
• Discovery Award (Introductory Level) 4 days (or equivalent) minimum time commitment
• Explorer Award (Intermediate Level) 8 days (or equivalent) minimum time commitment
• Conserver Award (Advanced Level) 20 days (or equivalent) minimum time commitment, over at least 6 months
The same four Challenges are repeated for each Level, with increased involvement in terms of time, activity, responsibility and ownership.
These awards are often integrated into the activities offered as a min- series or programme of events.
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