Neil Manser

Co-founder and director

Neil is a co-founder and director of the project and has lived in France for twenty years. Neil worked for several years as a classroom assistant at a Dr. Barnardo Special Needs Primary School in Southborough, Kent. He also worked as an art classroom assistant in another special needs school. Neil was often involved with supported holidays to Wales. Neil was involved with a project in Malaysia supporting adults with learning and physical disabilities. Neil is also the chef and prepares all the meals for Go Provence. When he isn’t working for Go Provence he lives near St Tropez on the coast.

Neil has a Primary Certificate in Social Care from West Kent College. Neil is trained in First Aid to British Red Cross Standard (January 2019). Neil also has training in Epilepsy and Midazolam, Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults and the Mental Capacity Act.

A Few Questions to Neil

What motivates and inspires you?

I like to make people smile.

What strengths do you bring to the Go Provence team?

I always look for the positives, the silver lining. I always try to keep spirits up.

Which areas do you need support in?

I am dyslexic, so I need support with my literacy skills.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

To be providing supported holidays for 12 months of the year and being able to sit back and relax a bit.

Personal ambitions?

I would love to go travelling again, visit South America and Africa.

Highlight of working with Go Beyond Holidays?

Making people happy and knowing that when the holiday makers go home, they take a bit of all of us with them.

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

I would take the films:
Once, The Great Gatsby and Young Frankenstein.
I would take the albums:
Prince ‘The Best of’
Sufjan Stevens ‘Illinois’
James ‘Laid’
The book I would take would be:
The complete works of Oscar Wilde.

And finally my luxury would be a complete kitchen!

Neil Manser