Why There is a Need For What We Do? 2From Our Chairman 3Overview: Who We Are and What We Do 4Our Impact 5 Case Study 7Our Programmes 9 Dangoor Next Generation 9 EPIC Adventures Spain 11 Expeditionary Year 13 Stellar Leadership Development 15Open Expeditions 17 Canadian Yukon 2017 18 Indian Himalayas 2017 19 Peruvian Amazon 2017 21 This Year’s Expedition Stories 23Bogs, Maps and Plovers 25Volunteering and Community 28Developi Partners 30British Exploring Challenge 31From our CEO 32Our Financials 34Past Expeditions 41Find Out More 43Acknowledgements 44

Table of Contents

British Exploring Society. 1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2ARCopyright © British Exploring Society 2018

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Why there is a need for what British Exploring Society doesYoung people in the UK are spending less time outdoors having fewer outdoor adventures. * • 75% of young people spend less time outdoors daily than prison inmates• 33% of children have never climbed a tree or built a den• 20% of children do not play outside at all on an average day• Only 10% of school aged children have access to Outdoor Learning through school• Nearly 50% of parents say children under the age of 14 should not play outside alone• Less than 10% regularly play in a wild space, compared with nearly 50% a generation ago

Outdoor experiences are a valuable part of learning and personal development.Learning activities outdoors and outside of school help young people develop confidence in learning, develop a different kind of relationship with adults and become used to seeing learning as a partnership, rather than as something that is imposed upon them. Children from less advantaged backgrounds are more likely to feel a lack of control over and less involvement in learning. They have different learning experiences outside school and engage in different kinds of activities that contribute to their learning. Outdoor Learning provides access to an invaluable range of skills hard to secure in the classroom.

Access to outdoor learning experiences isn’t equal. Informal and organised access to the extra-curricular and the outdoors is directly related to class and status. ‘Young people from families in poverty participate in fewer organised out-of-school activities than their more affluent peers. Through their lack of participation…young people in poverty are denied… experiences which may affect their engagement in more formal learning.’ Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Young people are worried about how well prepared they are for the future. When asked by Barnardo’s in 2015 what the biggest challenges facing young people in the UK today are, young people said: ‘Mental health problems’ ‘Schools don’t prepare us for life’ ‘Self-confidence’. 53% agreed that;‘Even if I do well at school, I’ll have a hard time getting the right kind of job.” Economic difficulties are further affecting young people.“There are a range of negative outcomes related with a young person not in education employment or training (NEET) such as depression, stress, anxiety and other health issues.’‘Young people that are in insecure work or are unemployed may be more likely to suffer negative impacts on their health and wellbeing; for some these will have long term effects.’‘The ability of young people to be resilient to the challenges they face will vary depending on their personal circumstances and the extent of the supportive relationships available to them.’ Cabinet Office report, 2014

*P44 for references

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“They gather around some awesome kickass

people to take us kids with something lacking in our souls that’s stopping us

live our life to the fullest and try to help us help

ourselves” 2017 Explorer

Find out about our work to prepare young people to overcome potential challenges and prepare for a positive future in

the rest of this report.

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Twenty-three years ago I was a Young Explorer on the Society’s expedition to the Wrangell St Elias mountains in Alaska. It was an experience that left a profound and indelible impression on a young man and one which will continue to have great resonance for me for the rest of my days. It therefore gives me enormous pleasure to be writing this introduction as British Exploring Society’s chairman, having succeeded Teddy Watson to the role during the course of 2017.

We live in an age where neither individual economic security nor mental wellbeing are a given. But the world is always changing, and whilst change brings adversity it also brings opportunity. British Exploring Society serves to equip young people with the skills, confidence and resolve to tackle the former and to embrace the latter. We believe, and the evidence shows, that the Society does this with a degree of success matched by few others. Remote wilderness locations provide an extraordinary theatre for creating lasting character change in young people. These distant places, together with our exceptional volunteer Leaders and programme content, act as our vehicles and engines of character change. They are the means through which we deliver our purpose, not the purpose in themselves. The words, statistics and images that you will find on the pages to follow stand for themselves as testimony to the extraordinary and lasting impact that the Society’s unique model of development has on the lives of young people and, in particular, those facing significant life challenges. The substantive efforts and investments that have been made in recent years by so many of the Society’s stakeholders, and which remain ongoing, have laid the building blocks which will enable British Exploring Society to dramatically increase the number of young people who are able to benefit from its unique programmes. This growth is our mission, our summit and pole, to which everyone at the Society is committed to delivering. I hope you enjoy reading this inspiring annual review.

Doug OppenheimChairman

From Our Chairman

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Overview: Who We Are and What We DoBritish Exploring is a youth development charity. We combine stretching adventure with intensive personal development. We ran our first expedition in 1932. Whilst our approach has adapted to the changing needs of young people, we continue to harness the unique learning opportunities of remote wilderness environments to help our participants realise their own capabilities. The ‘Exploring’ in our name can refer to science, photography, writing, geology, communication and teamwork as much as it does to mapping, trekking and physical challenge. We take seriously our responsibility for the remarkable natural environments which we are privileged to visit. We want each Young Explorer to return with better understanding and sensitivity to our impact on the planet and with the ability to communicate what that means to them. Our programmes take young people to genuinely remote places where there are no paths, and, sometimes, no maps. Each of our youth development programmes has at least one overseas expedition phase, normally lasting 3-5 weeks. We support each Young Explorer to take the lead and stretch towards their own goals. They do this with the coaching and guidance of Leaders with wide-ranging professional and technical skills in adventure, scientific, youth and social work and creative disciplines. We encourage and expect our Explorers to push themselves, to be as independent as possible, make decisions together, accept responsibility, lead and support each other.

In 2017 Young Explorers took on their own challenges whilst living, exploring and undertaking artistic and scientific projects in the Peruvian Amazon, Spanish Badlands, Icelandic Wilderness, Indian Himalayas and Canadian Yukon. Having gone through transformative experiences together, Young Explorers tend to stay in contact. They have seen and brought out the best in each other. This shared experience and understanding is important.

When our Young Explorers return to the UK, we challenge them once again; to consider what they have learned, how they will harness that for their future benefit and for the benefit of their wider community. We also help our Explorers find the language to describe their progress and the impact of their learning.

Our work is very rewarding, but complex to deliver. It is resource-heavy and carries considerable responsibility. We depend upon our staff and volunteers to help us deliver a transformative experience for our Young Explorers. We have always benefitted from, and depend on, professional volunteers to lead our expeditions, provide additional support for our London office and to serve as Trustees and supporters.

Our alumni are acclaimed in diverse fields. Some, like Zanna Baker, continue to excel in adventure. She is one of the 6 ‘IceMaidens’ who have just completed the first all-woman ski 1,700km coast to coast across Antarctica. Roald Dahl has harnessed his experience with British Exploring Society in other ways.

14staff

members

93volunteer Leaders

‘The more risks you allow children to take, the better they learn to take care of themselves.’ Roald Dahl, Newfoundland 1934

‘It’s…a challenge to your physical and mental self…be brave, be happy doing it.’ Young Explorer, Iceland 2017

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Our Impact - What Difference Does Our Work Make? “I have achieved everything that I never thought I could achieve.” Young Explorer 2017

All our programmes are designed to help support and challenge young people through remarkable experiences. We help our Young Explorers reflect on the impact those experiences might have on their future. This might include the application of new skills and attributes, the development of new mindsets or a shift in priorities. We also help them find ways to express and explain the impact of their experiences in personal and authentic ways.

In the last year we have been delivering more to help us achieve our long-term goalsUK training days

UK Volunteering hours by young people

Expedition days

Volunteer Leaders

Young people

Number of programmes

2016 1,431 1,500+ 5,068 71 196 52017 1,684 5,000+ 7,928 93 260 8

Making a difference though volunteering and community actionOur Young Explorers volunteer in large and small organisations. They receive accreditation for the hours they complete, and develop maturity and confidence before expedition participation.

‘’[The Explorer Miles] experience was invaluable in developing her interpersonal and entrepreneurial skills whilst also promoting links with the local community.” Explorer Miles Employer, 2017

What is the long-term impact of our work? We have been leading adventurous outdoor learning since 1932. In 2017 we commenced a 3-year programme of research with Penn State University. They are considering the life-long impact of participation on our programmes, talking to Explorers from over 30 years ago. Early indicators suggest that our programmes in the 1970s and 1980s offered a profound and positive turning point for those who took part in them, affecting their lives and careers in numerous ways which mirror feedback from our contemporary programmes.

“When I got home, and I was doing things and

failed, I thought to myself don’t worry just keep doing it, keep trying it. And that definitely

had come from the expedition.”

Young Explorer 2017

Leaders donated £318,000

worth of servicesin 2017

Leader donated services2016 £224,0002017 £318,000

100% of our Leaders say they learned new skills with British Exploring

Society

85% of our Leaders said they were better at their day job as a result of volunteering with British Exploring Society

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Our Explorers – how did we measure impact in 2017?We conduct unified assessment of impact across all our programmes using an Explorer Outcomes tool. We work with our Explorers asking them where they want to improve during the course of their programme with us, as well as trying to assess any progress they are making. We take baseline measurements at the beginning of each programme.

We demonstrated positive outcomes in all the areas we tracked. Across all our programmes, consistently strongest areas of improvement recorded were in Communication, Motivation and Self-Agency. This mirrors the qualitative feedback we received.

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Self Agency

Emotional Intelligence Motivation Communication Problem

Solving Community Resilience Environmental Awareness

Before 3.45 3.59 3.46 3.42 3.66 3.50 3.97 3.75After 4.15 4.21 4.18 4.15 4.28 4.06 4.45 4.23Interval 0.69 0.62 0.71 0.73 0.62 0.56 0.48 0.49

“I learned not to underestimate myself and

the abilities I have the potential to develop…”

Young Explorer 2017

This year one of the Young Explorers on the Dangoor Next Generation programme was referred to us by our partner organisation, Catch22. Nitin was having difficulties engaging in employment. Our programme provided an opportunity to focus on something positive which would also help him better prepare for the workplace. We asked him if he would talk to us and he was happy to share his experience.

“I found Catch22 through a desperate search online to find help that would support me to turn things around in my life when I was having extreme difficulties by myself.”

Nitin signed up with British Exploring Society, and for a UK induction weekend.

“I thought that it would be a cool weekend out, somewhere other than the four walls of my room I would usually confine myself in, suffocate and struggle to find enough motivation or energy to do anything at all.”

