ARC is proud to be guided by a team and board that truly reflects the values we stand for. With four out of eight directors being women, and all our trustees bringing lived experience of disability, our leadership is shaped by voices and perspectives that have often been underrepresented in outdoor spaces.
Each member of the board shares a deep commitment to representation, inclusion, and equity — ensuring that ARC’s direction is always informed by real experience, community insight, and a passion for creating outdoor opportunities that welcome everyone.
Meet the ARC Team
Delivery team
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Neil brings a lifelong passion for inclusion, education, and the outdoors to his role as CEO and founder of ARC. With a background in teaching, sports coaching, and academic research focused on the inclusion of physically disabled people in outdoor spaces, he has spent his career exploring how to make outdoor experiences more accessible for everyone.As a handcyclist for over a decade and someone born with a disability, Neil carries lived experience of navigating barriers in the outdoors, in the workplace, and within sporting communities. This perspective fuels his commitment to equity, representation, and creating spaces where everyone feels they belong.
At ARC, Neil leads with the belief that the outdoors should be a place for all—and works every day to help make that a reality.
Neil is also the first to say that neither his own achievements nor ARC's would have been possible without the unwavering support of the people around him. He credits a huge amount of both his own success, and more importantly ARC's, to the encouragement, patience and belief of his partner, Lynsey, along with the support of his friends and family, who have backed the journey from day one.
Neil lives in Dunblane with Lynsey, Sadie—their energetic Cocker Spaniel—and their two cats, Hudson and Ripley. When he's not riding bikes or enthusiastically telling anyone who'll listen about ARC (usually funders!), he loves heading off on adventures with friends, cooking, and trying to switch off with a good book.
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Born in Fife and raised in the Highlands, Derry, our Logistics & Operations Manager, had a brief spell living in Glasgow before finding her way back to her happy place in the countryside around Callander. Derry learned to ride a bike when she was around eight years old and she's since become a very capable cyclist, even dipping her toe into competitive cycling before discovering that her real passion lies in running ultra-distance events. Cycling has given her some amazing experiences along the way, including the opportunity to ride at the Chris Hoy Velodrome.
Derry is happiest when she's outdoors. Whether she's running what most people would consider ridiculous distances, bikepacking with her family, riding downhill mountain bike trails, bouldering, or simply eating croissants after a day climbing in Fontainebleau, she's always looking for the next adventure.
Professionally, Derry brings over ten years' experience in operations, leadership, training and developing people, having spent much of her career helping organisations in the indoor climbing industry run smoothly and support their teams to thrive. At ARC, she's the person helping keep everything moving behind the scenes, making sure the practical details come together so everyone else can focus on getting out on the trails.
Derry describes herself as an all-rounder rather than a specialist—never claiming to be exceptional at any one thing, but always getting the job done. Everyone at ARC would beg to differ. Since joining the team, she's played a huge part in helping shape how the organisation operates, bringing structure, clarity and a relentless drive to keep improving. Whether she's organising logistics, developing systems, running an ultra, riding bikes, or somehow juggling it all alongside being a mum, she's happiest when she's busy. Sitting still simply isn't in her nature.
When she does finally slow down, you'll usually find her sharing a cheeseboard, a packet of cracked black pepper crisps and a good dram with family or friends. For someone who's always looking ahead to the next adventure, it's the simple moments spent with the people she loves that help her recharge before she's off again.
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As ARC’s Senior Activity Leader/Coordinator & Support Officer, Jane brings a vibrant mix of outdoor experience, creativity, and people-focused support to everything she does. With a background working in the outdoors and a deep love for all things flora and fauna, she’s in her element when helping others connect with nature in meaningful, accessible ways.
A passionate advocate for removing barriers, Jane is dedicated to supporting people to experience the outdoors on their own terms. Her years of self-employment as a basket weaver add to her wide-ranging skills — blending craftsmanship, patience, and a grounded understanding of how creativity and nature go hand in hand.
With her broad spectrum of experience and her genuine love for the work, Jane brings warmth, enthusiasm, and an unwavering commitment to helping our community thrive outdoors.
trustee team
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Mike brings steady guidance, deep experience, and a genuine passion for adaptive cycling to his role as ARC’s Chair. With a wealth of handcycling experience and his own lived experience of a spinal injury, Mike offers invaluable insight into the realities and possibilities of inclusive outdoor activity.
Alongside helping to steer ARC’s direction, Mike is hands-on within the community — delivering activities as a qualified mountain bike leader and sharing his extensive knowledge of adaptive cycling with participants and the team alike.
