Cadence Training brings the training of guides up to date with the use of learning technology and technical support, as well having a dedicated vision of the practical and business training needed to create competent and professional tourist guides who will go on to have long careers in the industry. The well-being of students is paramount and Cadence Training provides the support students need to prosper during their courses and to then flourish as guides.
Mike James
Director
Mike has worked in the tourism industry since 1990, primarily as a freelance tour manager for numerous package travel operators working primarily in North American markets throughout the UK and Ireland. He has also worked in administrative, and operational management roles both as a regional manager (supervising at team of over 400 tour managers) and also in financial, health & safety, and crisis management roles.
Mike qualified as a Blue Badge Tourist Guide for the South West of England in 2014 when he won the regional prize for Best Written Paper. He is also an accredited guide at York Minster since 2007, and has completed endorsement examinations with the Institute of Tourist Guiding in Windsor & Eton, Wells, and is also accredited by the Institute to train Blue Badge Guides.
He is the proud owner of the award-winning Savouring Bath which provides culinary sampling tours in Bath, and also of Akeman Tours Ltd who provide tour guide-led services across the UK both on a wholesale basis and to FIT clients. As a specialist in culinary travel, in his spare time Mike also works in the cheese industry!
He continues to work both as a guide and a tour manager but can also regularly be found behind the counter of the country’s oldest cheesemonger, and he has also worked for various cheese makers in the south west of England.
Lindsey Garwood
Director
Besides working as a guide in the region, Lindsey is co-director of a theatre company and performs on-stage regularly, as well as writing, directing and performing in shows at interesting locations such as on Brunel’s SS Great Britain and at Ashton Court and Arnos Vale Cemetery in Bristol.
In the last 20 years, Lindsey has taught and trained people on courses and in workshops in areas such as tour management and delivery, creativity in the workplace, and skills for professional performers.
Lindsey worked for various tour companies before becoming a Blue Badge Guide, travelling the globe widely as a Tour Director and also training new Tour Directors, as well as helping to design better tours.
Lindsey is very involved in her local community in Bristol, campaigning for historic buildings, community venues and social causes, and supporting raising funds for the local school.
She has done a variety of interesting things in her life, including being a dancer and a pirate radio DJ in Spain and surveying coral reefs off the coast of Mexico, but she is delighted that a childhood dream of becoming a Tour Guide came true and is passionate about the job.
Mike and Lindsey have a long professional working relationship – first meeting working for EF Educational Tours in 2005. They have shared standards in training excellence and are looking forward to running the first Blue Badge course in the area since 2018.
Oliver Haslam
Digital Learning Designer
Oliver has worked in the adult education sector for almost 30 years. He started his career as a teacher and soon became interested in the use of digital tools to enhance his teaching practice and help students to learn more effectively. For the past 15 years he has worked in Higher Education, working closely with lecturers and heads of learning across a wide range of academic subjects.
Oliver specialises in developing digital learning environments and training academic staff to provide the best interactive blended learning experiences possible.
Our Current Course: Blue Badge Guide; Somerset, Glos & Wilts
We are currently awaiting accreditation from the Institute of Tourist Guiding of a Blue Badge Guide course running 2026/2027, which covers the ceremonial counties of Somerset (including Bristol and Bath), Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire.
This wonderfully varied region has a vibrant visitor economy and award-winning attractions and destinations. Great tourist guides are a major asset to visitors wishing to make the most of their time in this special corner of England, and there is a need for more of them!
Blue Badge Tourist Guides are internationally recognised for their skill and professionalism, and are indeed considered to be the gold standard of tourist guiding. Completion of this course will enable you to be one of those great, professional guides, bringing the heritage and history of the south west region alive for visitors and locals.
For full details please read our prospectus. Applications are open online from 1st September 2025 to 15th February 2026.
Fill in the form to attend one of our Open Days. Our current scheduled Open Days are on:
- Thursday 27th November 2025 6.30-8pm, online via Zoom
- Saturday 10th January 2026 2-5pm, Bath
Tutors and Lecturers for the Blue Badge Course for Wiltshire, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Bath and Bristol
Mike James (Course Director, Guide, Full-time Tutor & Lecturer. Admin Lead). See above for his bio.
Lindsey Garwood (Course Director, Guide, Full-time Tutor & Lecturer. Background Knowledge Lead. Welfare Lead). See above for her bio.
Owen Bowles (Full-time Tutor & Lecturer)
Owen is a retired aerospace executive with extensive international experience, including many years working overseas, particularly in France. He has been a Blue Badge Tourist Guide since 2019 for the Heart of England and has subsequently qualified to guide in South Central England, Windsor, and Wells (city and cathedral). He is fluent in French and certified by the Institute of Tourist Guiding to conduct tours in both English and French. He has published audio walking tours on the Voicemap app of Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, Shrewsbury, Cirencester, Ludlow, and Wells. His particular interests are history, prehistory, folklore, architecture, amusing anecdotes, and rugby.
Our other tutors and lecturers include Blue Badge Tourist Guides with a lot of experience in guiding, and training guides, as well as Guides with a variety of specialist skills in different locations, languages and in various themes for tours.
Our guest lecturers and panellists include experts from the fields of tourism, marketing, accountancy and performance, as well as experts in topics you will be able to use in your guiding content.
Sean Callery (Tutor & Lecturer)
Kelly Ballard (Marketing Lecturer)
Andrew Butterworth (Guide)
Norman Steinberg (Accountancy Lecturer)
Cheryl Corcoran (Guide)
Heather Newman (Rural Environment Lecturer)
Mary Moxham (Guide)
Ian Jelf (Lecturer – Communications Seminar)
John Lomas (Storytelling and Difficult Client Workshops)
PRSC (Street Art in Stokes Croft, Bristol)
Learning Portal
This is for the students of the Blue Badge Guide course 2026/2027 for Somerset, Glos. and Wilts. This portal opens on 28th February 2026 for successful applicants.