Meet the Office Staff
Meet the Medics
Meet the Guides

"Is there a company out there that is made up of charity event managers and outdoor professionals who will understand my needs as a charity?"

Yes - at Across the Divide Expeditons, both the founding directors used to be event managers at major charities and our Events and Operations team is headed up by another.

What is it that makes us so different? Our staff are taken from all walks of life- because that is where our clients come from, we choose them for their ability to operate under pressure, work as a team and for their boundless enthusiasm - they are what makes Across the Divide so different and why our clients keep coming back to us.

It is a requirement now that all Across the Divide's Expedition doctors and medics complete the Expedition Medicine Course run twice yearly in the Lake District. This course is the most comprehensive of its type. Further details about how to become an expedition doctor or wilderness medic click here.

Dr Andy McAlea

Andy was born and went through High School/College in Salford and then went onto Liverpool Medical School. Andy has now been qualified for 10 years during which time he has worked in various hospitals working in Medicine, Ophthalmology, A + E, Anaesthetics and is currently on a GP Training Scheme in Cumbria.

Andy is a key lecturer at the Expedition Medicine for medical professional course in the Lake District.click here He has also spent 18 months working in New Zealand; been a Ship's Doctor on the transatlantic yacht race '98, and worked as Team Doctor for the Penrith Mountain Rescue Team.

Andy’s interests include lots of dinghy sailing, rock/winter climbing and fell running

Dr Titus Adams

Titus was born, brought up and educated in Oxford along with 3 other siblings. He was fortunate enough to pursue his ultimate interest in Medicine and was introduced to Reconstructive Surgery during his time in surgical rotation.

Thoroughly enjoying the outdoors and keeping fit, Titus loves being able to combine his work interests with his extracurricular love of travel and the outdoors, with friendly, like-minded individuals exploring fabulous parts of the world.

Dr Roger Alcock

Roger was born in Fife, Scotland and, after electives in Ecuador and Germany, qualified from Edinburgh in 1997. Currently living in Winnie the Pooh country in East Sussex, he is completing Emergency Medicine training. He holds ACLS and instructs on Advanced Trauma and Paediatric Life support courses.

Since his first foreign cycle tour in France aged 8 Roger has been exploring, enjoying independent cycle tours throughout Europe, Africa, Japan, the Carribean, Central and South America. In 2003 he took time out studying Spanish in Guatemala, before cycling ‘la Ruta Maya’ through Honduras, Guatemala and Belize. Subsequently he worked in Sweden and New Zealand, gaining new interests in sea kayaking and climbing in addition to his love of hiking, windsurfing and cycling. He was chief medic with a Raleigh International expedition to Namibia and currently works as a medic with ATD expeditions and has been to Cuba and Peru.

Dr Emma Alcock

Emma's experience of expedition medicine began back in 1994, on a Raleigh International trip to Alaska. Since then she has welcomed any excuse for travel, and has been on numerous Across the Divide challenges to Patagonia, Nicaragua, Brazil, Nepal, China, Sweden, Norway, Peru and Morocco.

The rest of the time Emma is a cardiothoracic anaesthetist in a London teaching hospital.

Dr Sarah Bailey

Sarah was born in Scotland to a Geordie and manccunian and spent her formative years in Teeside before heading back to Edinburgh to Medical School.

Having decided to be a GP, Sarah moved closer to the hills in Cumbria where she spent the last three years doing a variety of Hospital and General Practice jobs to complete her training. After completing her training she went to South America for a month before deciding how to pay the bills!

Sarah enjoys climbing especially sport climbing in sunny places.

Dr Jonathan Ball

Jonathan was born and has lived in London for the vast majority of his life. He entered Medical School in 1987, gained a B.Sc. in 1990 and gained his basic qualifications in 1993. As part of his undergraduate training spent 3 months in Baragwanath Hospital, Soweto.

