“What have you done today to make you feel PROUD?”

Aim

Inspiring YOU to find your PURPOSE and using it to support your community and society!

---------------------- EAT SLEEP WORK REPEAT? --------------------

Do you ever feel like you slog all week, just to get to the weekend, then feel too tired to really enjoy your time ‘off’, only to prepare yourself for another 70-hour work week?

Have you been sitting on a Million-pound idea for too long, convincing yourself that you’ll do something about it once you get promoted/richer/happier/married* (delete as applicable)?

Do you sometimes just want to pack it all in, throw away your iPhone and go to a desert island where you can just ignore the rest of the world?

Ever questioned why society asks us to work for 60% of our life, only to not have the energy to really enjoy our retirement?

You are not alone!

Many of us struggle with stress and overwhelm due to trying to follow someone else's journey, instead of our own. By uncovering your purpose, being inspired and taking time to prioritise yourself, you can live a more fulfilling lifestyle and prevent some of these, now commonplace, issues. 

Let's build recuperation, wellbeing and exploration, not just into our time off, but into our employment.Let your employer provide you with the opportunity to develop yourself, network and learn from others!

Providing EXPLORATION, SELF-DEVELOPMENT and WELLBEING activities, the only limit is your imagination!

InTah’s experiences will range from Conferences to Expeditions, Retreats to Mentoring, Award Ceremonies to Loyalty Schemes to help you discover your purpose and BE INSPIRED! 

And if you still aren’t convinced…

------------------- The struggles of mental ill health -----------------

Mental illness is the second-largest source of burden of disease in the UK with 1 in 4 in the UK experience mental health issues and a whopping 792 Million affected worldwide.

Burnout has now been classified as a disease by the World Health Organisation with 74% of people saying they have felt so stressed they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope.

• 51% of adults who felt stressed reported feeling depressed and 61% felt anxious
• 46% reported an unhealthy diet, 29% started to drink to excess and 16% started or increased smoking.

Burnout is a global problem, with 602,000 workers suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety.

• £8.4 billion a year in sickness absence - the average employee taking seven sick days per year, of which 40% are for mental health, or 72 million lost working days per year
• £15.1 billion a year in reduced productivity a year – ‘presenteeism’ accounts for 1.5 times as much working time lost as absenteeism and costs more to employers because it is more common among higher-paid staff
• £2.4 billion a year is spent replacing staff who leave their jobs because of mental ill health.

Research shows that 40% of people with a mental health condition do not feel comfortable talking to their boss about it, yet prevention and early detection of issues could enable employers to save 30+% of these costs – at least £8 billion per year. 

MUCH MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE!

---------------------- How will InTah help YOU? -----------------------

If you are in need of a holiday, but you can’t face coming back to an overflowing email inbox? 

Maybe you want an adventure, but just don’t have time to plan it yourself?

Or some self-development, but can't face a week of PowerPoint slides?

Then InTah is for YOU!

Whether you fancy building a school in Ecuador, scuba diving off the coast of Mozambique, providing business coaching in Mongolia or trekking in Bhutan, InTah has got something for everyone. 

--------------------- And we help the planet too ----------------------

With SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY and SUSTAINABILITY at the heart of every InTah experience, our activities, products and services continue to promote and encourage the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. 

By engaging and participating in InTah activities, Tribe members will not only have the opportunity to support worthwhile causes around the globe but discover opportunities to develop and consolidate their new-found skills, whilst also supporting community projects and paying-it-forward. 

With each InTah experience delivering a different focus, there is no end to the support we can deliver to charities in a variety of sectors, both in the UK and Internationally. 

------------------------- A bit about me ---------------------------

We are all constantly discovering more about ourselves; there’s always room for improvement, but here’s what I’ve learnt so far.

The struggles...

I struggled my way through school, seemingly working much harder for lesser grades; I left sixth form with good grades, but what I really learnt was that I had ENTHUSIASM and GRIT, and lots of it!!! 

I discovered this in particular having been declined a place on an expedition to South Africa, run in conjunction with my school; I was so determined not to miss out that I teamed up with some other equally determined classmates and we formed our own team to head to Tanzania!

The adventure...

The expedition was life-changing; ask any of my close friends and they'll tell you I came back an entirely different, better person! We scaled the dizzy heights of Mt Meru (4566m), volunteered at an orphanage and built a play area for the kids. I identified my own style of leadership, tested my limits and found a coinciding confidence in my abilities. Learning about finances, navigation and time-management, we returned home as well-rounded young ladies! 

Through many deep and meaningful conversations with my teammates, often sat on a log, overlooking the most spectacular of views, and mentoring outside of a classroom setting, I realised that my struggles were because I had been striving to follow a prescribed path rather than forging my own! 

And that there was the catalyst; a convenient nudge that pushed me off the path I was on and onto a new one, my own one! I changed many of my AS-Level subject choices, ALL six of my University preferences and indeed the profession from Veterinary Medicine to Aeronautical Engineering! Through sheer hard work, determination and the ability to demonstrate adaptability to several different scenarios I gained a place at my first choice, Loughborough University, to study Aeronautical Engineering, and sponsorship from the Royal Air Force. 

Things only got more adventurous….