Nitin immersed himself in UK training. As well as learning about expedition life and gaining the skills he would need to take part in the Iceland expedition, Nitin recognised that he had been training his thought processes, his character, his ability to work in a team and manage his emotions and his adaptability. He realised that he had already become more self-motivated.

“It’s amazing that I got to learn how to live outdoors, ration my supplies, cook and eat and keep clean outdoors. I now have an idea of how to navigate, I learnt about John Muir’s way of life and I can make genuine new friends. That stuff was enlightening.”

My Journey with British Exploring Society

After months of preparation and planning, Nitin and the rest of the team travelled to the Icelandic wilderness.

“It was amazing…The clarity in the air and water had me believing I had 20/20 vision for a while.”

Nitin and his team spent 21 days learning and living as a team whilst exploring “the massive lakes that look like a part of the sea, the lava fields that almost make you believe that you’re going in circles, the crater that looks like a skate park for giants...”

Nitin returned to the UK with a “sense of accomplishment” and says he now feels better able to deal with stressful situations when things don’t go to plan. He understands that he has the power to make his own choices about who he is.

Nitin has now moved into employment.

“I have learned that I am a doer and with the right

support I might be able to make miracles happen in

my own life and hopefully for others too.”

Nitin, DNG Explorer 2017

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Nitin is the third Young Explorer from the right

Launched in 2011, the Dangoor Next Generation Programme is British Exploring Society’s flagship programme for young people facing significant challenges at home. Working in partnership with Catch22, the programme has supported hundreds of young people referred from a range of Catch22 services to learn about themselves and reflect on their circumstances at home, enabling them to make better choices for their own future on their return. The programme takes referrals from Leaving Care Teams, Alternative Educational Provision and Substance Misuse Programmes amongst others. Many young people, facing challenges at home, struggle with a lack of positive and reliable adults in their lives. The chance to spend 3 weeks living and working with our remarkable expedition Leaders can provide a new blueprint for adult relationships, which in turn enables our Leaders to offer appropriate challenges to young people on behaviours which might not be serving them well in their day to day lives. Young people return from the Dangoor programme positive and motivated to pursue their future ambitions. Working with Catch22, the programme aims to capitalise on this renewed positive energy in the weeks immediately following expedition to ensure young people take positive steps in their lives either into education, training or employment.

Dangoor Next Generation Iceland

Programme Partners

The Dangoor Family are the funding partners for what has become our longest running and widest reaching expedition programme. They have enabled over 500 participants in the Programme and more than 4000 nights of wild-camping.

Catch 22 are a social business that work at every stage of the social welfare cycle to build resilience and aspiration in people and communities. British Exploring Society have been working in partnership with them to deliver the Dangoor Next Generation Programme for the past 6 years. The Society works with Catch22 to invite young people from their network to become Young Explorers. They then support them all the way through UK training and onto expedition.

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Chief Leader’s Comments We attracted a diverse group of young people aged 16-21 from across the UK. All are engaged with different keyworkers or support workers.

The Programme began with all participants completing two UK training phases which delivered the knowledge and skills required to complete the 3 week expedition to Iceland. We used a phased approach to the training in remote parts of the U.K. which enabled the Young Explorers to experience the feeling of living outside in a safer, more supported environment, whilst still being relevant to their time in Iceland to come.

The training phases also provided the first opportunity for the Young Explorers to begin developing the relationships with their teammates and Leaders which would serve them well in overcoming the challenges presented to them by the expedition.

A vital part of the Dangoor Next Generation Programme is to develop our Young Explorers’ personal and social skills through being supported by the best Leaders in the business.

High pointsJade, a team member of Fire Griffins, wrote in the Fire Diary about Day 3 of the expedition, “One of my highlights up to now is sliding down the icecaps on the volcano. I have loved watching the team grow together, we have all been pushed to our limits, but its only making us stronger.”

Once in Iceland, the freedom, space and amazing scenery gave everyone a once in a lifetime experience.

At the end of the expedition we had some R&R time prior to returning to the U.K. I used this opportunity to get around the teams and hear the group and individual experiences from the previous 3 weeks. While these were all as unique as each Young Explorer they highlighted the journey that each person had been on for themselves - the most common theme being that they had become much more adept at working in a team and supporting one another.

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A new relationship with Epic CIC enabled us to deliver the first ever Epic Badlands expedition. The programme took a group of young people recruited from Epic services across the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to the canyons of Las Malas Tierras, Gorafe, Spain.

The programme recruited young people from apprenticeship schemes, alternative educational provision, family support projects and drop in youth clubs. Many young people on the programme may not have camped before and are unlikely to have ever had opportunities to participate in a remote overseas expedition. The Programme’s purpose is to provide our Young Explorers with an opportunity to stretch their capabilities by developing practical skills, strength of character and ambition.

EPIC Adventures Spain

Chief Leader’s Comments“This is so much better than anything I’ve ever seen. I mean, I live in London, but look at this!”

This is my favourite quote from a Young Explorer. We were a small group: a few Leaders plus young people all of a similar age (16-19), from the same area, and a shared background with the EPIC youth charity.

For everyone, the realities of expedition life required a period of adjustment and consolidation. Our Young Explorers embraced all aspects of the expedition and challenges such as the heat, the physical discomfort of walking with rucksacks, and the routine of expedition life.

During the heat of the mid-day sun, the team rested up in the shade of the trees. The one complete relief from the conditions was to be found inside the deep caves. However, caves which we could access were few and far between.

High pointThat said, the first night of the ‘expedition proper’ sticks in the mind. After 5 days of training in camp the group were hugely excited for the start of the expedition. The day’s walking passed relatively swiftly, and the location for the evening’s camp was in a stunning and dramatic situation at the head of a valley, with far-reaching views across the Badlands. Spirits were high and the group was charged with enthusiasm for the days to come.

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Programme Partner

Epic CIC deliver a comprehensive range of youth support services for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. They work with young people facing challenges including poverty, employability and education, physical and mental health and serious youth violence. 2017 was our first year working with Epic CIC as a recruitment partner for our Epic Badlands Expedition.

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2017 saw the creation of the Expeditionary Year programme, a ground-breaking initiative designed to offer expeditionary learning to young people inside and outside the classroom. Working with 4 secondary schools, members of the Whole Education network, Expeditionary Year took Young Explorers aged 14 - 15 through a programme of training in the UK followed by an expedition in remote North East Iceland. The Explorers participating in the Expeditionary Year programme were amongst the youngest the Society has ever accommodated and were referred on the basis of their ability to act as future ambassadors for the programme in their schools supporting their peers to take on the challenge of the Expeditionary Year in 2018. Alongside these Explorers were teaching staff from referring schools, tasked with using the expedition as a vehicle to explore learning themes in accordance with their own academic disciplines; using navigation to teach trigonometry and using the construction of base camp as an opportunity to consider innovative design technology projects and whether these projects could be translated into the classroom for the next academic year. In addition to offering the soft skills development found on all British Exploring Society expeditions, the Expeditionary Year programme aimed to accommodate a younger client group and help them to bring classroom-based learning alive with practical expeditionary projects and in doing so, increase academic attainment as well as life skills. Moving into 2018 it is hoped that the expedition will transform the way young people view their classroom learning and improve their outcomes for the future.

Expeditionary YearIceland

Programme Partners

Peter Cundill was a Canadian born financier who championed ethical investments, encouraged appropriate risk-taking and believed in the value of physical challenge. The Foundation that was formed as his legacy, continues his passion for supporting the young and helping those with aspirations to better themselves and fulfil their potential. They are the funding partner behind our new Expeditionary Year programme, delivered for the first time in 2017.

Whole Education is a national network of 200+ schools who all share the belief that children deserve an engaging and rounded education that supports academic achievement, but also develops the skills, knowledge and qualities needed to flourish in life, learning and work. From this large network of schools, we worked together to identify 4 partner schools who would provide the pupils and teachers for our pilot year of the Expeditionary Year programme.

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Chief Leader’s CommentsDespite their young age ( just 14) they showed incredible resilience, and from the very start of the expedition they quickly formed cohesive Fires (expedition teams) and showed great care and thoughtfulness for each other, often using humour to help them overcome challenges. I have rarely seen teams come together and then work together so well and harmoniously, I cannot think of a single moment of ill-humour throughout the entire expedition. Being in the Icelandic wilderness had a profound effect on everyone on the expedition. It made everyone much more aware of their surroundings, as the scale was so huge, it seemed to encourage the Young Explorers to look much more closely at their immediate surroundings. The Young Explorers, particularly through the John Muir award, became incredibly aware of their effect on the environment and they worked hard to make sure that they minimised this impact – often checking each other and their Leaders!

High points The final morning of the expedition I awoke to a beautiful sunny warm morning and as I left my tent I saw that all the Young Explorers had decided to leave their tents the night before and they were all tucked into their sleeping bags, all still sound asleep in the early morning sunshine, arranged like the spokes of a wheel. They had not asked to do this, not checked in with anyone. It was fantastic to see that they had taken

the initiative and still wanted to be all together; even more so that they took this decision and acted completely appropriately. I thoroughly enjoyed leading such an energetic, proactive and aware group of young people. They quickly took to the expedition lifestyle and their responsibility to the environment.

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The Stellar Leadership Development Programme, funded by the London Law Trust, supports Young Explorers who are further along their personal development journey, to consider leadership lessons against a backdrop of the Canadian Wilderness.

The programme is aimed at young people aged 18+ at a turning point in their lives; graduating, considering making the step to living independently or looking at the career path that lies ahead. The intensive 2 week programme invites Explorers to consider their personal values, strengths and weaknesses so they can return to the UK armed with greater understanding to inform their future decisions.

The programme also explores themes of leadership, enabling young people to identify what kind of Leader they might be and how best to use their own brand of leadership to affect change in the world around them, be it professional, political or personal.

Stellar Explorers complete a 2 week paddle in the Yukon, complemented by a programme of reflective sessions, discussions and workshops. On return to the UK they participate in an intensive 2 day residential debrief and from there enter the Stellar Alumni, a network for likeminded individuals who continue their learning journey into their future careers.

Many Explorers on the programme arrive with a wealth of life experiences eager to learn more about themselves. With Explorers joining us at a particular time in their life, the programme demonstrates unrivalled outcomes in terms of the development of Communication, Problem Solving and Emotional Intelligence and Explorers report a dramatic impact on the decisions they make moving forward.

Stellar Leadership DevelopmentYukon

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Chief Leader’s CommentsThis was the first year that young people already in work, not just recent graduates, were accepted on to the Programme. Everyone on the expedition, hailing from across the U.K. and Europe, brought a strong interest in continuing to build a core set of ethics and values.