Jonathan started mountaineering whilst at medical school, though this was more trekking than climbing. He has experimented with a diverse number of adventurous activities including sea kayaking, hangliding and canyoning.

Janice Barrett

After qualifying as a nurse in 1988 and gaining some relevant experience, Janice travelled around the world to Australia. She started her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award whilst living in London and completed this in South Australia and Victoria with expeditions on foot, 4-wheel drive and kayak.

She completed a Raleigh International expedition to Guyana in 1993 in the role of medic and became the full-time Medical Coordinator completing five expeditions as a medic and project manager.

Dr Karen Bisset

Originally from Edinburgh, Karen moved to Newcastle at hte age of 17 to attend Medical School.

After various training jobs in the UK and Australia, Karen has now settled into General Practice.

Karen spent 3 months as an Expedition Medic for a Coral Cay conservation environmental project at the beginning of 2002 before settling into her permanent job.

Karen has a love of travel which has taken her to many interesting places; she also loves SCUBA diving and has completed her Divemaster training.

Dr Kate Cheesman

Kate was born and bred in Central London, always trying to leave but somehow always returning!

As a child Kate wanted to become an astronaut and thought becoming a doctor would be the easiest way into NASA - no luck so far! Kate has always loved travel and took a year out of Medical School and spent 5 months teaching English and Science on farm schools in South America, 3 months travelling Australia and a month in Thailand.

Since graduating from Medical School, Kate has spent a year in Perth, Western Australia enjoying the sun, sea, surf, sand and Sauvignon Blanc. Missing the snow, Kate moved to Christchurch, New Zealand for a year. After returning to the UK she has spent the last 30 months in Anaesthetics and Intensive Care.

Dr Rob Conway

Ever since he was left alone in the bath as a small child Rob has had a fondness for the ocean and an ever so little tendency for separation anxiety.

He has taken part in projects since the turn of the century both in Madagascar and the Indian Ocean, and has done so as a research diver and medic as well as leading a number of expeditions that have culminated in awards from Buckingham Palace.

Rob is currently a doctor at Mayday University Hospital and is Chairman of the Trustees of Blue Ventures Conservation. He has been involved and was an intern for Divers Alert Network, the largest diving medical and safety group in the world. He has an interest in expeditions and is actively involved in the Wilderness Medical Society here in the UK.

Dr Alison Cook

Alison was originally from Pembrokeshire in South West Wales. From 1993-1998 she attended Birmingham Medical School and for the next 3 years she undertook hospital training in a broad range of specialities in England and Sydney, Australia and entered General Practice just over 2 years ago.

Alison has a great love of the outdoors and travelling and enjoys mixing these passions with medicine. Alison has now been lucky to mix the two and has travelled to Sinai and Chile with Raleigh International.

Dr Simon Dalton

Simon was born in Devon and at the age of 3 was dragged away by his parents to the rather warmer climes of Fiji where he spent 4 happy years before moving on to New Zealand.

Simon enjoys tramping, especially in the sublime mountain passes of New Zealand’s South Island as well as photography, wine, squash and flying. He currently has a severe case of itchy feet and is constantly scheming about how to see more of the wonders of the world, whilst at the same time avoiding the horror of mass-market tourism.

Dr Lucy Dickinson

Lucy was born in Cumbria and enjoyed easy access to the Lake District as she grew up. She went on to gain her medical degree in Aberdeen where she cultivated her love of snow sports. In 1999 she moved to New Zealand where she lived and worked for four years, again taking advantage of the fantastic outdoor lifestyle on offer. She now works as a GP back in the Lake District and enjoys snowboarding, mountain-biking, kite-surfing and surfing amongst many other outdoor pusuits.

In between medical posts Lucy has travelled extensively including to the South Pacific, Australasia, SE Asia, South America, Africa and Japan. She worked in a hospital in Tonga on her elective in 1997, and went with Raleigh International to Chile in 2003.

She hopes to continue combining her interest in travel with her medical career by way of further expeditions and plans to go to the antarctic later this year.

