All our activities are led by Simon Ferrier who holds high level NGB qualifications across a range of outdoor activities. Simon is qualified to technical advisor level at whitewater kayaking, climbing and hill-walking.

Simon is vastly experienced at running school trips in the locations in France that we use. Experience is something that we consider to be hugely important in managing risk an often forgotten commodity in today's world of ticking boxes.

Simon is supported by a team of staff who are selected for their experience and enthusiasm as well as their qualifications. For some of our activities in the Alps such as mountaineering we use a co-operative of local French Guides who are again vastly experienced.

'Simon set up a terrific canoeing trip for my family which was the centrepiece of our holiday. Our kids had a particularly good time and we felt Simon had found precisely the right balance between paddling and breaks in the sun for the children to swim. Knowing we had an experienced guide made this trip not only fun, but safe. I'd recommend Simon as a guide for other families,' Jonathan Sutcliffe, Leeds August 2011.

Massif Adventures is licensed by the Adventure Activities Licensing Service and undergoes regular inspections to ensure that its safety management systems are as rigorous as they can be. Although we do not need to be licensed for our operations in France we consider this to be an important aspect of what we do and it gives schools the assurance that we meet all the latest guidelines on health and safety. We also consider it an important way of keeping up to date with developments in terms of the Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits.

Our safety management systems and risk assessments are available on request. Managing risk and making decisions whilst on the river or in the mountains is a continuous process which relies on clear risk assessments, competence and experience.