Leadership and Management Programme

In May I visited the beautiful Alpenrose facility in Bavaria. The trip was part of the Leadership and Management programme and proved to be an excellent finale to the group experience of the programme. The surroundings of Bavaria proved uplifting, with the striking Alpine scenes inspirational and each day presenting another aspect of natural beauty to wonder at. We were welcomed warmly by the staff of My Peak Potential, the University partner operating the Alpenrose facility and throughout the whole experience their friendly and gentle support proved invaluable in coaching us through fairly challenging tasks.

Though based in different areas of the University we soon formed a strong and supportive team, reducing the potential anxiety of the challenges of the experience greatly and it is this that must be the most important learning point of the trip for me. We all have tough jobs to do but with the considerate support of colleagues the burden is shared, the outcomes improved and the experience positive. The tasks we undertook all had a physical aspect and this made the excellent cooking of the chef Herbert Muller even more inviting, with his traditional dishes proving supremely wholesome and universally loved by the group!

Lawrence Bellamy - Faculty of Business and Law

Infectious Enthusiasm in Bavaria

There was a jolting 'what have I let myself in for' moment on learning I'd been picked out of the hat for an Alpenrose trip. Some of the staff who run the centre are ex-army and there were stories of alarming physical activities. Arrival at the Alpenrose soon dispelled that. The accommodation and food were first class and the staff friendly and supportive, facilitating not just the activities but the social side as well. Some are volunteers because they believe in what the centre stands for - personal development, new experiences, pushing boundaries. Their enthusiasm was infectious.



The stunning scenery was a perfect backdrop to the activities - Nordic skiing, snowshoe walking and team building - involving ropes and wires across gorges - the most rewarding as it needed cooperation, trust, and teamwork. These qualities, on a much larger scale, were seen in two awe-inspiring evening presentations by Dave Bunting, who led the 2006 expedition up Everest's notorious west face and Dee Caffari, the first woman to sail single-handed round the world in both directions. It is possible to question the purpose of enterprises like these but impossible not to admire the sheer courage, drive, organisation and determination to carry them through.


Kevin Anderson Bibliographic Services Librarian Faculty of Innovation North - Libraries and Learning Services

Festival of Partnerships for Students Prize winner

After working on various Regional University Network events throughout the Festival of Partnerships for Students I was thrilled to be one of the chosen few to find 'My Peak Potential'. The briefing in Leeds gave us an insight to what could be expected but on arriving at the lodge in the Southern Alps of Germany, nothing quite prepared me for the spectacular location and scenery. Day one saw our team Nordic skiing, day two snowshoeing and day three was the much kept secret activities in the gorge; a mix of activities which enabled us all to challenge ourselves both physically and mentally.and have some fun along the way.

The coaches were fantastic and made us all feel at ease with each task we faced - going blind folded down a zip wire across a river is certainly something I have never experienced before! It was great to mix with staff and students from across the university and share the journey with them. My highlight was the talk given by Dave Bunting on the Mount Everest expedition via the formidable West Ridge. It was inspirational and motivating and demonstrated the importance of working as a team and being focussed on your goals.

Sarah Kirkpatrick GandySenior Officer - Widening Participation & Communications Innovation North - RUN Central