Gizmo Outdoors (known then as Gizmo Events) was founded towards the end of 2019 when I began sub-contracting for a sporting events company based in Norwich, Norfolk as their Course Director.

As part of a very active team providing a range of sporting events at the time; 10K’s, Canicross races, Half Marathons and sponsored charity walks around the Norfolk Broads, it was a very busy time ensuring that courses were well signed, risk assessed and marshals were well managed on event day.

In the very early part of 2020, and alongside working on the sporting events, I trained to become a qualified Cycling Instructor in the Bikeability programme. Working specifically with Suffolk Roadsafe to deliver Bikeability Level 1 & 2 courses to primary school students in years 5 and 6 across the county.

With both of these undertakings effectively requiring ‘part-time’ hours for the majority, it was an effective way to make the most of my working life in positive and rewarding environments.

As with many things in life, timing came very much into play at this point. Just a month after completing my instructor training in 2020, and as the events season was starting to get busy.

COVID-19…

For the next two years life became very much an ‘on-again-off-again’ situation with events being cancelled, rebooked, cancelled again as lock-downs came and went.

Schools were also closed or with heavy restrictions, with minimal bookings available.

Despite the pandemic, Gizmo Outdoors survived the tumultuous couple of years and the end of 2021 began to show promise as life started to return to normal.

Unfortunately, the events company I’d been sub-contracting for hadn’t been so lucky but I was fortunate enough for another opportunity to come to pass (timing again?).

Towards the end of 2021 I began sub-contracting for Race Time Result, delivering race timing services to sporting events across East-Anglia, the Midlands and beyond.

Cycle Training in Suffolk also returned to levels prior to the pandemic and life was suddenly busier than it had ever been.

Since the beginning of 2022 Gizmo Outdoors has continued to work on providing timing services on behalf of Race Time Result, with a change in role to become the company’s Timing Systems Manager.

Alongside that, I’ve continued to work in cycle training with more opportunities to support cyclists of all ages to get more from their riding and to promote cycling as a more accessible mode of transport for all. As part of this, in 2022 I trained as a Guided Ride Leader with British Cycling to broaden my own knowledge and skills.

Whilst the future for Gizmo Outdoors is still not entirely certain, I am sure that things will continue to grow and develop.