‘Alpkit Foundation’ at alpkit.com
2023 Impact review
This is what we do
Pete
Col
Elly
Adge
Rehna
David
Naomi
Kenny
Helen
Nick
Ross
Abby
Alpkit only exists because of our wild places and the people that make them. Alpkit Foundation is our payback, our social dividend to protect the places we love for everyone to enjoy. We make small awards to support direct action, where a positive difference can be made and help people get outdoors and experience the natural world.
“Hey! The outdoors is good for the mind, body and soul. There are amazing people doing incredible things to help others benefit from this and we’re super proud to be able to support them” Alpkit Foundation
meeta trustee
Helen Littlejohn
“With my own life challenges, to keep going I have always sought the outdoors and endeavour to help those less fortunate be able to do the same.” Appointed ‘Adventure Mum’ by her kids, for over 25 years Helen has been passionate about the impact nature can have on lives. From leading conservation projects, organising expeditions for an adventure holiday company, school expeditions and a breast cancer charity. Through to now working for Forestry England, as an Active Forest Co-ordinator. “I am particularly keen to help others who apply for funding break down the barriers to experience adventures. Having recently qualifying as a mental health first aider it’s amazing to see the positive impact that getting outdoors can have.”
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Alpkit Foundation Impact Review
Promoting engagement with the outdoors, Bannerman Road Community Academy visit Shallowford Farm
g in z a m A e s o h T f o s t e p ip Sn ple & projects peo
NORTH YORKS YOUNG RANGERS Covering transport costs to get youngsters connecting with National Parks. Despite living right on the edge of some of our wonderful national parks there can be many barriers facing young people accessing them. Transport being one. The Alpkit Foundation helped the North York Moors National Park Trust get 22 children and young people from the surrounding area link to the National Park Authorities Young Rangers Scheme.
STURGEON Odyssey Just an average bloke, cycling across Eurasia to raise awareness for the critically endangered sturgeon. Matt weaved a passionate and personal journey, revelling in amazing scenery and wonder of humankind. Reflecting on debts, hope and beauty in this world. “Now is the time for us all to champion a species or wild place. The opportunity to sit on the fence has sadly now passed and we must all roll up our sleeves and join the fight. Be inspired by what is around us in the everyday, and where you can do your part. Be it volunteering with your local charity, to digging a small pond in a garden.”
Read more: alpkit.com/blogs/foundation
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City eco-bothy In the south-east of Edinburgh there lies a special bothy, providing so much for the community. The Bridgend Farmhouse project has really demonstrated the power of people coming together. Not only has it shown the strength of volunteering, learning new and ecological building skills, but it has provided a flourishing community space and outdoor education venue within the city. We were delighted to help towards the integral compost toilet for this inner-city community hub.
Joy Watching “Noticing our emotional responses to nature takes us further towards building a new relationship with it.” Don’t just watch. Joy Watch. Can focusing more on the actual emotions of watching birds enhance the psychological benefits? Well, seems that indeed it can! Exploratory research through the Nature Connectedness Research Group and University of Derby, supported by an Alpkit Foundation grant.
OUT THERE AWARD “We want to break down barriers that young adults face to getting outdoors, so anyone can get the life skills required to access the outdoors regardless of their background, budget or experience levels.” Sam is Project officer for young adult development at Rambler’s Scotland and he’s passionate about ensuring that young people have the opportunities to build a long lasting love for the outdoors. We were delighted to provide support for starter packs on their ‘Out Their Award’. “We have co-designed this award alongside young people to ensure it offers a friendly, welcoming and safe environment for beginners to try walking, learn navigational skills and have fun together.” It’s all free and youngsters can even work through to the Ambassador Scheme, a yearlong training syllabus designed to ensure the outdoors is for everyone.
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Alpkit Foundation Impact Review
Loss Foundation “For the first year, I came very close to committing suicide. I knew how I was going to do it, I knew when” Walking and talking. Sounds simple, but it can change lives. It can save lives. Angela was desperate and isolated, arriving at her first online Loss Foundation meeting in the Spring of 2021.The death of her partner six months prior had caused her world to collapse. This January, as a Loss Foundation volunteer, Angela hosted her first ‘Walk and Talk’ support event, where individuals shared, connected and took steps together through bereavement. Step outdoors and it can really help create the space and freedom to talk openly. An Alpkit Foundation grant helped to train their inaugural group of volunteers to host these sessions. Angela is now one of 15 walking volunteers around the country.
StompinG GroundS Giving children and families from all backgrounds the time and space to connect with nature, build relationships and grow communities. Stomping Grounds Forest School North East focus heavily on equality of access, prioritising work to those who would most benefit, which include those with the least access. An award of £200 was used to help Umara undertake her Forest School level 3 training. “By completing my Level 3 course, I’m now able to lead sessions and bring my diverse background and higher education into practice to work with a groups of children from historically excluded groups”
Not a Hero’s Journey Climate emergency. Hope and joy of bikes. Snacks, conversations and adventure. But most importantly, it was about the power of community action as a force for change. Sometimes as a young person it can often be hard to get your voice heard in matters that you are particularly passionate about. But when 16 year old Jessie Stevens cycled the 570 mile journey from her home in Devon to Glasgow for COP26, she managed to build a community passionate about the power of cycling and climate issues along the way. The Alpkit Foundation was delighted to add support to Jessies ride, the film of which won Best Environment Film award at Kendal Mountain Festival in 2022.
