Karen Galway

Hi, my name is Karen Galway and I was born in Leicester, before moving to beautiful Cornwall in 1982.

I have 3 gorgeous daughters, Kaye, Kerry and Katrina (we like the letter K), and I am blessed with 6 lively grandchildren; Kieran, Kaitlin, Jowan, Sam, Amelia and Leo.

Having active grandchildren keeps me on my toes and allows me to share my passion for the outdoors with them. We enjoy camping trips, kayaking, climbing, sailing, walking and horse riding together.

I first started work as a machinist, stitching and making clothes, textiles led me to art, another of my passions. I decided to take this further and I enrolled an access to art course. I wanted to share art with others and I began to support people on a youth and community scheme. I was lucky enough to support people on holidays within the scheme to Brittany, France and Italy.

I have gained other qualifications along my way including a BTEC in Social Care, RSA Counselling, Health and Social Care level 2 and 3, and I have also completed an outdoor education course.

All of this has been put in good use with what I currently do.

I am naturally a caring person, who enjoys helping others, enabling them to live their best lives. As well as working for Go Beyond Holidays, I work for the NHS in local hospitals and at the moment I am spending most of my time supporting people with learning disabilities in their own homes.

I have been working with Go Provence/Go Beyond since 2013, experiencing many different types of holidays.

 

A Few Questions to Karen Galway

What motivates and inspires you?

  • My family, my three children and six grandchildren all inspire me;
  • People that are positive and outgoing;
  • Watching people’s dreams and goals come true;
  • People I work with and support, seeing a smile on people’s face;
  • Being outdoors. Doing something different every day, being out and about, blue skies and sunshine, I feel like life is an adventure, so live it!
  • Travelling, seeing different places, meeting different people;
  • Kayaking.
Karen Galway

What are your strengths?

I feel that I am a very positive and calm person, patient, understanding, non-judgemental and a good listener. I get on with the majority of people I meet. I have the ability to make a bad situation into a good one.

What about your weaknesses, where do you need support?

  • Lack of confidence, I need to believe in myself more.
  • I feel I work too much, need more time management for me.
  • Being dyslexic, I always worry about my spelling and writing. I do like reading, although I find it difficult, as I read very slowly, I need to find more time to do this.

What is the highlight of working for Go Beyond Holidays?

Well working for Go Provence, I have never enjoyed working so much.

Every day is a new adventure with laughter and smiles all around. Sometimes I am anxious of an activity ahead, but how good did I feel after conquering it, and seeing the same with the holiday makers.

Meeting new people ever week, and not forgetting the people I’ve meet before. Seeing their happiness and smiles. The food is so healthy and rich.

Working in such a beautiful, breath taking, stunning environment, and seeing all the wildlife.

The team and holiday makers that I have meet, have given me so much inspiration.

It has made me look at life differently, and given me so much enthusiasm, growth and confidence with trying new things.

Since working for Go Provence, I have undertaken an outdoor education course and
found that kayaking was one of the most exciting and relaxing amazing hobbies going, just to be on the water and seeing the land and wildlife from a different perspective.
I also enjoy climbing and cycling. It has given me a new lease of life, I look at things very differently now, for example, whatever the weather elements are, there is no reason not to be outside enjoying it. My outdoor course was through the winter time, and I would normally be sat in front of the fire at home, but now I’m out and about and making the most of every day.

Do you have any personal ambitions?

I would like to go kayaking somewhere exotic for a week or longer.

I would also like to own my own property in a warm climate, a bonus would be for it to be big enough for all my family and friends.

Finally, if you were set adrift on a desert island which three albums, three films, three books and one luxury would you take?

Easy listening
The Beatles
Meghan Trainor

Three films would be The Sound of Music, Dirty Dancing and Shrek.

Three Books would be Rosamunde Pilcher omnibus: The Carousel & Voices in Summer,
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Fifty Places to Paddle Before You Die.

Luxury Item – Kayak

Meet the rest of the team…