Mike’s leadership helps keep ARC closely aligned with its mission and values, ensuring that every decision and activity stays rooted in accessibility, inclusion, and the belief that the outdoors should be open to everyone.
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Rosie brings a rich blend of outdoor expertise, organisational skill, and lived experience to her role as ARC’s Secretary. With a background that spans mountain bike leadership, bikepacking guiding, and a lifelong love of horses and pony trekking, she has spent years helping people discover confidence and joy in the outdoors.
Her sharp understanding of policy, safety protocols, and all the behind-the-scenes details — the “crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s” — helps keep ARC running smoothly and safely. Rosie not only keeps us on the straight and narrow, but also ensures we understand our direction and the best path to get there.
With personal and professional lived experience of disability, Rosie fully embraces ARC’s long-standing values of empowerment, support, and facilitation. Her commitment to creating outdoor spaces where everyone feels welcome is woven into everything she does.
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Ani brings passion, advocacy, and a wealth of outdoor experience to her role as ARC’s Treasurer. A dedicated climber, hill walker, and outdoor swimmer, she has always felt most at home in wild spaces — and works hard to ensure others feel that same sense of belonging.
Ani is a strong advocate for people who are often underrepresented in outdoor communities, including people of colour, disabled people, and anyone who has felt that outdoor spaces weren’t made for them. Her commitment to equity and visibility helps ARC continually challenge barriers and widen access.
With her own lived experience of disability, Ani brings insight, compassion, and a deep personal connection to ARC’s mission. She has consistently gone above and beyond to support both ARC and the wider outdoor community, helping foster spaces where everyone feels welcome, seen, and empowered.
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Darren is a Human Resources and Organisational Development professional with extensive experience in supporting people, culture, and organisational improvement across the public sector. Passionate about creating inclusive environments where individuals can thrive, Darren brings expertise in workforce development, employee engagement, and strategic people management.
As a Trustee of the Adaptive Riders Collective, Darren is committed to expanding opportunities for disabled people to access cycling and outdoor activities. Darren is a strong advocate for inclusion, wellbeing, and removing barriers to participation, helping to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience the physical, social, and mental health benefits of cycling.
Darren brings professional insight with a genuine commitment to community impact, supporting the charity’s mission to create a more accessible and inclusive cycling landscape for all.
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Dr Kirsty Ellis is Head of Quality and Care Assurance at Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS), where she provides strategic leadership for quality, governance and continuous improvement across the care directorates.
With a background in nursing and healthcare leadership, Kirsty is passionate about creating safe, inclusive and person-centred environments that enable people to thrive.
Outside of her professional role, she is an experienced cyclist, ride leader and founder of a Scottish cycling business focused on accessible adventure and community connection. Kirsty has extensive experience in governance, risk management and organisational development, alongside a strong commitment to equity, inclusion and trauma-informed practice.
As a Trustee of Adaptive Riders Collective, she is delighted to support the organisation’s mission to remove barriers to cycling and help create opportunities for people of all abilities to experience the freedom, confidence and joy that cycling can bring.
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Sarah brings an inclusive blend of teaching, marketing and communications, creativity, and a passion for creating encouraging, fun-filled outdoor experiences. With a background in education supporting and advocating for students with disabilities and experience in marketing and communications within the cycling industry—from nonprofits and bike shops to events and advocacy initiatives—Sarah is at her best when helping people connect in meaningful and accessible ways.
A lifelong outdoor enthusiast, Sarah combines her love of the outdoors with life on two wheels and a deep commitment to advocacy. She believes everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the joy, connection, and freedom that cycling and other outdoor adventures can bring.
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Stu Thomson is a strategic advisor with more than 20 years' experience helping organisations in sport grow through audience development, brand strategy, digital content and partnerships. After beginning his career as a professional mountain bike racer, he founded Cut Media, where he worked with leading global brands, athletes and events to create campaigns and stories that reached and inspired millions of people.
Alongside this, Stu is perhaps best known for his long creative partnership with Danny MacAskill, helping shape many of Danny's most iconic films over more than a decade. Together, they demonstrated how authentic storytelling can build global audiences and inspire more people to get involved in cycling.
Stu joins the Adaptive Riders Collective board to support the charity's growth by bringing expertise in digital strategy, audience engagement, storytelling and communications. Passionate about the benefits of cycling and making it more accessible, he is excited to help ARC expand its reach, grow its community and inspire more people to experience the freedom and opportunities that cycling can offer.