Author Archives: Alison Kidd
Our Winsome Pedal project lives on
Back in 2005/2006, Swallow Boats in partnership with The Prospectory, developed a beautiful, sleek 17 foot pedal powered boat for exploring rivers and lakes in a low-effort, fun and environmentally friendly way. The project was called “Winsome” after my late aunt … Continue reading
Prospectors win Green Award
The Prospectors (a.k.a. Alison and Peter) are founding Directors, along with Ian Foster of Westview Guesthouse Llowes, of the Eco Travel Network – a scheme through which local hotels and B&B’s hire out Renault Twizys to visitors to the Brecon … Continue reading
Woolly Perspectives on Art and Conservation
In collaboration with artists, Pip Woolf and Kirsty Claxton, we recently conducted 7 discussion groups with the varied participants and stakeholders involved in the Woollen Line Project – an innovative art and conservation project in the Black Mountains. The groups … Continue reading
Putting compassion back into nursing – how does that work?
According to recent headlines, compassion has somehow got lost from NHS nursing and needs to be re-introduced. This is a difficult concept to get one’s head around especially when the Latin origin of nurse (nutrire) means “to nourish”. If we … Continue reading
Low carbon Santa travel
A fun ending to Year 1 of the Eco Travel Network project here in the Brecon Beacons – The Prospectory’s varied life of eco projects and field trials continues….
Twizonomics 1
A leaflet dropped through my door offering an all inclusive (VAT + installation) price of £3461 for 1.44kWp of solar PV. I already have a 3.98kWp PV, which generated about 3000kWh in the year up to June 2012, so a … Continue reading
Twizyology 3 – Indoor/Outdoor boundaries
Here is a curious psychological phenomenon. In our Eco Travel Network fleet of Renault Twizys, we have both the doorless and doored versions. Last week, we were alternating between driving one then the other in the pouring rain. The good … Continue reading
The inherent dodginess of attitudinal surveys
From time to time, The Prospectory has to design and conduct surveys as part of a research project. Surveys can be useful for collecting data on behaviour from a larger sample of people than is possible with free-form interviews or … Continue reading
Woolly Perspectives
My favourite role as a research psychologist is recording and analysing the language people use when they are discussing something which I’m studying. Our friend the artist, Pip Woolf is running a fascinating project attempting to mend a badly eroded … Continue reading
Twizyology 2 – when is a car not a car
As previously, noted, we think the Renault Twizy’s greatest strength is in the fact that it’s not a car – it offers something completely different and fun for travellers who just want to get short distances cheaply and using very … Continue reading
The Prospectory 