Dr Neil Dignon

Born in London but reincarnated as a Celt (much like Shane MacGowan in many, many respects).

Graduated in Medicine in 1994, and recently appointed as Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Digger was one of our first Expedition Medics and his experience and humour formed a large part of medical teams foundation and continuing high levels of backup. Digger is also a senior lecturer on the Expedition Medicine course.

Dr Greg Edwards

Greg was born in Bedford and grew up in Herefordshire in the countryside. He went on to attend Birmingham University where he attained a Medical degree.

Since university, Greg has spent a year working and travelling in Australia. He has also been lucky enough to travel to many other countries in his time, and has a strong passion for experiencing other cultures

Dr Fiona Elliott

Fiona enjoyed adventuring from an early age, much to her parent’s dismay when they discovered her on the roof of their house at the age of 18 months!

Fiona's other passion is medicine, which she studied in Sheffield, and whilst there she took full advantage of the great outdoor opportunities the Peak district has to offer. The adventuring continued with a Raleigh expedition and 3 years in the Territorial Army.

She took 6 months out to travel extensively around the world and has taken part in many expeditions-trekking in Patagonia, Sahara and Peru.

Fiona is now a GP locum in Salisbury which, nice though it is, is unfortunately bereft of mountains or surf! She enjoys combining her love of travelling and medicine by working for Across the Divide.

Dr Sian Firth

A Yorkshire girl, Sian moved to Newcastle for university and qualified at Newcastle University in 1996. Since then she has worked in various specialities both in the UK and Australia. Most recently Sian has qualified as a GP and works full time in a practice in Sunderland.

She has a keen interest in Sports Medicine and is currently completing a diploma in Sports Medicine. Working for ATD about two years, Sian has been on many expeditions - in the UK and also Nepal, Namibia, Norway, China, Peru and Thailand.

Sian has travelled in Africa, S America, Asia, Australia and Europe and combines this with love of outdoor pursuits, such as mountain biking, trekking, and skiing to name but a few.

Dr Robin Gosh

Robin was born in Portsmouth on the south coast. After a gap year in Canada, Robin gained a Medical Degree from Birmingham University, where he stayed working for a year before heading off to New Zealand for Obstetrics and Gynaecology experience and for some of the outdoor life. Since returning to the UK Robin has completed GP Training in Worcester and now is a Locum in the Hampshire area.

Robin has always been sports orientated, playing hockey and rugby for various teams, although Robin would prefer to head for the hills rather than the playing fields. Robin is also a keen mountain biker and runs half marathons which has led him into being interested in sports medicine and more recently altitude/expedition medicine.

Robin combines work as a locum with regular adventures abroad.

Dr Mark Howseman

Mark was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, went to school in Hexham until he was 13 and then moved to Lancashire.

After qualifying as a doctor in 1990 Mark worked for 2 years in hospitals before taking the first of 2 gap years. During this time he spent 5 months travelling around the world and 4 months at the Goethe Institute in Bavaria learning German.

Mark then spent 2 years completing his GP Vocational Training in the North East of England before working for 6 months in Gibraltar and 3 years as a Civilian Medical Practitioner (CMP) for the British Army in Germany.

Dr Sean Hudson

Sean has worked for Across the Divide Expeditions since 1998. Since then he has been on 20 expeditions in 12 different countries. He completed his GP vocational training and is currently working in the Lake District as a GP locum in between expeditions.

In 2002 along with expedition medic Dr Caroline Knox he was instrumental in establishing Expedition Medicine Ltd which seeks to provide comprehensive training medics working in the remotest corners of the world click here for expedition medicine website.

