MiDAS Instructors

Meet the Team

Community First is an approved MiDAS training provider. We offer standard and accessible MiDAS training delivered by our highly qualified and experienced MiDAS Instructors, Martin, Alan and Ian.

Martin Carter

MiDAS Training Coordinator and Instructor

Martin is a retired Police Advanced driver with over 35 years’ experience of driving minibuses. Martin completed the MiDAS Driver Assessor Trainers (DAT) course in 2019. Since then he has trained over 400 drivers.

Alan Russell

MiDAS Instructor

Alan is a retired Police Officer with Advanced Driving qualifications. In addition, Alan has a HGV 1 license and extensive experience of driving many different classes of vehicles and testing them. Alan is also a qualified vehicle mechanic and vehicle examiner.

Ian Copus

MiDAS Instructor

Ian served as Police Officer for 30 years and retired a Chief Inspector, Head of Roads Policing and an advanced police driver. Ian spent much of his career involved in road safety and casualty reduction. Ian completed the MiDAS Driver Assessor Trainers (DAT) course in January 2025.

Our MiDAS Instructors mostly deliver training in Wiltshire and the surrounding counties (including Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, West Berkshire, Dorset and Somerset), but can travel further if agreed.

For more information about MiDAS and to book your training, complete a training enquiry form or email:

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midas@communityfirst.org.uk

Training Feedback

Please see below for a selection of recent testimonials about MiDAS training delivered by Martin and Alan:

Martin is a very good communicator and clearly passionate about his subject which made the course really helpful and interesting. His feedback on my driving was very helpful.

MiDAS Trainee

Martin was really calm and explained everything really well.

MiDAS Trainee

I think we all learned a lot in a very engaged group, good people skills from the DA, no one felt stressed by the impending practical.

MiDAS Trainee

The Driver Assessor was very knowledgeable, clearly loved his job and cared that we did our very best.

MiDAS Trainee

A very worthy and knowledgeable instructor who listened to and answered our questions thoroughly.

MiDAS Trainee

It was very well tailored to our schools needs.

MiDAS Trainee

The training was extremely informative and I feel so much more confident with my driving.

MiDAS Trainee

Alan was very supportive and put you at ease. He was very thorough with the theory prior to the practical test. During the practical test he explained the vehicle check well and the importance of this.

MiDAS Trainee

The Driver Assessor had great tips on how to make the ride smoother for passengers.

MiDAS Trainee

Martin was excellent and left no room for improvement.

MiDAS Trainee

Martin's warm and friendly demeanour made me feel comfortable and at ease, boosting my confidence in what initially felt like a daunting task.

MiDAS Trainee

Martin was incredibly informative, supportive, and reassuring, especially when I was driving a minibus in challenging conditions (ice & snow).

MiDAS Trainee