Outdoor Focus Winter 2018 | Page 5

New members Huw Kingston Originally from Wales via Sheffi eld, I’ve been based in Oz for nearly 30 years, in beautiful Bundanoon, south of Sydney. I’ve been writing on adventure and outdoor topics for a looong time and freelance for various publications in Oz and worldwide. The meagre income of a travel writer is supplemented by a lot of speaking engagements worldwide on adventure and environmental topics. I also run a small adventure tour business, Wild Horizons, which for 20 years until 2017 also ran some of Australia’s largest MTB events. I’ve a love of long, human powered journeys; most recently a year-long circumnavigation of the Mediterranean by sea kayak, foot, ocean rowboat and bike. My book, Mediterranean - A year around a charmed and troubled sea, tells the story. I’ve long been engaged in the issues of plastic pollution. In 2009 I helped make Bundanoon the world’s fi rst bottled water free town. My TED talk Message in a Bottle, at TEDx Athens 2018 can be seen at bit.ly/tedtalksgreece. www.huwkingston.com Francis Davis Professor Davis has taught social sciences at Oxford, at Cambridge and at a variety of business schools. He is currently the Professor of Religion, Communities and Public Policy in the Department Ian Wyatt Sabi Phagura www.ianwyattwriting.co.uk www.fi tlass.co.uk/blog twitter.com/Iamfi tlass instagram.com/fi tlassontour Ian Wyatt has been an active climber for over forty years, it all started with the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme whilst at school. He soon found himself enjoying all aspects of the climbing game: bouldering, sport, trad’, winter mountaineering, ice and Alpine climbing as well as still doing the odd bit of backpacking and scrambling. After writing a Ph.D about the function of landscape in the Old Icelandic sagas, and then a novel about Galileo, Ian turned his attention to writing about the outdoor activities he has spent so much time doing. Writer and part time contract worker Ian is a regular contributor to Climber and Climb magazines on a range of topics: he has written destination articles, reviews and pieces about the physical and emotional experiences of climbing. In addition, he has produced commissioned pieces for websites and assisted in the production of two rock-climbing guides. of Theology and Religion at the University of Birmingham. Professor Francis was described by The Tablet as one of the 100 most infl uential British Catholics, and has worked for BBC World, BBC One, BBC Radio 4, The World Tonight, Straits Times, and The Economist. I am a qualifi ed journalist with over 20 years’ experience working in national newspaper and television newsrooms. I have worked as a reporter, broadcast journalist, video journalist, investigator, producer and editor. In addition, I qualifi ed as a fi tness instructor eight years ago and teach women’s weight lifting, kettle bells, spin, sand power bags and stretch classes on an ad hoc basis. Nowadays I combine fi tness with travel writing and am often found travelling abroad every two to three weeks. I also review spas, bars and hotels in the UK. As a result of my travel writing, I have become a successful blogger and Instagrammar and also do a spot of fi tness modelling. I enjoy all aspects of sport but there is nothing more than a good hike up in the mountains that bring me more pleasure. Oh and once I’m up there I will do yoga and meditate. Life is after all about balance! Born in Zambia, Professor Francis has a keen interest in Southern Africa, and has served on a number of commissions and projects for the Erste Foundation, Mercy Corps International and Caritas International. winter 2018 | Outdoor focus 5