All teams followed a learning and personal development programme but adapted it to their teams through a series of set activities and guided discussions.

Every day started with a team check-in where all team members spoke about their current physical, mental and emotional state; this created a base from which to formulate that day’s plans and expectations. High pointsThe canoe down the Nisutlin river was brilliant with the Fires often leapfrogging one another down the course. We enjoyed fantastic weather which, when added to the peaceful flow of the river, created the perfect environment for introspection and discussions, in small groups on the water and the larger team on land. We took advantage of the contrast between being on land and on the water to create a variety of team tasks to encourage the Explorers’ personal development.

The progression these young people went through was really evident through several of the Explorers who started the expedition very apprehensive about so much time on the water and camping in the wilderness; fears which meant that they nearly didn’t come on the expedition at all. I was delighted to see everyone challenge themselves, confronting

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these fears so that, by the end they had all grown in confidence, revelling in a newfound belief in what they could all achieve and conquer.

There were different expectations over how much self-analysis would be encouraged and required as part of the programme amongst the Explorers, but by the end all of them were enjoying a greater understanding of how they operate and how that affects the people around them.

Our Open Expeditions offer physical and psychological challenges for young people from a diverse range of backgrounds. Young Explorers apply to go on one of our Open Expeditions independently and, with our advice, expertise and support schemes often fundraise independently too.

Some of our Young Explorers might find that the trial of summitting a 5800 metre peak to be the defining feature of their expedition. For others, it will be the experience of having to sleep side by side with a complete stranger for 5 weeks and still, more might find it will simply be the challenge of living without the familiar support networks they rely on at home. It is in facing these challenges that our Explorers truly learn what they are capable of; they have the opportunity to step up to support their peers when the going gets tough, to bounce back when they meet setbacks and to show humility when they have made mistakes. They enrich their experiences with science, media and creative projects. We also hope they learn how to be good visitors to fragile environments.

It is in these experiences, quite unlike any they might have had before, that our Explorers grow. Their expedition journey provides our Young Explorers with a common language to help them reflect on what they are learning through our British Exploring Society Compass. In 2017, our Explorers reported an increase in their ability to communicate with others, their understanding of how to pursue their own ambitions and their motivation to do so. Perhaps it is no wonder then, that our Explorers tell us “I made it up every hill and mountain and I realised that with the right people behind me and the confidence in myself, I can accomplish any task.”

In 2017, the Open Programme delivered 3 ambitious expeditions to remote wilderness venues around the world: The Peruvian Amazon, the Indian Himalayas and the Canadian Yukon. The Leaders and Young Explorers came from across the UK, with a range of experiences and the ambition to contribute to our diverse expedition communities overseas.

Open Expeditions

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Canadian YukonChief Leader’s CommentsThe expedition team was comprised of 17-27 year olds with a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. People had come from all over the UK and Europe including Jersey, Guernsey, France, Estonia, Poland and Holland. Some finishing school, some on a gap year, some finishing university and some in full time work.

The Young Explorers formed new friendships to help overcome the emotional challenge of being away from home (for some it was the first extended period away from family); they learnt to share their own knowledge and experience to solve the physical and technical challenges and with guidance, support and demonstrations from the Leaders they learnt how to manage the challenge of being away on expedition in an unfamiliar and remote place. They learnt to appreciate that the nature of being on expedition is that it isn’t always easy or pleasant and that the discomfort is the very thing that often creates the most memorable and impactful learning.

Initially the newness of being on expedition with, effectively, a group of strangers, was the first hurdle to overcome. “How will I get on for 3 or 5 weeks?” They needed the expertise of their Leaders to get them through the early days and this reliance steadily reduced as they became more capable and confident in dealing with the challenges of being on expedition. A dawning realisation that everything isn’t laid on for you and that sharing the load and working as a team is the way to having a great experience.

High pointsOne of the canoe Fires (expedition groups) clearly demonstrated how good an experience they’d had when they landed at camp at the end of their expedition. They rounded the last riverbend with a mast rigged on their raft, looking like a vessel from the gold rush era; pulling into the bank all laughing and cheering, clearly having shared a great adventure together.

One Young Explorer was asked (mid-expedition) what they were missing about home. Their answer: “a door”. It highlighted for me how we can take privacy and personal space for granted and how much we have to adapt for the communal life of expeditions and can miss the simple, everyday things in life we unconsciously don’t notice and which make our lives so much easier and more comfortable.

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Indian HimalayaChief Leader’s Comments

The group on expedition ranged from the initially quiet and reserved, to the extrovert confident jokers and in the middle the steady solid ‘good eggs’ that were calmly confident yet humble and ready to both contribute, consider and learn right from the start. Half the group were 16-17 years old with little travelling experience outside of the UK whilst others were already seasoned independent travellers with a year of gap year travels and adventures under their belts.

Our Young Explorers coped with admirable determination and great resilience, and a sense of humour throughout all the hardships of expedition life, from the heat of the Indian plains to the water freezing cold of its mountains; with the debilitating challenge of living at high altitude added on top.

A thorough programme of training was delivered right from arrival in India and throughout the 8-day journey to Base Camp. The Leadership team enthusiastically delivering the knowledge needed to equip our Young Explorers with the skills and confidence for expedition life. Teamwork, teamwork, and more teamwork.

These Fires (expedition teams) consisted of around 10-12 Young Explorers, deliberately containing a mix of genders and ages. They created their own group identities, within which each Young Explorer learnt the values of cooperation and mutual support. Nothing focuses the mind better on working together than when you’re cold and hungry, needing to get tents up, water fetched, stoves lit and dinner cooking.

Each Fire was led and coached by a leadership team formed of an Adventure Leader, Scientist and Medic. These Leaders, whose personalities varied immensely, all shared the same British Exploring Society values about promoting experiential leadership. Leaders constantly provided opportunities for the Young Explorers to take ownership and make decisions, whilst offering advice and suggestions and then encouraging the Young Explorers to review how challenges had been tackled so that they could achieve a deeper understanding of what had worked, with the intent that those lessons would be easier and more likely to transfer into home life after the expedition.

2019

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Peruvian Amazon Chief Leader’s Comments

We had a large group of 16-24 years olds, from all over the U.K., from Scotland to Guernsey.

They tackled every problem and adversity by using their team support and learning from their amazing Leaders. That teamwork was evident from Day 1 as the Young Explorers were quick to form efficient chains for transferring kit from the boats to camp and continued to show a commitment to similar challenges such as our water supply.

Jungles are hard places to live in. The Young Explorers learnt the skills required, put them into practice and thrived in the challenging environment. They were also able to experience what it takes to make a living with the jungle by visiting an agro-forestry business where they learnt and demonstrated sustainable practices for protecting crops, as well as resilience in the face of the rainforest’s eponymous downpour!

The Society’s expeditions to the Amazon have always been incredibly diverse in the range of scientific experiments which can be conducted. We practiced cartography through mapping rivers, botany and zoology through surveying the area’s flora and fauna (particularly frogs!) and then presented our findings to the local community. High pointsFor me there are two particular highlights: the first was watching the Young Explorers and Leaders chatting animatedly about what they had all been up to; the passion, the interactions and the content of what they were talking about proved what an amazing experience this was for everyone. The other was the moment when I caught sight of a Young Explorer delivering a session to the local children, and when she lifted the microscope off the table and onto the ground so that a small 3 year old could experience looking through it...

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This Year’s Expedition Stories2 July – 29 August 2017

“Prior to coming on expedition, I had hoped to learn more about the various leadership styles out there, working on my own style while observing aspects that work and which I really admire in others. I also hoped to deepen my understanding of working with young adults from all backgrounds, in a very different environment to home.

During the course I have learned far more than I could ever have imagined and I discovered far more interests and passions than I knew I had – in fact, I love tropical spiders and have decided to alter my study path on return home in order to learn as much about them as possible.

Overall, the trip could prove to be entirely life changing for me.”

“I am on the Peruvian Amazon 2017 expedition and it has been amazing! We have mapped a river to add it to maps to make them more accurate. It was awesome and I really enjoyed doing it. We also went on a five day outing with the aim to climb up onto the Pini Pini Ridge. We were successful and therefore we got to witness the magical cloud forest. We believe we are the only people this year who got up onto that part of the ridge. We have seen a huge number of monkeys, uncountable numbers of frogs and many, many more animals (including snakes!). I have learned so much.

We provide postcards to our expedition members while they’re out in the wilderness to be sent when they can access civilisation once again. This page shows excerpts from postcards which made it all the way from the Peruvian Amazon to British Exploring Society offices in London.

“The past 3 weeks have been full of breathtaking moments, from the view from the cloud forest at the top of the Pini Pini ridge to watching a tapir walk out onto the river bed, I’ve felt myself become stronger both physically (from carrying 20 litres of water up the hill everyday) and mentally.

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Excerpt from a Fire Diary, Open Expedition to the Canadian Yukon 2017. “31/7/17 Day 7

Quote of the day: “We’re werewolves, not swear-wolves!”

What they don’t tell you

They don’t tell you much about your expedition. Not much that’s useful anyway.

They give you plans and kit lists which are no better than theories which may be proven useless in the blink of an eye. They don’t tell you the mental attitude you must have to continue walking each day. They don’t tell you that almost everyone will experience wild mood swings between meals, and they certainly don’t tell you that you will feel like you are having the hardest time.

Today was a hard day.

However, as the day reached its end I realised why they did not tell you.

It is because these feelings are as fickle as the plans they lay, and can change in the blink of an eye. They do not tell you the sense of achievement you feel when you reach a checkpoint. They do not tell you the sheer power of the view which cannot be put into words. And they do not tell you about the bitter sweet view of a beautiful view of a massive storm. Heading straight for your camp.

They do not tell you because it makes it better.”

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Eliana first came on expedition with us as a Young Explorer on the Dangoor Next Generation Programme. She returned this year as a Trainee Leader, going to the Indian Himalayas. She wrote to us of her experiences and the following is an excerpt from what she sent.

Dylan had helped me to my feet. “We want you to lead us up the last part of the mountain, so we can all summit together.” The peak had been false summit after false summit, and I wasn’t feeling well again - I was almost at breaking point. It was the motivation I needed - the thought of completing the challenge together as a team.

A week later, I sit outside the German Bakery in Leh with Chris Z. “How do you think the expedition has gone for you?” he asks, “What were your highs, your lows?”

