

// Matthew D. FRGS
University Degree Level Visiting Lecturer in a related subject.
Matthew is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and certified Security and Risk Management Consultant having studied this at the Cabinet Office Emergency Planning Office in York. He has been involved in safety training for those travelling overseas for over 25 years, including delivering training both in the UK and overseas – as far away as Canada and China. He has trained adventure travellers, disaster responders operating across the globe, members of the military, exploration geologists, NGO's, teachers, University staff and students as well as field workers in subjects including travel safety, personal safety, risk management, travel risk management, remote area first aid, medical and survival related subjects.


Appearing as main stage subject matter expert speaker on remote area risk management at the prestigious Royal Geographical Society Explore Conference, 2024, for expeditions and fieldwork.
Matthew was one of the authors of BS:8848, the British Standard for safety on overseas activities, visits, expeditions and fieldwork and is now also involved, via ISO, in the international standard for Travel Risk Management, ISO 31030. He has trained most of the leading UK expedition and adventure travel sector organisations on risk management and legal issues, as well as numerous mineral exploration, outdoor activity and higher education organisations.
An instructor for the Royal Geographical Society’s Off-Site Safety Management course since 2005, he holds various instructor qualifications including water safety, first aid, risk management, Safeguarding and Lost Person Behaviour amongst others. He has travelled widely, led expeditions to desert and arctic environments, presented at the Royal Geographical Society on preparation for Desert Expeditions, has studied Travel Health and Expedition Medicine at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (and has subsequently lectured on the course for many years), has worked as training officer for a Search and Rescue team, has undertaken Swiftwater rescue training and has trained in and taught wilderness first aid for many years. Search Technician, Search Manager and Search Operations qualified.
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Co - founder of the C:ORE Risk Conference for the Outdoor, Remote Area Operations, Education, Exploration and Expedition sectors.
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A specialist in travel related security and travel risk management and certified Duty of Care Practitioner holding specialist IOSH qualifications, he also holds GCHQ certifications in cyber and mobile device security.
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Matt is a qualified trainer for the International SOS Foundation on the IOSH certified courses:
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IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health) Certified Safety, Health and Security for the Mobile Worker:
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Travel safety, health and security for the mobile worker: Travel risks; travel-related risk assessment; and traveller’s briefing.
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Travel safety, health and security for the mobile worker: Building an organisation’s travel directives, incident management.
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Matthew has also been trained in desktop exercise design and testing/validation at the Cabinet Office Emergency Planning Office.
Matthew also spent nearly 20 years as a lawyer in private practice, where he successfully defended remote area operators in leading international "Duty of Care" cases. He was the lead Partner at an international law firm heading up the outdoor activity, adventure travel and expedition sectors team, acting for those who suffered disasters in remote areas. Matthew acted for many of the leading remote area operators and expedition companies, as well as advising and consulting for exploration companies internationally. He has significant experience in dealing with disasters, from training clients, responding as part of a crisis response team, dealing with the media in the aftermath of incidents, advising clients and handling cases through high profile remote area related coroners inquests to the litigation that ensues. Matthew was recognised by peers, clients and legal directories as a leader in his field.
He has delivered training for many of the Travel sector and outdoor governing bodies from MLTA, BMC, ABTA to name a few. He has also lectured to the mineral exploration sector (including governing bodies) in the UK and overseas and had articles published in both outdoor and exploration sector publications. Matthew also has many years training clients in legal procedure and courtroom skills.
Matthew has completed and is a very long standing instructor for the Royal Geographical Society Off Site Safety Management qualification and has delivered the course on behalf of the Royal Geographical Society, as one of their very small panel of appointed trainers who deliver the course directly on their behalf. Matt is the lead instructor for this course at Remote Area risk international.
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"Clearly Matt is a very experienced trainer with an incredible background. He was very articulate, encouraging and supportive in the way that he delivered the course. His visual aids were of a high quality and the pace of his delivery was just right."
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“Very worthwhile. It informed me of the key areas to focus on when planning and conducting expeditions and the areas I need to go and find out more information on...Matt was a great presenter and the slides etc were spot on... Matt managed to get a huge amount of content across in 2 days...I felt the quality of the course was great...”
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“The seminar was presented excellently by matt and the aim of getting us from “you don't know what you don't know” to “I now know what I don't know and where to find that information” was achieved. The
visual aids definitely helped with understanding the course content. For someone like me with little prior
training in this area I didn't feel like I was out of my depth and was able understand the content well."
“zoom (|used during covid 19 to deliver courses) isn’t a ‘perfect’ medium substitute for in person teaching (during covid) but that takes nothing
away from matt's delivery. Matt was constantly engaging and easy to listen to. He spoke with authority and has a deep knowledge of the subject.'
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