What our Previous members think
Sam Walley
Pilot
Member 2012 - 2016
When I was younger all I wanted to do in my spare time was head outdoors. Be it camping in the Lake District, playing man-hunt in the pitch black at Tandle Hills or mountaineering at 12,000ft in the Swiss alps. All of these opportunities were only possible due to being part of Royton Explorers.
I developed such an adrenaline rush for being up in ridiculously high places that I decided to become a pilot and and take you all on your holidays.
Many of the skills learnt from Explorers, including basic navigation, contributed to my career as a Pilot. I’d encourage anyone to give Explorers a go and see where it takes you!
Callum Walsh
Paramedic (In training)
Member 2009 - 2013
When I was a teenager, sitting behind a desk at school was my worst nightmare (it perhaps still is). It was Explorer's which helped me see that the world has so many opportunities which keep you away from a desk, and the confidence to go and try them out.
Since Explorer's I've climbed mountains in Europe, was a trainee in the Royal Marines, I've lead youngsters on Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and I'm now 1 year away from qualifying as a Paramedic with London Ambulance Service.
Whether it's teaching youngsters how to map read, or staying calm in the adrenaline rush of a medical emergency, I know that the skills, challenges and experiences with Explorers helped get me to where I am today.
Sign up and go explore. Or, just scroll on tiktok or something.
Joe Curry
IT Technical Support Team Lead
Member 2013 - 2017
The skills I have learnt as a member of Royton Explorers have allowed me to progress on a professional level. Being able to work as a team and lead a group of people in different situations over the years has allowed me to gain leadership skills which I now use for my day to day job leading a team of people and being confident to sit in a room of directors and be listened to.
Royton Explorers allowed me to socialise with and get to know people from different walks of life that I wouldn’t ordinarily associate with or expect to get along with. Royton Explorers has changed how I view and value different people for the better.
Without the help & experience of the leaders in Royton Explorers, I genuinely don’t think I would have got to where I am today.
Andrew Weir
Restaurant Manager, Manchester
Member 2009 - 2013
Explorers was so important to me during my formative years. Paddy’s enthusiasm for climbing and the outdoors inspired me to continue it well into my adult life.
During a time of changing schools and eventually moving away to university, Explorers was a constant that help me greatly.
Sam Hazeldine
Track Engineer
Member 2016 - 2020
The initiative and teamwork skills I learnt at Royton Explorer Scouts have paved the way for success in my future profession.
I work within an office environment and I used the people skills I had gained at Explorers in this and every other job I've ever had.
Jake Wilson
Cyber Security Analyst
Member 2015 - 2019
I’ve always attributed where I am today to Scouting, but my time at Royton Explorer Scouts is where I feel I really came out of my shell. My time there provided me with some of the best memories I can remember as a teenager and connected me with people I’m still friends with today.
The confidence I gained through explorers is proving invaluable in my job in the security industry as a cyber-security analyst. The fast-paced, reactive environment requires constant communication with colleagues and good decision making skills. These are skills that I undoubtedly developed during Explorers and use in my role daily.
Explorers has also left its footprint in my life outside of my work. My time with Royton Explorers took me on several trips to the Lake District, North Wales and the Scottish Highlands, introducing me to the UK’s mountains where I developed a bit of a taste for hiking and mountaineering, even getting the opportunity to visit the Austrian Alps in 2018. Trips to the Lakes, the Peaks and anywhere else remote and high have since become a frequent occurrence in my life after leaving Explorers, something I was introduced to on my first camp in 2015, and I am now slightly hooked on.
On top of all that, the leader is an absolute legend.