[I replied to him explaining how] at first, I was really questioning my decision on coming. Being the only female Trainee Leader and also the youngest was quite intimidating, and a lot of these guys have more mountaineering experience than me. But I’ve loved every minute. Even the moments where I was really struggling, like on the mountain. I still wouldn’t change it for the world. And the bonds and friendships I’ve created out here, I wouldn’t change that either. It’s given me so much more confidence and I feel more comfortable trusting in my own abilities now. I feel like I can stand up to anything now, which is something I need to be doing more of at home.

“I’d give you the same kind of feedback. Believe in yourself more. On that mountain where you were struggling, I’m usually telling people to hurry up. I was telling you to stop.””

What Lasts Forever Isn’t Won Easily......

Young Explorers on British Exploring Society’s expeditions are organised into groups called Fires. Each Fire collectively creates a Fire Diary, recording their experiences on expedition. This page illustrates Day 10 from Huldufolk Fire’s time on the Expeditionary Year expedition to Iceland. They were 14 yrs old at the time.

“Day 10, The Rattling Bog

A day of nature’s wonders as we made our way North, to the great Aldeyjarfoss waterfall. A great part of the morning was spent navigating a splendid bog full of tricks to test even the most agile of the Huldufolk Explorers. We saw a Great Skua hover then swoop down on its prey. Sadly, we disturbed a ptarmigan and her fledglings. She had yet to lose her winter plumage. Great Plovers escorted us and a Windrel cried out as we sang “The Rattling Bog”. We found a couple of Plover eggs, speckled brown like freckles on smooth skin.

A flock of swans flew up in quick formation and we bowed in respect at their beauty.

‘Cor blimey!’

We found a perfect campsite by a small stream. Our feet drank the pure water and we felt fulfilled.”

The RaTTling Bog

“A tree in a bogA branch on a limbA leaf on a twigA nest on a leafAn egg in the nestA lion on the eggA mane on the lion

A ship on the waveA cabin on the shipA table in the cabinA map on the table

A tree in the bogA bog down in the valleyA bog down in the valley, O!”

The Young Explorers of Huldufolk Fire, from the Expeditionary Year expedition to Iceland, continued to demonstrate their artistic talents through this map (not to scale) showing their route across the tundra (see opposite). The original map was hand drawn in their Fire Diary.

“Day 14, July 18th.

We created our own map, Lord of the Rings style. It included where we’d already been and where we were going to go.”

Bogs, Maps and Plovers

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Science on expeditionScience has always been a crucial part of British Exploring Society’s learning and developmental experience. Our stated aim is ‘to stimulate and celebrate curiosity and increase the role that science plays in the lives of young people throughout our programmes’.

The three threads of this are: Science THROUGH – to inspire curiosity through remarkable experiences, places and people Science FOR - to give direction and meaning to curiosity – to consider purpose - in conservation; and for sustainability. Science as design; ethics and morality. Science ABOUT – to harness curiosity and a sense of purpose to fire appetite for knowledge, skills and practical techniques.

We encourage a strong focus and commitment to environmental issues and awareness, to be good visitors to fragile places, and to fostering an enduring love and respect for the wilderness, for example, taking participants through the John Muir Award.

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Volunteering and Community

The Explorer Miles scheme aims to help Explorers fund the cost of their expedition, benefit their local community and provide them with valuable developmental experience at the same time. In its first full year, the Explorer Miles scheme has made taking part in an expedition a more realistic and achievable goal for all young people. Our 2017 Explorers completed 5000 hours of volunteering and in doing so earned themselves nearly £50,000 in contributions to their expedition costs – all made possible by a very generous anonymous donation.

Explorer Miles volunteering comes in many forms. Explorers have worked in charity shops, made bread in community bakeries, mucked out rare breed animal sanctuaries and spent time with patients in respite care homes:

“Volunteering has made me feel more involved in my local community and proud of myself as an individual. It has given me another purpose to my life than exams and helped me understand the importance of people like my manager in society. Overall it has encouraged me to continue volunteering far into the future” Hannah, Amazon 2017

Taking part in social action or volunteering, gives our Young Explorers invaluable experience:

“Perhaps the most rewarding and enriching experience locally has been my time working with the Guernsey Academy of Theatrical Education as a street dance coach. Watching the children there grow and develop, both in skills and confidence, influenced me massively and sparked a real interest in volunteering and coaching. I intend to stay on as a coach in later life and now get involved at every opportunity for volunteering.” Peter, Yukon 2017

Volunteering is the lifeblood of charities and the organisations who have benefited from Explorer Miles recognise the impact of the scheme:

“We are extremely pleased to have Christopher volunteering with us. We are very lucky to have him – thank you for bringing him to us!” Manager, British Heart Foundation Shop.

For many of our Explorers the reduction in cost offered through Explorer Miles is essential for their participation:

“It was immediately obvious to me that I’d have to complete all 100 hours of volunteering to raise money for the expedition..” Rory, Himalaya 2017

“There is no ‘set list’ of possible volunteering

work which allows young people such as myself to really consider the

things that matter to us and the way in which we can go ahead and make

a difference through volunteering.”

5,000+ hours of volunteering

in 2017Explorer Miles is an important scheme as it encourages young people to take initiative and impact their local community in a positive way. “

Megan, Amazon 2017

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Developing Partnerships2017 has seen the implementation of Advance and Ascend, our Strategy for the next 5 years. A pivotal element of delivering this strategy is our increased levels of partnership work. We work with many organisations across our different programmes but they all share our commitment and belief in the power of the outdoors to change lives forever. Existing recruitment and funding partners are detailed alongside the expedition programmes they support, but this year we have developed a number of significant new partnerships:

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Scouts AssociationThe Scout Association came to us in 2016 to see if we could create an expedition programme to the Amazon in 2020. As we set about discussing the potential expedition we discovered that we shared many fundamental beliefs; not least our reliance on inspirational volunteer Leaders. In March 2017 we launched joint recruitment for 2 new expeditions to be delivered for the Scouts Association in the Amazon and Yukon in 2020. We have now successfully delivered our first UK training weekend and in January 2018 we will confirm the last of 84 places on the expedition.

Jubilee Sailing TrustWe have been working all year with JST on our most ambitious programme ever that will see an inclusive land and sea expedition to the Norwegian Lofoten Islands in 2019. We are delighted to be running a UK based pilot expedition in 2018. The pilot will run with a mixed ability group of under 18’s and will include both a land based expedition on Dartmoor and a voyage on UK coastal waters. We have much to learn working alongside JST and are very pleased to have them as new partners.

2017 also saw the introduction of The Ambassador Explorer Programme, which allowed us to fulfil our ambition to broaden access to our Open Expeditions. These Explorers came from a partnership network featuring schools and uniform groups and were the pioneers for this new recruitment and supported places programme; working alongside our partners we identify the individuals who can benefit most and have the capacity for the challenge, then we make the expedition experience more accessible to these individuals with the help of a supporting funder. In 2018 we hope to have over 50 Ambassador Explorers departing to the Yukon, Amazon and Himalaya. Partners supporting the inaugural Ambassador Programme were Westminster Academy, Ormiston Academy Trust, and the Sea Cadets.

We launched The Challenge to do 3 things:1. To give groups of intrepid adults (without necessarily any previous experience) the chance to experience an expedition in a weekend and get a flavour of what Young Explorers can accomplish during their time with us.2. To raise awareness and understanding of our youth development work and of the difference it can make. 3. To fundraise to allow us to do more, for more young people.

Our first Challenge was a great success. It took place on Dartmoor in late September, in filthy weather. As ever, we depended on the creativity, skill and stamina of our volunteer Leaders as well as on the determination of our Challenge teams. Their words convey the spirit of the weekend perfectly.

We raised over £42,000 through the heroic efforts of The SEAL Squad, Moor Pain and Healthcare at Home team 1 and 2. Teams are now encouraged to sign up for the 2018 Challenge which will take place in September.

‘I think my overriding feeling coming away from the event is what an incredible charity this really is...an incredibly competent team supported by some extremely experienced and well qualified volunteers... It really can be completely life changing...’’

British Exploring Challenge

“Unlike anything you will

have done before”

“A life-changing team/individual

learning experience”

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“We really did have one hell of an adventure. It was a fantastic team bonding experience and an

incredible sense of achievement.” SEAL Team Member

From Our CEOWho doesn’t thrive in a good team? We achieve more and learn more; we feel more valued and are more tolerant. Being part of a great team can be one of the greatest pleasures in life.

I have watched many teams in action this year as we press forward with the delivery of the strategy we agreed in 2016. Just like our Explorers and Leaders on expedition, the BES team have been working hard, thinking a lot, learning a lot, having fun and with the help of many people, getting a lot done. Our partnerships with organisations like the Scouts and Jubilee Sailing Trust are flourishing. We are becoming better at helping the young people we serve as a result. When our Chief Leaders do their (extremely challenging) job well loyalty, energy, commitment and determination flourish in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect. It’s a privilege to witness. I watched first hand as Fires (expedition teams) flourished in Iceland. Our Explorers became proficient at planning their adventures together. Their packs got lighter. They looked after each other as they shared jokes, songs, rations, toothpaste and blister treatments.

Our benefactors are very much a part of the team too. We draw on their expertise to help us do our job better. We are wiser for their support and advice and inspired by their enthusiasm and generosity. We even saw teams flourish over a long weekend in September. This was the first “British Exploring Society Challenge” – an expedition in a weekend for adults on Dartmoor, set up to raise awareness of our work and as a fundraiser. The results (like the weather!) were spectacular – the efforts of the teams (and the supporting staff and volunteers) herculean.

We want to be able to do more for more young people. Our Trustees and our new Development Board share our drive to ensure that our strategy is delivered. More young people from diverse backgrounds need to be given the opportunity to develop genuine confidence, independence of mind, resilience and determination. Everyone we’ve teamed up with this year shares that aim.

High points of my year include celebrating the bravery of a Young Explorer, an elective mute, happily joining his team on stage as they shared their achievements on expedition together. He has since interviewed for an apprenticeship. I will also not forget the words of a youth worker who had recommended young people to one of our programmes; ‘’what I see is a group of young people…who are now lifelong friends. Friends who are united by one fear. Not a fear of failure, but a fear of not trying.’’

We help young people understand their own capabilities, to experience the multiple benefits of team life – in circumstances where their unique contribution counts. I often say to Young Explorers that they may meet many remarkable people on expedition – but that the most remarkable individual they will meet will be themselves. If you’re one of the many remarkable people who have helped us and been part of a team on behalf of British Exploring Society this year, thank you for everything you’ve done to help our Young Explorers, and to help us move forward as a charity.