Dr Amy Hughes

With a passion for both pre-hospital care and adrenaline sports, Amy thought the best way to achieve this was through involvement in expedition medicine, skiing and the TA! Since graduating from Nottingham University in 2003 she has spent weeks circling the skies of New Zealand with a rescue helicopter; months submerged in the Indian Ocean in Madagascar; days exploring the Belizean Jungle removing ticks from various locations; weeks engulfed in mud in the Borneo jungle and days spent trekking across the desert in Namibia. On a more sedate challenge she spent 3 months completing the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in Liverpool. Currently, she is part way through her year rotation in Emergency Medicine and Intensive Care at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge.

Dr Alison Janzen

Alison was born in Yorkshire where she lived until going to the University of Bristol to study Medicine in 1990. Alison’s interest in travel began once she left school and inter-railed around Europe. During her University holidays she went backpacking around Turkey, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Alison specialises in paediatrics and adolescent medicine and also has significant experience in adult medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology.

Dr Richard Kaye

Originally from London suburbia, Rich saw the light and escaped as soon as he could. After studying in Scotland and Manchester, he moved around for several years, finally returning from South America and New Zealand to settle into the South-West surfing and outdoor scene.

After training in Accident and Emergency and Paediatrics, he took the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, but eventually lost hope of finding a case of Ebola in Devon. He has spent the last two years training in anaesthesia and intensive care instead, continuing his travels at far too frequent intervals.

Dr Steve Knight

Steve was brought up in Stafford and did his medical training in Nottingham. He has worked around the country mainly in Acute Medicine and A&E and has just completed his GP training. Steve has worked briefly in Thailand and New Orleans.

Steve enjoys outdoor activities, walking, trekking and has recently taken up cycling and is currently learning basic Spanish

Dr Caroline Knox

Caroline qualified in Medicine at Newcastle in 1993, and has worked in various specialties, including Anesthetics. A planned six months abroad turned into two and a half years; this included extensive travelling, 2 Raleigh International Expeditions (one as Chief Medic) and a stint with Mount Hutt Ski Patrol in New Zealand.

She has been a Medical Officer with Across the Divide on twelve expeditions in four different continents, and now has two small children Martha and Charlie who will shortly be beginning there first overseas expedition. In 2002 along with expedition medic Dr Sean Hudson she was instrumental in establishing Expedition Medicineclick here

Dr Katy Lamb

Katy was born in London where she lived for a number of weeks before deciding that she would prefer to be Scottish and moving to Edinburgh. Katy spent most of her life either up hills or in the water – swimming, water polo, sailing, canoeing etc which became the start of her passion for the great outdoors.

Katy then decided to go abroad and started Medical School in Newcastle, England. During that time she went further abroad and spent a couple of summers doing Camp America and an Elective in Cairns, Australia which is where Katy developed a love of warm water diving and coral reefs.

Dr Jackie Lee

A Mancunian born and bred, with original roots from the Far East, Jackie graduated from Newcastle Medical School in 1996. She has worked in the Northeast, London, Sydney and is now based in the Manchester area, where she is a GP. She has experience in various specialities and has recently completed a Diploma in Primary Health Care at Leeds University. She has travelled extensively and has a passion for the outdoors, which led her to participating in the Expedition Medicine course and thus becoming a medic for ATD. Trips have included the Great Wall of China and Peru, in addition to UK charity events. Jackie's interests include mountain biking, running, snowboarding, tennis and walking plus too many others to list.

Dr Denny Levett

Denny trained in Cambridge and Oxford before moving to London to pursue a career as an intensive care physician. Denny took a career break for a year to indulge in a passion for diving, working as the expedition doctor on two marine biology expeditions in Tanzania and The Hallaniyat Islands.

Denny combines work and play as Deputy Director of the Centre for Aviation, Space and Extreme Environment Medicine at University College London.

An honorary lecturer in diving physiology at UCL and clinical lead of diving and hyperbaric medicine research division, Denny is currently involved in developing an MSc in extreme environment physiology at UCL. She is also a key lecturer at the Expedition Medicine for medical professional course in the Lake District.

