Clare Monro

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT CLARE MONRO

Currently working as a Lead Guide at Talisker distillery on the Isle of Skye, I am passionate about supporting and advising others, and working in the whisky industry.I have a degree in Arabic Studies, which enabled me to live in Egypt both pre and post graduation, and to travel more widely around the Middle East. This sparked a love of travel, and I spent nine years working in the travel industry. This honed my organisational skills, my ability to advise guests based on their requirements, my communication skills and my training skills.My desire to gain varied experience and step outside my comfort zone led me to spend a year working for a grassroots NGO in Calais during the COVID-19 pandemic, distributing non-food items to people on-the-move at the France-UK border. During this time, I held the role of Welfare Coordinator, providing emotional support to colleagues working in challenging conditions. This role led me to study for an MSc in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, and I focussed my dissertation research on the effects of community integration projects on the psychosocial wellbeing of refugees in the UK.However, being from Speyside, I have a passion for the whisky industry, with past experience as a distillery guide, which has given me greater confidence to present to others. I am fascinated by the role of distilleries within rural communities. I have been accepted onto the OurWhisky Foundation mentorship programme (July - December 2024) and am exploring the potential to combine distilleries and whisky tourism with strengthening the resilience of Scottish communities.While I work in whisky retail, I also spend a significant amount of time volunteering with refugees and asylum seekers. I am open-minded, love meeting new people, learning about other cultures, travelling and ensuring safe and welcoming environments for all.