Honor Wilson-Fletcher MBE

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British Exploring Society(A company limited by guarantee and not having share capital)

COMPANY INFORMATION AT 31 OCTOBER 2017

President Professor David Rhind CBE

Members of the CouncilDoug Oppenheim (Chairman) (Appointed 15 February 2017)Rupert Eastwood (Treasurer) Daragh HorganJoanna Wolstenholme Susan Redshaw Deidre SorensonJane Park-Weir Michael Blakey (Appointed 15 February 2017)Carolyn Young (Appointed 6 July 2017)John Hartz (Appointed 6 July 2017)Patrick Van Daele (Appointed 6 July 2017) Edward Watson (Resigned 15 February 2017)Jon Geldart (Resigned 8 September 2017)Professor Michael Lewis (Resigned 15 February 2017)Dr Steve Lloyd (Resigned 15 February 2017)David Bailey (Appointed 6 July 2017)

Chief Executive OfficerHonor Wilson-Fletcher MBE

Charity Registered Number802196

Company Number2411786 (England and Wales)

Registered Office and Principal Address1 Kensington GoreLondon SW7 2ARinfo@britishexploring.org www.britishexploring.org

Bankers Royal Bank of Scotland plc49 Charing Cross London SW1A 2DX

Auditors Kreston Reeves LLPThird Floor South One Jubilee Street, BrightonEast Sussex BN1 1GE

Our FinancialsCompany Information

Excerpts from Council’s ReportA full copy of our accounts for the year ended 31 October 2017 is available from British Exploring Society, Companies House or the Charity Commission website.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the governing document, the Charities Act 2011, Companies Act 2006 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2015

Structure, Governance and ManagementThe Society employs twelve full-time and two part-time employees, including four apprentices (until Sept ‘17) who manage the direction and day-to-day administration of the Society. Many volunteers, who offer their services either regularly or on an ad hoc basis, assist both Council and staff. A significant number provide specialist professional services to the Society as a donation.

Members of Council, listed on page 1, are the directors for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006 and trustees for the purposes of the Charities Act 2011. Members of the Council are appointed formally at the Annual General Meeting each year. Since the Company is limited by guarantee, none of the members of the Council has any beneficial interests in shares in the Company.

New members of Council are recruited to the Council of British Exploring Society by application. In selecting new members, consideration is given to the specific contribution that they can make to the Council and the Society. A regular skills and training

audit is undertaken to ensure that appointments to Council reflect the strategic priorities of the charity.

RiskThe Society must manage two categories of risk: those to itself and those to the Leaders and Explorers who participate on its expedition programmes in wild and remote areas. Council is responsible for the oversight of both. Council has agreed British Exploring Society’s risk appetite and tolerance in both. An Operations sub-committee was set up in 2017 to further support the Executive team in the oversight of risk in relation to programme development and delivery. At least 2 Council members serve on this committee.

Areas affected by risk include expeditions/programmes, finances, governance, operations, compliance with law and regulation, and external perceptions and relationships. The Chief Executive, supported by the Head of Expeditions and Expeditions Manager, is responsible for establishing and operating a system for managing expeditions and their associated risks. On expedition, this is delegated to Chief Leaders.

This system includes checking compliance with British Exploring Society standard operating procedures (SOPs). SOPs are reviewed by British Exploring Society senior leadership team, members of an external panel of technical advisors, and by Council. They are updated in the light of experience in the field and changes in practice and regulation. Individual expedition risk management plans and control measures are also subject to interrogation against questions and challenges generated through a targeted desk-based process of research which considers environmental, political and other risks which we may not have been previously encountered in the field.

Before each expedition, Explorers and Leaders are trained to identify and manage risks. At the start of the expedition, further training is given. The Chief Leader, liaising with British Exploring Society office in London, will adapt the expedition’s plans,

risk assessment and control measures to suit the circumstances in the field at the time.Council members monitor the operation of these processes. Financial RiskFinancial risk represents the risk to the Society of having insufficient funds to carry out its committed charitable activities, due to over-reaching in planning such activities, insufficient fund-raising or general poor management or funds and expenses. Council mitigates such financial risk through the appointment of a finance sub-committee of Council chaired by the Treasurer, which meets approximately 2 weeks before every Council meeting. Executive finance officers present the latest accounts, forecasts and operating data for review and cross-checking by the sub-committee before such information can be submitted to Council.

Object and ActivitiesThe object of the Society is to advance the education of young people by providing inspirational and challenging scientific expeditions to remote, wild environments and so promote the development of their confidence, teamwork, leadership and spirit of adventure and exploration.

Statement of Public BenefitThe trustees of British Exploring Society have taken due note of their responsibilities to deliver public benefit and are confident of the impact of British Exploring Society in the following areas:

The advancement of education – through the development of individual capabilities, competencies, skills and understanding;

The relief of those in need because of disadvantage – through specific programmes to provide progression opportunities for young people most at risk in society;

The advancement of community development – through the active promotion of volunteering and civic responsibility;

The advancement of Science – through research, and independent research projects;

The advancement of environmental protection – through the promotion and better understanding of sustainable development and biodiversity.

Notable activities and achievements in 2016/17In 2016/17 the Society successfully delivered 8 programmes – a record level of activity in its 85-year history.

Two of those programmes (Epic Adventures and Expeditionary year) were pilots of new partnerships which will allow the Society to build on specific commitments made in its five-year strategy, ‘Advance and Ascend’.

The charity increased the diversity and inclusion of participation on its programmes, and implemented new approaches to continue to improve the accessibility of its work in future years including through the launch of the Ambassador Explorer programme in partnership with schools and academies.

The first British Exploring Challenge was launched – an expedition in a weekend on Dartmoor for adults. This was designed to challenge teams to experience the kind of learning journey of the young people the charity works with, to raise the profile of its work and impact, and to raise money. It was a considerable success.

A Development Board was set up, chaired by a

member of Council, to support fund-raising for the future.

Governance has been further strengthened through the recruitment of new trustees with key areas of professional experience and access to networks which will enable the Society to better meet its charitable aims.

KEY ACTIVITIESOpen ExpeditionsPERUVIAN AMAZONThe Society returned to the Amazon with a large group of participants from 16 years old to 24, from all over the UK, from Scotland to Guernsey. The Society continued to collaborate with the Crees Foundation, an environmental charity based in the Manu National Park in Peru. British Exploring Society ran three and five-week expeditions into the jungle. All participants took part in an on-going community project to support bio-gardens, and were given elective choices to allow maximum learning opportunities during their time in the rainforest. For the second year running, new rivers were mapped to source by Explorers.

YUKONA group of 17-27 year olds with a diversity of backgrounds and cultures from all over the UK joined this programme which had both 3 and 5-week itineraries. The expedition departed from Whitehorse, and allowed Explorers the chance to hike, fish, paddle, and see the Northern Lights, and encounter a wealth of remarkable wildlife in one of the continent’s greatest wildernesses whilst developing their elf-sufficiency and independence. Some were finishing school, some on a gap year, some finishing university and some in full time work. For a number, this was their first extended period away from family. As ever, they learnt to share their own knowledge and experience to solve the physical and technical challenges of being on expedition in an unfamiliar and remote place with guidance, support and example from the Leaders.

INDIAN HIMALAYASWe returned to run 3- and 5-week programmes in India again this year with a Base Camp in the Zara Valley, Ladakh, next to a river. At 4800 metres this is as high as the summit of Mont Blanc. A thorough programme of training was delivered in the UK and from arrival in India through the 8-day journey to Base Camp to equip Young Explorers with

the skills and confidence needed for expedition life. A considerable number of participants had little experience outside of the UK. Explorers were challenged by the heat of the Indian plains, freezing temperatures on its mountains and by the challenge of living at high altitude. Simple tasks challenged at such altitude at first: putting tents up, moving supplies, getting dressed, fetching and filtering water, cooking. Offsetting fatigue to focus on the science was managed through dedicated science days (from a fixed camp). Glacier training –axes and crampons and roping up to reach Tanglang La at 5800m was the highlight for many Young Explorers.

Post -Expedition reflection and review All Open Expeditions were preceded by training weekends and followed by a Next Steps event in London at Chelsea Academy with professional facilitation and celebration presentations to families and carers.

Invited ExpeditionsDANGOOR NEXT GENERATION (DNG) - ICELANDThe Dangoor Next Generation programme attracts a diverse group of both male and female 16-21 year olds from across the UK. All are engaged with different services within partner organisation Catch-22 with keyworkers or support workers that support their applications to join the program. As part of the DNG program all participants complete 2 UK training phases that help them gain the knowledge and skills required to complete a 3-week expedition in northern Iceland. In that time, they also get to know their team and Leaders ensuring they can work well to overcome the challenges presented to them by the expedition.

A phased approach to training allows participants to experience the feeling of living outside in a safer more supported environment prior to setting foot on Icelandic soil. We use remote parts of the UK to help simulate the situations they will likely experience when they get to northern Iceland. In Iceland the participants experience living and adventure in one of the most remote parts of Europe. The freedom, space and scenery provide a remarkable chance to develop personal and social skills life skills whilst being supported by our volunteer Leaders.

STELLAR-YUKONThe Stellar Leadership Development Programme,

which delivers a distinctive and strenuous approach to facilitated personal development in a wilderness context, was run in partnership with the London Law Trust. A group of young people were selected to take part in a five-module leadership-development programme, the centrepiece of which involved a challenging two-week expedition. The expedition included several days paddling in canoes in the Canadian wilderness. Whilst contributing to their participation costs in the programme, all participants also received substantial bursaries from the London Law Trust. The Stellar programme is also distinctive for its alumni programme. Those who participate in the intensive Stellar experience continue to support each other through the alumni network in their future development. This is the last year of funding from the London Law Trust, which wound up recently. British Exploring Society is now seeking alternative funding for this ground-breaking programme.

EPIC ADVENTURES – BADLANDS OF SPAINThis was the pilot year for a programme designed to support young people facing a range of challenges. We worked with a small group of young people from the same area of London in partnership with another charity called EPIC. The participants were all a similar age (16-19). The overseas phase of the expedition started with 5 days of training in camp and was run in desert near Gorafe, in the Badlands of Spain. The young people were asked to embrace the challenges of heat, as well as the physical discomfort of walking with rucksacks and the routine of expedition life. Following this pilot, the programme is already part-funded for the next 2 years. EXPEDITIONARY YEAR - ICELANDThis was the pilot year of a second major new programme in 2017 for the Society. The programme has been supported generously by the Peter Cundill Foundation for 3 years. It was run back-to-back in North East Iceland with the DNG programme, using the same basecamp. In this pilot year we had 12 Young Explorers, 3 each from 4 different schools – from opposite ends of the country. Each group of young people was joined on the expedition by one of their teachers. Despite their young age ( just 14) they showed incredible resilience, and from the very start of the expedition quickly formed cohesive Fires (group). Being in the Icelandic wilderness had a profound effect on everyone on the expedition. The Young Explorers, particularly through the John Muir award, demonstrated considerable aware of

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their impact on the environment and worked hard to make sure that they minimised this impact. The pilot was deemed to be particularly successful.

