Appointment of Head of Adventure from September 2021

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Tom Folker as our very first Head of Adventure at Shrewsbury School. 

Tom was the standout candidate at interview and impressed with his background experience, passion for the outdoors, and vision for developing the area of adventure education.  Currently a senior outdoor instructor at a school near Auckland New Zealand, Tom has over 14 years of experience in outdoor education including working at both Abbotsholme School and Marlborough College in the UK, alongside time spent delivering outdoor education programs for a number of organisations across the UK including the Girl Guides.

Tom writes, "I am excited to be joining Shrewsbury School with its enviable history of exploration and adventure. I look forward to continuing to develop this history by opening up new and more varied opportunities for the students of Shrewsbury School to learn outdoors, try new adventurous activities and undertake expeditions, utilising the mountains, hills and rivers that surround the school and the school's bunkhouse in North Wales, as well as other venues in the UK and indeed around the world."  

Deputy Head Co-Curricular Peter Middleton comments, “With a wealth of experience running trips as wide-ranging as ice-climbing in Norway to caving in Slovenia and with experience in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Tom will significantly enhance this area of School life for our pupils, and we are excited to welcome him to our team next academic year.  Shrewsbury’s rich tradition in adventure and exploration stretches back to Charles Darwin’s voyage of the Beagle through to Sandy Irvine’s Everest expedition in 1924 alongside more recent explorers amongst our alumni including fellow Everest climber Adam Booth, author and adventurer Alastair Humphreys and globe-trotting author and documentary-maker Sir Michael Palin." 

"We very much hope that with the creation of this new role, we will see the next generation of Salopians inspired to follow in their footsteps, encountering learning and challenge in the outdoors, the thrill of adventure and the rich reward of embracing new experiences and challenges.”