Lucy Browne

I am a committed and caring individual with decades of experience in customer service, visitor engagement and early years education. My hands-on teaching approach inspires engagement through experiential learning, story-telling and play. I very much enjoy new opportunities, working collaboratively and value other people’s perspectives. To promote appreciation of our shared natural, built and craft heritage is my passion.

Receptionist / Park Attendant - Castlewellan Forest Park

(2023-04)

• Greeting visitors to the Forest Park, ensuring a positive first impression
• Taking entrance money
• Optimising the visitor experience
• End-of-day cash up and weekly cash reconciliation
• Assessing feedback and creating detailed risk assessments.
• Managing the campsite booking system
• Complaint and conflict resolution
• Maintaining confidential customer records
• Reception duties by phone and e-mail
• Working as part of a team to maintain green-flag status through groundwork - pruning, edging of paths, weeding and litter-picking.
• General cleaning and park maintenance.

Visitor and Welcome Assistant - National Trust

(2022-04 - 2023-10)

• Welcome visitors to the Nature Reserve.
• Answer visitor queries.
• Take entrance money.
• Promote all activities on offer and help with issues such as lost property.
• Dealt with complaints following the National Trust recording of complaints procedure.
• End-of-day reconciliation of all fees from tablet and PDQ machine to the main till,
• Prepare monies for banking and secure them in a safe at the end of the shift.

Playgroup Assistant - Castlewellan Pre-School Playgroup

(2008 - 2023)

• Assist with planning stimulating activities during which a child may learn through play.
• Create innovative and exciting room layouts, artwork and outdoor spaces to engage the imagination of children with highly diverse requirements.
• Ensure all children are in a safe, clean, well-maintained environment.
• Make observations and keep clear, accurate, confidential records.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, as part of a team with a child-centred approach.

Classroom Assistant, Foundation Stage - Annsborough Integrated Primary School

(2000 - 2008)

• Assist the Class teacher in preparing and presenting learning opportunities in line with the Northern Ireland Curriculum.
• Supervising children at snack and play times and keeping a neat, functional classroom.

Educational Guide - Ulster Wildlife Trust

(1999 - 2000)

• Educating Primary School children in observation, and basic classification of our native wildlife fauna and flora, through talks, walks, activities and games.

Activity Provider - Enspire - forest parks throughout South Down

I also work as an Activity Provider with Enspire, providing guided walks and craft activities with a strong environmental slant. Enspire provide these workshops in forest parks throughout South Down.

OCN NI - Tour Guiding - Level 2 - Tour Guiding - South Eastern Regional College (2023-06)

Awareness of Autistic Spectrum Conditions - CACHE Level 2 - Awareness of Autistic Spectrum Conditions - Belfast Metropolitan College (2020-07)

HNC in Care (Early Years) - Care (Early Years) - University of Greenwich (1999)

BTEC in Applied Arts - Applied Arts - Camberwell College of Arts (1991)

8 'O' levels, including English A, Geography A, Art A and Maths B - June 1982 & 3 'A' levels History of Art A, Art A, English B - Regent House Grammar School, Newtownards (1984)