ScienceScience has always been a crucial part of British Exploring Society’s learning and developmental experience. Our stated aim is ‘to stimulate and celebrate curiosity and increase the role that science plays in the lives of young people throughout our programmes’.

The three threads of this are: Science THROUGH – to inspire curiosity through remarkable experiences, places and peopleScience FOR - to give direction and meaning to curiosity – to consider purpose, - in conservation; sustainability. Science as design; ethics and moralityScience ABOUT – to harness curiosity and a sense of purpose to fire appetite for knowledge, skills and practical techniques

We encourage a strong focus and commitment to environmental issues and awareness, and to fostering an enduring love and respect for the wilderness, for example, taking all participants through the John Muir Award.

Training activities This year training included: first aid, expeditionary plans and protocols, safety and risk, scenario planning, environment-specific training (for example dealing with snakes, machetes, heat exhaustion or altitude), glacier travel, stove use, health and hygiene, healthy relationships, navigation, standard and emergency communications, behavioural management, mental health first aid, cultural and environmental briefs, media training, personal development and kit briefs. Post-expedition sessions are all about the application of expedition experiences to other contexts and included language and communication styles, approaches to leadership, learning styles and problem-solving and presentation skills.

Trainee Leader ProgrammeTrainee Leaders enrolled and took part in all the Open Expedition programmes, as well as in pre-and post-overseas phase training as part of British Exploring Society TL programme.

Summarised Financial Statements

and will be adjusted in response to internal and external changes. British Exploring Society sets as a requirement the addition of reserves equivalent to one month’s operating costs over a year if our reserves stand at less than six months’ worth of operating costs at its commencement, or to bring reserves up to three months’ worth of operating costs if at less than three months at the beginning of the year.

The current calculation of average monthly operating costs includes all recurring, predictable expenses such as salaries and benefits, occupancy, travel, programme delivery, and ongoing professional services. Depreciation, in-kind, and other non-cash expenses are not included in the calculation.

The balance held as unrestricted funds at 31 October 2017 was £161,449 of which £147,177 are regarded as free reserves, after allowing for funds tied up in tangible fixed assets.

The balance held as restricted funds at 31st October 2017 was £332,160.

Statement of responsibility in relation to fundraisingBritish Exploring Society takes its duties in relation to fundraising under Data Privacy and Protection regulation and per The Code of Fundraising Practice seriously. The Data Protection and Privacy Policy was reviewed and revised in 2017 alongside the principles of its Ethical Fundraising Policy. The Code of Fundraising Practice outlines the standards expected of all charitable fundraising organisations across the UK.

Those standards were developed by the fundraising community through the work of the Institute of Fundraising (IoF) and Public Fundraising Association (PFRA). Fundraising at British Exploring Society is led by a full member of the Institute of Fundraising. Standards in fundraising at British Exploring Society are monitored on behalf of Council by the Finance Committee.

Statement of Council Members’ ResponsibilitiesMembers of Council are responsible for preparing the Council’s Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom

Financial ReviewThe Statement of Financial Activities is shown on page 43. There was net expenditure, together with realised and unrealised gains on investments, on the unrestricted, restricted and endowment funds of £69,612 (2016: £62,390 net expenditure). The Council confirms that the Society’s assets are available and adequate to fulfil the financial obligations of the Society.

Achievements and PerformanceThe main activities in the year to 31 October 2017 are outlined in the sections above.

The income and expenditure relating to these expeditions and programmes are reflected in the Statement of Financial Activities on page 43 of these financial statements. Income was also received in respect of and expenditure incurred on expeditions that will take place after 31 October 2017. Such income and expenditure has been carried forward as debtors and creditors respectively, as can be seen in notes 9 and 10 in the full Financial Statement.

Investment Policy and PerformanceIn accordance with the Articles of Association, the Council has the power to invest in such stocks, shares, investments and property as they see fit. The investment policy is to adopt a strategy that will secure a medium return on funds available for investment, with growth at least in line with inflation.

Reserves PolicyThe Reserves Policy will be implemented in concert with other governance and financial controls, and is intended to support these policies and the goals identified in British Exploring Society strategic and operational plans. The reserves fund is a sum set aside by Council. The minimum amount to be designated as Reserves is designed to be sufficient to maintain ongoing operations and programmes for a set period, measured in months. The target minimum is equal to 3 months of average operating costs. The maximum level of the Reserves is equal to 6 months operating costs. The Reserves target minimum will be calculated and agreed each year alongside approval of the annual budget and will be included in regular financial reporting. The level of the reserves fund must be dynamic, will be reviewed by Finance Committee,

Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).Company law requires members of Council to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for the year. In preparing these financial statements, the members of the Council are required to:

- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP 2015 (FRS102);- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.

The members of Council are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The members of Council are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Disclosure of information to the AuditorSo far as each member of Council at the date of approval of this report is aware:

- there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditor is unaware; and- certain members of Council, on its behalf, have made the appropriate enquiries and have taken all

reasonable steps to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to ensure that the auditors are aware of that information.

Small company special provisionsThe Council Report has been prepared taking advantage of the small companies’ exemption in Section 415A of the Companies Act 2006. The accounts comply with the current statutory requirements, the governing document and SORP 2015.

Independent Auditor’s report to the Members of British Exploring Society We examined the financial statements of British Exploring Society for the year ended 31 October 2017.

This statement is made solely to the charitable company’s members and to the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members body, for this statement.

Basis for opinionWe conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our report on the company’s full annual financial statements describes the basis of our opinion on those financial statements and the Council’s report.

Conclusions relating to going concernWe have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the ISAs (UK) require us to report to you where:

• the trustees have not disclosed in the financial statements any identified material uncertainties that may cast significant doubt about the charitable company’s ability to continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting for a period of at least twelve months from the date when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Opinions In our opinion the summarised financial statements are consistent with the full financial statements and Council’s Report of British Exploring Society for the year ended 31 October 2017 and comply

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Summarised Financial Statements

with the applicable requirements of section 427 of the Companies Act2006 and the regulations made thereunder.

Kreston Reeves LLP, Statutory AuditorOne Jubilee StreetBrightonEast SussexBN1 1GEFebruary 2018

Accounting PoliciesBasis of accountingThe financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006. British Exploring Society meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note.

IncomeExpedition contributions are accounted for as receivable by the Company and recognised in the statement of Financial Activities, except where they relate to an expedition occurring in a later year, when they are deferred within creditors and credited to the Statement of Financial Activities in the year the expedition takes place. Donations in kind or by way of donated equipment are accounted for on receipt, at the estimated value. Voluntary income and donations are accounted for on receipt by the charity, and recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities. Legacies are accounted for where there is a reasonable degree of certainty as to the amounts receivable.

Recognition of donated servicesDonated services are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic

benefit can be measured reliably. On receipt, donated services are recognised on the basis of the value of the voluntary time contribution to the organisation, which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.

ExpenditureExpenses and grants payable are recognised in the accounts when they are accrued when they are incurred by the charity, with the exception of costs for future expeditions, which are deferred within debtors and charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the year the expedition takes place. Grant applications are considered by the Expedition Co-ordinators and Chief Executive and awards are given to deserving cases to fund participation in expeditions.

Expenditure is allocated to the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. The staff and office costs incurred on each activity are apportioned on the following basis, which is an estimate, based on staff time, of the amount attributable to each activity:

Cost of expeditions 95%Management and administration of the charity 5%

InvestmentsInvestments are stated at market value. Realised and unrealised gains and losses on investments are recognised within the Statement of Financial Activities. Dividend income is credited to income on an accruals basis, using the date of payment of the dividend.

DepreciationDepreciation is provided on all tangible fixed assets at rates calculated to write off the cost, less estimated residual value, of each asset over its expected useful life. The useful economic lives of expedition equipment items are reviewed and adjusted annually. The brought forward values are then written off over this period. Depreciation is calculated on the following basis:

Expedition equipment - between 1 and 10 years,

straight line basisOffice equipment and computers - 25% straight line basisIndividual items of equipment costing less than £100 are not capitalised.

DebtorsTrade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due.

Cash at bank and in handCash at bank includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months of less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

CreditorsCreditors are recognised at their settlement amount.

ReservesThe charity holds reserves which have been designated for the following purposes:-• Restricted Permanent Endowment Funds are maintained as required by the individual trust deeds; some of these allow for the income to be accumulated in order to provide a meaningful grant at a later date.• Restricted Funds are certain donations made with conditions attached (e.g. for use in subsidising Explorers from particular areas, or supporting a particular project) and are kept in a Restricted Fund until applied.

Foreign currenciesAssets and liabilities in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rates of exchange at the balance sheet date. Transactions in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rate ruling on the date of transaction. Exchange differences are reflected in the Statement of Financial Activities.

Operating leasesRentals applicable to operating leases where substantially all of the benefits and risks of ownership remain with the lessor are reflected in the Statement of Financial Activities as incurred.

Outstanding contributions from expeditionsContributions that are outstanding at the year end are not included in the accounts. Action is taken

to contact the Explorer and arrange a repayment programme. If such programme fails, the debt may be placed in the hands of an agency for recovery.

PensionsContributions in respect of the defined contribution pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities for the year in which they are payable to the scheme. Differences between contributions payable and contributions actually paid in the year are shows as either accruals or prepayments at the year end. At the year end, there was an accrual for £1,207 (2016: £0).Employer contributions made to the scheme during 2017 amount to £3,923 (2015: £3,859).

Members’ liabilityThe society is a company limited by guarantee. In the event of the society being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member.

Judgements, estimates, and key areas of uncertaintyThe accounts contain one key estimate with regards to the recognition of donated time. In valuing the voluntary time donated estimates are made for the daily rate of each position or job. This estimate is based on the average salary for similar jobs or positions throughout the UK.

Going ConcernThe financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the members of Council believe that no material uncertainties exist. Members of Council have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure is sufficient with the level of reserves for the charity to be able to continue as a going concern.

