meet us
Steve Bird
Founder & Managing Director
Steve has over 15 years’ experience working with children and young people in schools, the community and through outdoor learning programmes; establishing an outdoor learning centre running residential activities, overseas expeditions and adventure training.
Steve is also a professional leadership and development coach and has set up a number of community outreach projects for young people in Llanelli to help address the growing number of young people from the area not in education or employment.
Steve is an accredited outdoor activity instructor and has achieved BCU level 3 Sea Kayaking, qualified as a Mountain Leader, Local Cave Leader, Single Pitch Award Instructor and Coasteering Leader. He is a JNC qualified youth worker.
Andrew Wilkinson (Wilki)
Project Development Officer
Following 5 years of service with the Royal Marines, Andrew has been a teacher at Wellington College and The Wellington Academy since 2010. He taught French, ran the Royal Marines cadet section and also the climbing at the College, before becoming a Housemaster, with pastoral care responsibilities for 75 boys aged 13-18.
Andrew is an experienced mountaineer, summitting some of the biggest peaks in the world. and has climbed extensively across mountain ranges such UK, Alps and the Himalaya.
He joined LoadedUK in 2018 to develop new initiatives serving to enhance young people life chances.
Andrew is married to Sarah, has a young (and lively!) daughter called Poppy.
“There are so many relational, motivational and physical benefits to getting outdoors, and taking on challenges as a group. I love giving young people opportunities to explore the natural world, whether through bushcraft, in the mountains or along rivers - it’s a wild world out there and I want to bring back to young people the excitement and adventure of challenging themselves outside. I would love to encourage our young away from screens and to see what lies behind the next mountain!”