We’re delighted to welcome Sophie Owsianka to the RTBP team as the new Education Coordinator. Sophie has a degree in Marine Biology and Coastal Ecology from Plymouth University, giving her relevant background knowledge of the river environment. She has previously worked as an assistant in a primary school and is an active RYA Senior Instructor, teaching windsurfing and dinghy sailing for over 10 years, which involves running Kids club activities, boat driving and plenty of time out on the water!

In her first couple of weeks, Sophie is focusing on learning about the charity, and familiarising herself with the content of the education programmes in order to deliver these to visiting schools at all the RTBP education sites. Key priorities for her over the next few months include getting hands on experience delivering School on the River and Eco-Venturers, working with and developing our growing team of education volunteers and updating elements of Eco-Venturers to reflect recent changes in the national curriculum.

Sophie has already attended the Volunteer Training Day in February, joined in with Skipper Training on Thames Discoverer and will be getting straight into observing and teaching school days throughout March.  Sophie lives in Chessington and knows the local area and community.