Read more: alpkit.com/blogs/foundation
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The Quick Financy Bit Annual Return for year ending Oct 2022 > Alpkit Limited donates
Alpkit team repairing a slipped footpath on Grindsbrook Clough, Edale as part of Peak Park Conservation Volunteers .
1% of its sales plus proceeds from events such as the Big Shakeout. Alpkit Limited commits to donate at least 10% of its annual profit to the Foundation each year.
> 1,263 applications in the year to 31 October 2022. 518 projects supported with over £112,000.
> This year the Alpkit Foundation received donations of over £138,000
> Continued support of Alpkit’s
> Commitment to the
> £2,000 raised for the Peak
> £2,500 grant to continue
Continuum. Helping get 2.5 tonnes of old or unwanted outdoor kit to those who could really benefit. As well as nearly 1.5 tonnes to ReDown. District National Park Authority alongside the 200 hours of staff volunteering with PPCV.
Association of Mountaineering Instructors and their Charity tender fund with £2,500 working to increase diversity and access in the outdoors. helping the impact that Lindley Educational Trust make being able to reactively support projects and groups they work with.
> £2,672 support to other Alpkit volunteering and personal fundraising efforts.
* Current UPDATE
> The net surplus in the year of
£37,251 is added to unrestricted reserves. Unrestricted reserves total for future benefit were £78,151.
Guides/Scouts & similar
Admin
The first quarter of 2023 saw us go through more than £600,000 of awards to over 2000 amazing projects. Partnerships
Staff Charity Match Funding Participation
Education
Over
Diversity
£600,000 &2000 projects!
Coronavirus Health & Well-being
DofE/Forest Schools and similar
Environmental
Mountain Rescue / SSAR
Positive steps Positive Steps Outdoors help communities manage life’s pressures, build sustainable networks, strengthen future resilience and deepen their affinity with the environment. The Alpkit Foundation combined with further support via our Continuum has helped develop their kit store, to reduce the barrier of equipment costs from stopping people getting involved.
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Alpkit Foundation Impact Review
The Rowan Rangers
Providing a different environment to support adults with learning disabilities, even for a few hours each week, can be crucial to help with personal development and life skills. Spending time outdoors, in all weathers can be transformative. Rowan Humberstone provide Forest school sessions as part of the work they do. Lorraine Whybrow and Russell Cuthbert run these and are deeply passionate about the impact they make, week on week. “Just these few hours can really improve their self–confidence. By coming along to the sessions they can develop personally by learning to cope with the challenges and positive risk taking of being outdoors, using tools, making fires – looking after own basic needs – learning fire lighting/ shelter building – even down to walking over difficult terrain and coping with harsh weather, all building resilience and
Read more: alpkit.com/blogs/foundation
perseverance. There have really been some noticeable changes over the years” Their pilot programme which we had the pleasure of supporting back in 2020, was a huge success and these weekly session became a staple. So when their parachute canopy become damaged and urgently needed replacing we were delighted to help out again. It’s a crucial central area for the Rowan Rangers to meet, share ideas and experiences together, in all weathers. Russ explained why this time outside was so important.
“The forest school provides a different environment for individuals that struggle with sensory regulation within indoor settings and confined spaces – generally from a sensory perspective, natural spaces are regarded as being calming to the nervous system because they rarely over-stimulate an individual as the sensory input is well balanced. “ It’s wonderful to see the impact that these 4 hours a week can have. Supporting their participants to develop socially, intellectually and creatively, bringing positive changes to their daily lives and the community.
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THANK YOU
We are fortunate to be able to go nice places, do good things and will revel in those special moments that have long lasting effects. But we know well that for many those opportunities are much harder to access and experience. For eight years now the Alpkit Foundation rapidly embraced the heart of Alpkit, core to what we do and why we do it. Through that time we’ve now pushed well over £600,000 of support to more than 2,000 projects. Having recently submitted the annual accounts for year ending October 22, it highlighted our support towards another 518 projects, with over £112,000. We may catch ourselves wondering if these smaller awards can really make a difference, but our support is not singularly absorbed into a big pot and we often hear first hand of the small steps that are driving big change. It’s really humbling to see this in action and it’s these stories that build our impact review. As it should be. Projects driven by real activists among our communities and those deeply passionate about the benefits of time outdoors. Snippets of joy. There’s so much amazing work being done and with over 1200 applications through the year it continues to show an ever more important value being placed on time outdoors, reflected through the breadth of projects making an impact on all areas across diversity and inclusion, through participation, conservation to health and well-being. Looking forwards it is really exciting to think of the impact that the Alpkit Foundation can have as Alpkit develops along its own journey. While we will certainly continue with smaller awards, what’s special is that we can be reactive and adapt. The opportunities to make greater impact will be there for us to embrace. Go nice places, do good things. Now that’s a joy everyone should be able to share. #goniceplacesdogoodthings
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You can also donate through PayPal Giving Fund. Maybe even choose us as your next fundraiser through GoFundMe.
We look to keep the application process as simple as possible. We meet every 2 months so if possible please allow plenty of time before the start of your project.
We couldn’t have done any of this without you. Every time you treat yourself to some Alpkit gear for your next adventure you’ll know it’s doing something good for others.
If you are a 1% For the Planet organisation you can choose the Alpkit Foundation as your Non-Profit partner.
If you have a project that you feel we can help with to combat barriers accessing and helping others benefit from time spent outdoors then here we are!
Apply online at alpkit.com/foundation and click on the application link.