UNRESTRICTED RESTRICTED ENDOWMENT TOTAL TOTAL FUNDS FUNDS FUNDS 2017 2016

Income £ £ £ £ £

Donations 494,487 265,421 685 760,593 453,017

Income from charitable activities:Contributions from participants, supporters and sponsors 510,164 232,032 – 742,196 829,512

Income from investments 683 – – 683 14,689

Other income 14,494 – – 14,494 11,035 Total income 1,019,828 497,453 685 1,517,966 1,308,253

Expenditure

Expenditure on raising funds 52,513 – – 52,513 39,239

Expenditure on charitable activities 1,012,721 521,844 500 1,535,065 1,332,771 Total expenditure 1,065,234 521,844 500 1,587,578 1,372,010

Net income/(expenditure) and net movement in funds for the year before gains and losses on investments (45,406) (24,391) 185 (69,612) (63,757)

Net gains/(losses) on investments – – – – 1,367 Net income/(expenditure) (45,406) (24,391) 185 (69,612) (62,390)

Reconciliation of Funds

Total funds brought forward 206,855 308,195 48,171 563,221 625,611

Total funds carried forward 161,449 283,804 48,356 493,609 563,221

Summarised Financial Statements

Statement of Financial Activitiesfor the year ended 31 October 2017

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UNRESTRICTED RESTRICTED ENDOWMENT TOTAL TOTAL FUNDS FUNDS FUNDS 2017 2016 £ £ £ £ £ FIXED ASSETS Tangible assets 14,272 – – 14,272 19,038Investments – – – – 174,699 TOTAL FIXED ASSETS 14,272 – – 14,272 193,737 CURRENT ASSETSCash at bank and in hand 179,652 123,804 48,356 351,812 414,366Debtors 83,571 160,000 – 243,571 72,441

TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 263,223 283,804 48,356 595,383 486,807

CREDITORS:Amounts falling due within one year (116,046) – – (116,046) (117,323) NET CURRENT ASSETS 147,177 283,804 48,356 479,337 369,484 NET ASSETS 161,449 283,804 48,356 493,609 563,221

THE FUNDS OF THE CHARITY:Endowment funds – – 48,356 48,356 48,171Restricted income funds – 283,804 – 283,804 308,195Unrestricted income funds 161,449 – – 161,449 206,855

TOTAL CHARITY FUNDS 161,449 283,804 48,356 493,609 563,221

Balance Sheetas at 31 October 2017 Registered number: 2411786

Approved and signed on behalf of the Council on 1 February 2018 by:

Doug Oppenheim Chairman

Summarised Financial Statements

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Finland Expedition 1932 Surg Cdr G Murray Levick RN

Lapland Expedition 1933 Surg Cdr G Murray Levick RN

Newfoundland Expedition 1934 Surg Cdr G Murray Levick RN

Newfoundland Expedition 1935 Surg Cdr G Murray Levick RN

Lapland Senior Expedition 1936 Surg Cdr G Murray Levick RN

Lapland Junior Expedition 1936 Capt C A Carkeet-James RA

Newfoundland Expedition 1937 Surg Cdr G Murray Levick RN

Newfoundland Expedition 1938 Surg Cdr G Murray Levick RN

Newfoundland Expedition 1939 Surg Cdr G Murray Levick RN

Newfoundland Expedition 1947 Surg Cdr G Murray Levick RN

Northern Quebec Expedition 1948 Maj G F Spooner PARA

Northern Norway Expedition 1949 Maj G F Spooner PARA

Northern Norway Expedition 1950 Dr J C Hawksley CBE PhD FRCP

Central Iceland Expedition 1951 Maj F G Hannell RE BSc

Central Iceland Expedition 1952 Capt J A Taplin RM

British Columbia Expedition 1953 Maj G F Hannell PhD BSc

Northern Quebec Expedition 1954 Maj E D Stroud DSC RM (Retd)

Newfoundland Expedition 1955 Maj G F Spooner R Fusiliers

Central Iceland Expedition 1956 Maj G F Hannell PhD BSc

Finnish Lapland Expedition 1957 Capt A G Bomford RE

Labrador Expedition 1958 Maj G S Murray MC

Arctic Sweden Expedition 1959 Maj G F Hannell PhD BSc

Central Iceland Expedition 1960 Maj A P H B Fowle MC RA

Arctic Scandinavia Expedition 1961 Dr J A Payne MB BS

Swedish Lapland Expedition 1962Dr I Y Ashwell MA

Arctic Finland Expedition 1963Capt T D Dean 1st Bn East Anglian Regt

Central Iceland Expedition 1964Maj W Stanford RHA

Arctic Norway Expedition 1965Maj D R Goddard SCLI

Arctic Sweden Expedition 1966R J Wood MA

Arctic Norway Expedition 1967Capt D T Jackson PARA

Spitsbergen Expedition 1968Dr J A Payne MB BS

Newfoundland Expedition 1969Maj T D Dean Anglian Regt

Iceland Expedition 1970Dr I Y Ashwell PhD MA

Iceland Expedition 1971D J Mordaunt:

Greenland Expedition 1972Dr J A Payne MB BS

Arctic Norway Expedition 1972Flt Lt D G Allan RAF Regt

Arctic Sweden Expedition 1973D J Mordaunt

Arctic Sweden Expedition 1974G Downie BSc

Central Iceland Expedition 1975Dr I Y Ashwell PhD MA

Arctic Finland Expedition 1976M L Winspear

North Iceland Expedition 1977Maj D T Jackson PARA

East Iceland Expedition 1977R G Derrick

South East Iceland Expedition 1978R H Ward

Northern Norway Expedition 1979J G Vessey

Arctic Norway Expedition 1980Harvey Jones

Central Iceland Expedition 1981Brian Needham

East Greenland Expedition 1982Roger Chapman MBE BA

East Greenland Expedition 1983Ray WardCapt Mark Grieves R Signals

East Greenland Expedition 1983G Downie BSc

Lyngen, Arctic Norway Expedition 1984Tony Duncan

East Greenland Winter Expedition 1985David MordauntTom Metcalf

Alaska Expedition 1985Dr John Cohen

South East Iceland BSES/ Colson Expedition 1985Ray Ward

Yukon Expedition 1986Dr Barry Meatyard PhD BSc CBiol MBiol FRGS

Kenya Expedition 1986Peter Drake FRGS

Papua New Guinea 1987David Wright

Svalbard Expedition 1987Cdr Chris Furse OBE RN

East Greenland Expedition 1988Ray Ward

West Himalaya Expedition 1988Derek Jackson

Arctic Norway Expedition 1989LyngenDr Brian Whalley

OksfjordjokelenDr Anne Gellatly

Sea KayakingJohn Ramwell

Del-Monte-Fruitini Alaska Overwinter Expedition 1989-90Brian Hull

Svalbard Spring Expedition 1990Dr Andrew Collinson

Svalbard Summer 1990Pat Cannings

Yukon Summer 1990Geoff Billington

Botswana Expedition 1991Dr Alan Wilson

North Greenland Expedition 1991Sgt David Walker RAF

Central Iceland Expedition 1991Richard Crabtree

Svalbard Spring Expedition 1992Mark Evans

Iceland Expedition 1992Dr I Y Ashwell

South Greenland Expedition 1992Les Turnbull- Brown

Del-Monte-Fruitini White Sea of Russia Expedition 1992John Ramwell

Svalbard Spring Expedition 1993Dr Christine Partridge

British Columbia Expedition 1993Dr John Cohen

Svalbard Summer Expedition 1993Duncan Mackay

Montana Expedition 1994Brian Needham

Del-Monte-Fruitini Northern Norway Expedition 1994Tony Duncan

Zimbabwe Expedition 1994Maj Fiona Rose

North Queensland Expedition 1995Marianne Overton

South East Iceland Expedition 1995Rod Hartley

Del-Monte-Fruitini Alaska Expedition 1995Tony Whiting

Svalbard Spring Expedition 1996Mark Evans

Namibia Expedition 1996 Jeff South

Svalbard Summer Expedition 1996Chris Furse OBE

Vancouver Island Expedition 1996Keith Maslen

ANZSES/BSES Tasmania 1996-97Richard PitchforkHannah James-Roll

Lahaul (Indian Himalaya) Expedition 1997Dominic Jones

Sinai Expedition 1997Dr Emma Loveridge

South Greenland Expedition 1997Les Morgan

East Greenland Expedition 1998Pat Cannings

Lesotho Expedition 1998Ken Josey

Morocco Expedition 1998Alasdair Kennedy

Alaska Expedition 1999Tony Whiting

Kenya Expedition 1999Richard Crabtree

Tien Shan Expedition 1999Dr Michael Ridd

Past Expeditions

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Greenland Expedition 2000Les Morgan

The John Cohen Memorial Expedition, Iceland 2000Chris Gwinnett

Lahaul Expedition 2000Caroline Christie

Malawi Expedition 2000Chris Wright

Alaska Expedition 2001Tony Whiting

Ladakh Expedition 2001Pete Allison

Svalbard Expedition 2001Dr. Lorraine Craig

Svalbard Arctic-Year Expedition 2001-2002Mark Evans

Svalbard Summer Expedition 2002Tony Duncan

Amazonas Expedition 2002Belinda Kirk

Arctic Norway Expedition 2002David Martin

Footsteps of Shackleton Expedition 2002-03Brig DV Nicholls RM (ret’d)