Dr Julia Martin

Julia has worked as a trip Doctor for the past 4 years and has participated in 16 events, some treks but mainly cycling in Vietnam, China, Egypt, Thailand, Mexico, South America, Kenya, Iceland, Jordan and Morocco. Julia also had 5 weeks in Zulu Hospital in South Africa and was one of the 10 medics who went out independently to provide medical help to Sri Lanka following the Boxing Day Tsunami disaster in 2004.

Julia enjoys the diversity of her work and the flexibility that this allows enabling her to take part in many other areas of outside work which include travelling, photography and outdoor sports – cycling, walking, windsurfing and kayaking.

Julia’s next personal challenge is to cycle from John O’Groats to Lands End with several friends

Dr Piers Mitchell

Piers grew up in Surrey and went to school in Wimbledon before studying medicine in Bristol; he took a BSc in Cellular and Molecular Biology in 1996 (which he cannot remember anything about) and finally graduated in 1999. Piers then went onto doing house jobs at Stoke Mandeville and after a 6-month Accident and Emergency job in Basingstoke went on expedition with Raleigh International in Belize.

It was here that he met his fiancée Melissa and wasted no time getting engaged. When Piers returned he started a Basic Training Surgical Training Programme at Northwick Park Hospital in North London, where he started back in A & E in a very busy and exciting department.

Dr Kirstie Nicol

Kirstie was born and bred in rural Scotland where her passion for the outdoors began. Kirstie studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and her elective worked with tribal people in Borneo and also spent time working at a hospital in New Zealand.

After graduating she worked in different hospitals in Scotland for two years before travelling extensively around the world and then returning to New Zealand for three years in hospital training. During her time there Kirstie spent her spare time trekking, kayaking, mountain biking, skiing, and she also competed in a triathlon and ran a half marathon.

Mo Osman

Mo was born in Uganda and spent his early years between Uganda and Kenya. At the age of six he moved to England with his family because of the deteriorating political situation in Uganda, and has since lived in Shropshire.

He attained his Registration in general nursing at Wolverhampton and spent a further eighteen months after qualifying working in Wolverhampton.

Mo has a keen interest in the outdoors and regards adapting his skills to different situations as a welcome challenge. Mo's present position in Angola offers him the ideal opportunity to pursue his professional and varied recreational interests

Dr Lucy Owen

Lucy was born in London, where she remained until she a teenager when her family moved to Maidenhead.

Lucy studied medicine at Bristol and her student elective was spent in rural New Zealand; this was her first experience of independent adventure and following a stint of sheep farming she spent several weeks tramping in the South Island.

Dr Rob Partington

Born in Sheffield, Rob has been interested in sports and the outdoors since childhood. He studied Geology at Manchester University, and then went on to work in Australia (WA/QLD) as a Mining Geologist. He also had a brief spell working in the Offshore Oil Industry which was based in Aberdeen prior to starting Medical School.

In 1994 Rob qualified as a Doctor and mainly worked in A&E and Anaesthetics until 3 years ago when he started General Practice which gives him more flexibility to spend time with his daughter and family, whilst still enabling the off run or travel experience to take place

Dr Nikki Petrie

Nicki was born in Bangkok, Thailand as her parents were working there at that time and after a brief stay of 18 months returned to the UK – well Bolton.

Her parents got itchy feet and by the age of 4 she was off again, this time to Italy where Nicki went through primary school and lived very near to the home of Ferrari – which was where Nicki developed her love of all things FAST!

Dr Elizabeth Roche

Elizabeth is an extremely active Doctor with the love of outdoor life, keen for new challenges and adventure.

Elizabeth has worked in Orthopaedics and Vascular Surgery, General Medicine and A&E. Elizabeth’s achievements are British University, British Junior Alpine Ski Champion, completing a multi mountain marathon, road half marathon and fell races, 1st mixed team in the ‘C’ class of the Lowe Alpine Mountain Marathon 2003. Captain of the University Ski Team, helping organise the largest club in the union, including 2 holidays a year to the French Alps

Dr Arno Schonken

A born and bred South African, he completed his medical school training at the University of Pretoria.

