Toby Cowern - Survival Instructor

Toby Cowern

Toby’s extensive and broad-ranging experience in the Reserve Armed Forces, leisure industry, outdoor activities and Health and Safety industry have equipped him with comprehensive skills and knowledge admirably suited to joining the Trueways Professional Team for Military Survival, Expedition Preparation and on our Urban Survival and Disaster Preparedness Courses.

Toby has had a keen interest in survival skills from an early age. Given the chance he will recite the story of diligently saving his pocket money aged 11 to buy the ‘newly released’ SAS Survival Handbook, probably never imagining that he would end up on the same training team as the author, Lofty Wiseman!

As a competitive and keen sportsman in many diverse disciplines, Toby started a career in Leisure Management largely to facilitate the time required for him to be outdoors as much as possible. To further complement his chosen career Toby joined the Reserve Armed Forces aged 23, of which he is still an active and committed member (RMR).

Aged 15 Toby took his first trip to Northern Scandinavia which ignited his ongoing passion for all things Arctic. Whilst living and working in the UK, Toby took every opportunity over the next 15 years to travel back to these Arctic climes, which eventually led to the decision for him and his family to permanently base themselves in Northern Sweden inside the Arctic Circle. Since moving to Sweden Toby’s office is now almost exclusively outdoors, where he spends his time tracking, hunting and researching, practicing and refining relevant survival techniques.

Toby has attained recognised qualifications in mountain guiding, climbing instruction, first aid, snowmobiling, and has a broad competence base in skiing (Nordic and alpine), mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, sailing and swimming to name but a few! He has also formally instructed in a variety of both practical and theoretical areas in outdoor pursuits for over 16 years.

Notable training achievements for Toby include training the winning team for the Polar Challenge 2006 (a race to the North Pole) and preparing Team Helmut for the upcoming Arctic Ultra Yukon Challenge 2009.

Toby’s Qualifications and Professional Memberships include

Member Army Mountaineering Association

Member British Mountaineering Council

British Mountaineering Council Single Pitch Award Instructor

Mountain Leader

British Canoe Union 3 star competency in Open Canoe

Vägverket Förarbevis Terrängskoter (Swedish Snowmobile Guiding License)

Member National Geographical Society

Brand ö Radnningtjanst Grundutbildning (Fire and Rescue Service Foundation Training)

National Rescue Standards Teacher / Examiner (Covers First Aid / Aquatic rescue and more)

Graduate level Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

Active Member Jokkmokks Radnningtjanst (County Rescue Service)

BSC Certificate in Safety Management

BSC Level 6 Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health

NEBOSH Level 3 Certificate in Fire safety & risk management

NVQ Level 2 in Learning and Development

Kamana Naturalist Training Program Level 2 (Currently studying towards Level 3)

Member Society of Primitive Technology

Jägareförbundets Klass 1 Vapenlicenser (Pending – Swedish Class1 Weapons License)

Active Member Porjus Jakt o Fisk (Hunting and Fishing Club)

Active Member Porjus Skytt Förnening (Pistol shooting society)

Chair Naturens Vänner Förnening (‘Natures Friends Society’)

Travel between the UK and the Arctic is now a regular feature of Toby’s life, swapping his time between survival training and expedition preparation with the Trueways Professional Team and his Royal Marines Reserve commitments. Toby’s passion, experience and location make him a welcome addition to Trueways, and his professionalism, patience and humour will make your time on any of the courses he delivers a memorable experience