My idea of a ‘holiday’ has since been a little unusual; building Long-drop toilets for every house in a village in the Volta region of Ghana at age 17, learning how to be an assistant Dive Instructor in Honduras and Mozambique, project managing an initiative for education sponsorship programme at Kumi Hospital, Uganda or rebuilding a school for a hilltribe village in Thailand, to name just a few! These projects helped me grow as a person, meet likeminded and inspiring individuals and take time to really ‘switch off’ to technology and the westernised drumbeat. Without even realising it, I was pushing myself through mental and physical activities, taking time to reflect and make changes to my goals and methods, and to challenge my beliefs, dreams and perceived limitations. 

I've done some inspiring things...

 My student built a helicopter     - Ghana 2007 -   Digging a long-drop toilet 

   Building a school  - Thailand 2009 -  "Head, shoulders, knees and toes"   

Plenty of challenging things...

   Rolex Fastnet race   Ski touring in the Arctic      Patagonia for my 30th                                                

And some down-right crazy things...

      Wing-walking for charity       Sea-drills and rescue in the North Sea

--------------------------- So, what is InTah? ---------------------------

As I progressed from University, I struggled to find anything that was aimed at professionals rather than gap-year students, or that really homed in on the skills, learnt outside the classroom, to take back to my employer.

Whilst on a work trip, I was privileged enough to have the opportunity to spend a few days at LAKE TAHOE, where I encouraged my work colleagues to try new activities; I noticed that my team were re-energised, had built on their skills and working together in a way that would foster stronger functionality on return to work.

I was INSPIRED.... and so, the idea for InTah was born..... to inspire others to find their purpose!

The experiences will provide opportunities to adventure in new countries and locations, network with likeminded and driven professionals, undertake self-development and recuperation activities, going home feeling INSPIRED and ENERGISED. 

From recycled products, eco-tourism, volunteer-work, socially responsible practices and SUSTAINABILITY built into every experience, you can adventure safe in the knowledge that you are also supporting a fantastic cause!

With more than six different themes to the trips and experiences, there will be something for anyone who is committed to investing in themselves and their future; whether it be a life reboot, understanding how you can implement sustainability into your home-life or workplace, or just to explore somewhere new and off the beaten track. 

Once you've completed your adventure, the fun won't stop there; with membership to the InTah Tribe, you will become part of our loyalty scheme, giving you access to regular updates, motivational videos, innovative opportunities, mentoring and support. 

You also have the option of becoming a member of our Rewards Scheme, with some of your favourite brands who align with our core values, featured alongside some AMAZING new startup companies to ensure we are supporting local businesses. 

Our vision is to also get CPD/ELCAS registered, so that your employer can subsidise your adventure too!! What is there not to love! 

------------------------------- Why now? --------------------------------

I have accomplished a significant amount in my nine years serving as an Engineering Officer in the Royal Air Force, even by most people’s standards. Having always been a Yes-person, and holding some niche military-qualifications, I’ve normally been the first to volunteer to trial new principles, deploy, or complete unusual tasks that are far outside the bounds of my ‘day-job’. These include: 

• a Lean Six-Sigma role to optimise a legacy work structure
• tour of Kabul, Afghanistan in 2014, in a Logistician’s role with weeks’ notice, managing 8 locally employed Afghan contractors and an Interpreter in 2014

                                            Christmas in Kabul, Afghanistan

• an incredibly busy tour as the Senior Engineer-shift lead on the RAF’s £125 million Quick-Reaction-Alert (QRA) Typhoon aircraft; with uptown 12 armed aircraft and 140 technicians, the Team conducted regular 14+ hour days and regular night shifts in support of UK protection, Iraq and Syria
• technical armaments roles on Chinook and missile trial on Tornado aircraft in the UK and overseas
• Executive MSc in Programme Management with Cranfield University
• completed the Rolex Fastnet race in 2013 with the RAF's Offshore Sailing Team
• support to the RAF 100 and Queen's birthday flypasts over Buckingham Palace in 2018
• an extremely challenging role as the Ejection Seat subject matter expert for the  MOD’s new fast-jet aircraft, the Lightning II, including visits to the bespoke Aircraft Carrier and Industry partners

Whilst I thrive on a challenge, and have loved the opportunities the RAF brings, I became a severely depleted version of myself and was signed off work with burn-out. 

And so, at aged 30, I knew something needed to change…so I decided to put my skills to good use, unleash my imagination and turn my idea into a reality!

---------------- How you can support or participate? ---------------

Whether it’s through motivation and encouragement on my journey, volunteering your skills, donating or joining the InTah Tribe, your support is greatly received.

There are several ways to support InTah's journey:

***Pledge or purchase a gift on our Crowdfunding campaign***

• PARTICIPATION in one of the upcoming InTah experiences
• Like, follow and share on InTah social (facebook, instagram, LinkedIn)
• Spread the word; tell friends, family and colleagues
• Become an InTah AMBASSADOR, join the InTah DISCOUNT AND REWARD SCHEME or one of our PARTNER COMPANIES to provide your product or service on our trips and experiences
• ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY - If any of you watch the F1, you will know that every season the best Constructor is presented with a championship trophy; well InTah will have its very own! Following completion of any InTah experience, every member (and their employer) will be awarded loyalty points to recognise their participation and support; on 5 December (InTah's Anniversary), those members and employers who have provided the most valuable inputs and support will be recognised at InTah's annual black-tie award ceremony, with the potential to win further InTah experiences!

I hope the rewards will take your fancy, but any pledge (big or small) will help to make the dream a reality, not just for me, but for everyone! Thank you.

                           --------------------------------------

“What have you done today, to make you feel proud?” – HEATHER SMALL 

This project successfully funded on 2nd April 2020