This was followed by a year in the United Kingdom working from Stranraer to Worthing doing locums. Where he fell in love with the Lake District and a fabulous exchange rate that helped to make a dent in those study loans.

Returning to African soil he completed a GP vocational training program in Durban which opened doors to rural Natal, working in different small hospitals, running mobile clinics and with the emergency helicopter service of the area. Not to mention working on the surfing skills and hiking in the Drakensberg Mountains.

In 2003 he became a ships doc first on the Marco Pole, since then working on different vessels cruising from the Antarctic to the Arctic where treating a fractured leg to chasing a leopard seal is all in a days work.

In his time not sailing the seven seas he joined the ATD team. This way he can combine medicine while travelling and explore those other bits of the world.  

Dr David Sherwell

David grew up in Dublin and then London, before studying medicine at Oxford University from 1990-1996. David is very keen to get involved in trips that involve physical activity, travelling to remote places and a sense of accomplishment rather than merely lying on a beach for a fortnight. David’s interest outside of medicine is endurance sports, in particular rowing and to a lesser extent running. He competed in rowing at an elite level in the 1990’s and ran the London Marathon in 1998.

David has worked as a full time GP in Putney, London since 2000; he enjoys being a GP and has a special interest in sports medicine, diabetes and minor surgery.

Chetal Sheth

Chet was born in West London where he attended Charing Cross and Westminster training hospitals gaining both his MBBS and a Bachelors in Physiology.

He has travelled extensively in America and South America and is a graduate of the Expedition Medicine training course. He is a keen football and rugby player and speaks fluent Gujarati and Hindi.

Dr Carolyne Simpson

Having grown up in Edinburgh, Carolyne studied medicine at Aberdeen University, she then jumped enthusiastically onto the GP bandwagon and completed her training/exams/membership.

There then came the sudden realisation that there had to be more to life and began investigating taking part in Expeditions. Carolyne now works as a GP Locum in Edinburgh, (very much part-time) as a fundraiser for travelling and holidaying. The idea of combining medicine with travelling and seeing the world appeals immensely and Carolyne cannot believe that she didn’t think of it sooner!!!

Dr Cobus Smit

Cobus is Namibian by birth having been born in Aranos, Namibia and growing up in Namibias great outdoors. He studied medicine at the Paul Roos Gimnasium in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

He has spent then spent his time working as a General Practioner for the last 4 years both in state/government hospitals and private practice in both South Africa and Namibia.

His keen interest in sport and all things outdoors led he to Across the Divide and he has been the expedition medic on numerous South Africa expeditions.

Catriona Webster

After qualifying as a nurse Catriona spent 18 months working on an acute admissions ward, specialising in Coronary Care at University College London. She then moved to infectious and tropical diseases where she has been working for the past 18 months. During this time Catriona has completed a diploma in tropical nursing, a travel medicine course, an advanced life support course and a specialist expedition medicine and travel medicine course.

In September 2004 Catriona spent two weeks as part of a small, highly skilled medical team supporting 70 international athletes competing in a 200km marathon through the Amazon delta, which was a particularly challenging assignment working as part of a well co-ordinated team requiring considerable personal initiative.

Dr David Weinstein

After his first year working as a Doctor in the UK David spent 4 months working as a Doctor in Malawi. During this time he gained a wide experience of tropical medicine and also encountered the multiple problems associated with working in a developing country. Whilst in Africa David took the opportunity to climb Mount Mulanje during an arduous 4 day trek and travelled extensively around Malawi and Zambia.

David has just spent 6 months working in A&E in Chichester and has completed the ATLS Course and the Patterdale Expedition Medicine Course.

David is currently studying for Spanish A Level and is keen on football, tennis, keeping fit and the outdoors. He is currently working in Paediatrics and is planning to take 6 months off in order to take part in some Expeditions.