East Greenland Expedition 2003Lt Col John Muston

Lesotho Expedition 2003Nick Thompson

Iceland Expedition 2004Brian Needham

Svalbard Expedition 2004John Ramwell

Tanzania Expedition 2004Colin Nicol

Svalbard 2005Dr Trevor Clarke

Arctic Norway 2005Stephen Saddler

Peruvian Andes 2005Dr Malcolm Bell

KwaZulu Natal 2005Col Chris Blessington

Peruvian Andes 2006David Martin

East Greenland 2006John Muston

Svalbard Spring 2006Ade Harris

Amazonas 2006Chris Horobin

Svalbard Leadership Development Programme 2006Andrew Johnson

Amazonas 2007Chris Horobin

Greenland 2007Sarah Mayer

Madagascar 2007Dr Ewan Laurie

Yukon 2007Nigel Harling

Svalbard Leadership Development Programme 2007Ade Harris

South Georgia and The Falklands 2007Pat Parsons

Svalbard Spring 2008Ade Harris

Amazon 2008David Williams

Ladakh 2008Chris Horobin

South Georgia 2008Bruce Manning

Svalbard Summer 2008Philip West

Norway Leadership Development Programme 2008Helen TurtonRob Cousins

Extreme Arctic 2009Ade Harris

Amazon 2009Ewan Laurie

Uncharted Himalayas 2009Chris Horobin

Greenland 2009Pete Allison

Arctic Kayaking 2009Mike Devlin

Leadership Development Programme 2009Helen Turton

Peruvian Amazon 2010David Martin

Arctic Adventure 2010Trevor Clarke

Coastal Svalbard 2010Mike Devlin

Extreme Arctic 2010 Ade Harris

Indian Himalaya 2010Mike Pawley

Peruvian Amazon 2011Stephanie Law

Arctic Adventure 2011Richard Payne

Extreme Arctic 2011Ade Harris

Arctic Skills 2011Ade Harris

Arctic Environmental Studies 2011 Ade Harris

Indian Himalaya 2011Chris Horobin

Dangoor Next Generation Programme 2011Neil Laughton

Stellar Leadership Development Programme 2011Scotty Johnson

Empty Quarter 2012Terry Fones

Arctic Odyssey 2012Les Turnbull Brown

Amazon Cocama 2012Andie Brazewell

Canyons to Coast 2012Dr Steve Lloyd

Dangoor Next Generation Programme 2012Neil Laughton

Stellar Leadership Development Programme 2012Scotty Johnson

Arctic Finnmark 2013Mick Pawley

Himalaya 2013Andy Rockall

Canyons and Craters 2013Sam McConnell

Empty Quarter 2013Soo Redshaw

Dangoor Next Generation Programme 2013Neil Laughton

Stellar Leadership Development Programme 2013Scotty Johnson

Empty Quarter 2014Andrew Stokes-Rees

Canyons and Craters 2014Sam McConnell

Arctic Finnmark 2014Mick Pawley

Himalaya 2014Soo Redshaw

Dangoor Next Generation Programme 2014Tom Abbey

Namibia Bound 2014 Steve Lloyd

Stellar Leaders Development Programme 2014 Scotty Johnson

Dangoor Next Generation Programme, Iceland 2015David Bartles-Smith

Indian Himalayas 2015Andrew Stokes-Rees

Peruvian Amazon 2015Dr Steve LloydAndie Brazewell

Operation AspireRomania 2015Kev Sidford

Stellar Leadership Development Programme, Norway 2015Scotty Johnson

Arctic Leadership Skills Course 2015Mick Pawley

Indian Himalayas 2016Bruce Manning

Peruvian Amazon 2016James Dyer

Namibian Desert 2016Steve Lloyd

Dangoor Next Generation Programme, Iceland 2016David Bartles Smith

Stellar Leadership Development Programme, Transylvania 2016Richard Strudwick

Canadian Yukon 2017Soo Redshaw

Indian Himalayas 2017Chris Pearson

Peruvian Amazon 2017James Dyer

Dangoor Next Generation Programme, Iceland 2017Tom Abbey

Stellar Leadership Development Programme, Yukon 2017Jennie Richardson

EPIC Spanish Badlands 2017Matt Adams

Expeditionary YearIceland 2017Simon White

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To find out more about the work we do, and how you can support us visit www.britishexploring.org

If you have a question or a comment about our work, get in touch. Call us on 020 7591 3141, or you can find us on:

Twitter: @Brit_exploringFacebook: /BritishExploringSocietyYouTube: /BritishExploring How you can help There are many different ways individuals can get involved with fundraising or volunteering. Just visit our website to find out more www.britishexploring.org/support-us

Legacies go a long way to ensuring we can maintain the support we offer young people across the UK. If you can find room in your will for British Exploring Society, your legacy will live on in the life of a disadvantaged young person for years to come. For more information contact Jess@britishexploring.org Make a donation Regular donations help us reach out to more young people who need our support. You really can help young people achieve their potential. Web donations via www.britishexploring.org/donate and postal donations to:

British Exploring Society1 Kensington GoreLondonSW72AR

Find Out More and Get Involved

Members’ Expeditions Nepal 1978-79R G DerrickBrian Needham

Himalayas 1981-82Andrew Toal

Finland Pilgrimage Expedition 1992Andrew ToalMurray Mitchell

Lahaul 1995Andrew ToalRichard Kearns

Everest Base Camp 1998Andrew Toal

Millennium Antarctic Expedition 1999-2000Chris Furse OBE

Kilimanjaro 2003Andrew Toal

Everest Base Camp 2004Andrew Toal

Mongolia 2005 Andrew Toal

South Georgia 2005-06 Brig DV Nicholls RM (ret’d)

Members Empty Quarter 2012 Kenneth Lord

Members Empty Quarter 2013 Kenneth Lord

We are grateful to the following supporters who made financial donations to the Society in the year 1 November 2016 – 31 October 2017

The donors and supporters of the Michael Garvey Bursary Fund

The donors and supporters of the Tim Ward-Wilson Memorial Award

All the donors and supporters of the Dangoor Next Generation Programme, including our delivery partner, Catch22

All the donors to the Ride London 100 event and the Serpentine Swim

All the participants in the inaugural British Exploring Challenge

Dr Terry AdamsThe Cadogan CharityMr and Mrs Marshall Christie Charlotte Cooper The Peter Cundill Foundation The Dulverton TrustExilarch’s FoundationFlorence Shaw TrustFrench Huguenot Church of London Charitable TrustJon GeldartThe Golden Bottle TrustAlexander Green John HartzThe Hedley FoundationMr and Mrs Ian Herd Dr Andrew Holmes Anne and Daragh HorganHutton Collins Foundation Dr and Mrs Joe Kay Mr and Mrs Paul Killik Charitable TrustTim KirkSamares InvestmentSir James Knott TrustSir John Cass FoundationLeonard Smith Publishing Ltd London Law TrustLord Mayor’s 800th Anniversary Awards TrustMrs Frances Morgan Ms Judi Morgan Norton Rose Fulbright Charitable TrustThe Ogden Trust Phillip Oppenheim

P F FoundationJane Park-Weir David Rhind Riders Matt Weekes, Richard Grey, Matt Hodgson and Jack Stoakes who took part in the Ride London 100Mrs Louise Rutherford Sandy and Zorica Glen Charitable SettlementPeter Storrs TrustSwansea Trotters 5kThe Adrian Swire Charitable TrustThe Tanner TrustAlbert Van den Bergh Charitable Trust Vandervell FoundationJames L Vernon Westbury Charitable Fund Nigel Winser Joanna WolstenholmeBeau Zilesnick and Isabel Emerson for the Serpentine Swim

And to all the donors, too numerous to mention, who made the first British Exploring Challenge such a great financial success. Thank you very much.

And to the following who have so kindly supported British Exploring Society in a variety of ways in the year November 2016 – October 2017

HRH The Duke of YorkAdventure Activities Licensing Service Dr Pete Allison and Maria Jose Ramirez at Penn State University Dot Adams – Be Well NutritionDave Annandale – BE Well NutritionTony Harpur, Will Putt and Justin Warwick for their work on British Exploring Society’s Archive Will Putt for his work to produce the Annual Review for 2016 The Cadet Forces Andy CharltonCathy Cobley and Catherine Blackmore for their help with the Membership Project Alistair Cole – Expedition Care Programme Cotswold OutdoorMichael Cox The Cranfield Students for their help with our Membership Project Mr David Dangoor and the Dangoor Family The Duke of Edinburgh Award SchemeKevin Everett and Richard Foley of Sir John Cass’s Foundation

Expedition Providers Association Luciano Figueira and Diego Leal – Royal Geographical SocietyGift your Gear Lieutenant General Andrew Graham CB CBEMajor General Sir Michael Hobbs KCVO CBE Scotty Johnson – Yela!Kensington and Chelsea Foundation Lieutenant Colonel Richard Martin of The Lord Mayor’s 800th Anniversary Awards Trust Quinn Meyer – Crees Foundation Andrew Pike, Belinda Brett and the staff of The Milestone Hotel Chloe Moul – Catch 22Dr Lucy ObolenskyCathy O’DowdParamo Clothing Lieutenant General Peter Pearson CB CBE Julian Penney – Pharos SafetyJames Phipps – Global TelesatPrimulaRIMO Expeditions Richard Rose and the Rose Family Trustees Vic Salmon for her help with design workDeborah Seddon for her support and advice on our GovernanceAlan Smith- John Muir Award Ed Stafford George Stephens – Howdens Insurance BrokersGeoffrey TantumDr Lucy ObolenskyOur Technical Advisors, including Loel Collins, Andy Brazewell and James Dyer Amanda Thirsk and members of the Private Office ofTop HerdGudrun and Sigurlina Trygvadottir – Svartarkot FarmUp North AdventureVogelsJohn Ward-WilsonEdward Watson Kate WilsonMr Nigel de N Winser Shane Winser – Geography OutdoorsChris Wright – Catch22Young Explorers Trust

All the Members of British Exploring Society who have contributed to our development over the last year

All the Schools and Academies who have supported us and our Explorers over the last year

And especially to the volunteers on our Council, members of the Development Board, our Patrons, apprentices, our Chief Leaders as well as all our Leaders, champions and mentors, too numerous to mention here

Special thanks to our photographers for their amazing photos:Mark Brightwell, Simon White, Tony Harpur, Belinda Dixon, Zygmunt Dreja, Alex Mallinson, Yassir Al-Mhana, Lucy Tidswell, Edward Morgan, Ruth Campion, Isabelle Churchill and James Garry

In MemoriamPeter Steer FRGSIn 1980 Peter was appointed Executive Director(ED) of BSES - as it was then known. This was the exemplar of ‘a round peg in a round hole’. He was in his element and enjoyed every second. He was very “hands on”. There were only 3 people working in The Office then plus an Accountant for mornings only.

Peter’s involvement with young people was all-consuming, thoroughly enjoyable and worthwhile. Literally hundreds of youngsters, as he would affectionately call them, have benefitted from his wisdom, exuberance, example and talents. He was at the helm for 13 years.

*References:Wildlife and Wetlands Trust survey results March 2016National Trust ‘Natural Childhood’ Report 2017The Wild Network national poll results March 2016Liz Truss Environment Secretary speech March 2016

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Acknowledgements

British Exploring Society1 Kensington GoreLondon SW7 2AR

Tel: 020 7591 3141Email: info@britishexploring.orgWeb: www.britishexploring.org

Twitter: @Brit_exploringFacebook: British Exploring SocietyInstagram: Brit_exploringThis Annual Review is also available as a PDF

Registered Charity 802196Image: British Exploring Society Leader jumping the sun

late in the evening in North East Iceland at basecamp