E: admin@leadingedge.org.uk
“The hardest step is deciding that you’re actually going to do it; everything else will fall into place”.
Patrons: John Montagu, The Earl of Sandwich Lord Knight of Weymouth Major General Sir Michael Palmer KCVO Mrs Caroline Rucker
Working in association with:
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Who are we? We operate on a non-profit basis, to promote opportunities and leadership through adventure and challenge for young people aged 15 -25. Leading Edge, in partnership with an established charity the Dorset Expeditionary Society, has an outstanding reputation in expeditions built up over many years across four continents and over seventy major expeditions. We have gained national recognition for our expeditions for the quality and range of activities on offer. Our national awards include: the Winston Churchill Fellowship, the Sir Vivian Fuchs Award for youth expeditions and the Karrimor Award. We are an approved activity provider for the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and hold a Gold Residential licence. Expeditions are assessed individually at the D of E Headquarters for Gold Expedition status. Sign up to a Leading Edge expedition and your journey to future success begins. You will belong to an exciting, forward -thinking and unique organisation. Leading Edge expeditions offer much more than a variety of challenging experiences. We offer a range of opportunities that will change your life. From the moment you join a Leading Edge expedition you will be given responsibility. Our expeditions are definitely not a „holiday with a bit of adventure thrown inâ€&#x;. We will empower you to lead. You will be at the core of the expedition. Guided by our highly experienced leaders, before you leave the UK, you will be involved in the planning and the assessment and management of risks. You will be assigned leadership roles for which you will be responsible during the expedition. The experiences you gain from the challenges we set out before you will have a profound effect upon your future life.
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Cost Leading Edge expeditions are very competitively priced because our highly skilled and experienced leaders are all unpaid volunteers. They are firmly committed to the aims of the organisation ensuring that none of your expedition fee goes to meet their costs. You benefit by having exceptional leaders who will provide you with a quality expedition experience and for less money! Expedition fees are fully inclusive. These include a „selection courseâ€&#x;, training, insurance, flights and airport taxes, overland transport, hotels, food, medical supplies, climbing permits, guides, specialist equipment, administration and membership of the Dorset Expeditionary Society. There are no optional 'extras' to pay, such as training.
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Recent expeditions What expedition for you? Each year we offer a range of exciting expeditions to suit the type of person you are. You can view our next expeditions in detail on the website and you can also view the FAQs www.leadingedge.org.uk You can expect to pay between £400—£2500 depending on the type, length and destination of the expedition. You will have to pay a fee for selection and this may vary from expedition to expedition. However, if you are successful, the fee is incorporated into your expedition cost. (We also offer skills weekends from £95, please see the website for details).
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Alaska
Alps
United Kingdom
British Columbia
Corsica
Ecuador
Tibet
Kenya
Kyrgyzstan
Nepal
Norway
USA
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What we offer “Leading Edge Expeditions offers transforming and life-enhancing experiences to young people through participating in various challenging expeditions, devised and led by outstanding and experienced leaders”. Major-General Sir Michael Palmer KCVO
Expedition groups are selected, so you will be joining a unique team.
We limit the number of expeditions to ensure quality leadership. You get to know your leader from selection onwards.
Our expeditions set the highest standard of ethics and low impact environmental procedures.
We are firmly committed to empowering young people to develop their leadership skills.
We offer expeditions that include community service both overseas and in the UK
We have excellent communication links so you and your family can keep in touch with us.
You become part of an organisation that is community focused. Please join us online
Facebook (Group id 2229085667) Twitter (expeditions)
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You will have experienced leaders who you will get to know from the outset.
You will receive training appropriate to the expedition objectives before leaving the UK.
The groups are recruited nationally and are not based on one school, college or university. You will meet young people from right across the United Kingdom.
You will be expected to take on some leadership role before, during and post expedition.
We are committed to empowering young leaders and to this end sponsor our members through training courses. You will receive training appropriate to the expedition objectives before the expedition.
We are committed to supporting peer-led expeditions.
Our members receive a regular newsletter and we hold a number of social events and exciting activities within the UK.
Our Young Leaders are given the opportunity of staffing Induction and Selection Courses and overseas expeditions always include young people in the leadership teams. This gives you valuable practical experience to add to your qualifications. Stuart Lansdale, Nepal month placement 2011
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“I learnt so much in my time away and had a magnificent time doing fieldwork. I would definitely recommend what I did to anyone, for a gap year, holiday or expedition destination”. Page 10
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Safe & responsible expeditions The most memorable experiences that shape future lives are born out of challenges. Leading Edge expeditions will test your resilience, your emotions and your ability to perform to a high level, often in difficult situations. To come out the other end and go on to lead a rich and rewarding life having experienced so much requires you to take risks. At Leading Edge we have an excellent safety record. It is our responsibility to set challenges that are safe, achievable, but which do include a measure of risk taking. Our leaders work to British Standards ( BS8848 ) for overseas expeditions and are constantly updating best practice. Successful expeditions are based on outstanding leaders and sound planning. All our plans are screened by expedition evaluation committees to British Safety Standard. We constantly review our safety procedures and contribute regularly to the Young Explorers‟ Trust Forum. Expedition leaders contribute to Health & safety policies in schools. For our latest procedures and practices please view our website: www.leadingedge.org.uk
“ My own children have been on expedition with Leading Edge. Clearly my wife and I were anxious to know that the leaders were experienced and „safe‟. They were not only that but gave our sons the experience of a lifetime. One is now a major in the British Army, the other a doctor. Like my sons, I became a member of the Dorset Expeditionary Society and Leading Edge, and am now the proud Chairman”.
Clive Davies Chairman Dorset Expeditionary Society & Leading Edge Expeditions Page 12
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Selection You will be invited to attend a selection course; this is only the starting point of your adventure. The selection process is to determine whether you have the right qualities needed for the expedition youâ€&#x;ve applied to go on. As the team is built, we hold training weekends and depending on the expedition, fundraising events. This allows the team to get to know each other and also for the leaders to find out your strengths and agree your leadership responsibilities on the expedition. Further information is available on the FAQ selection at www.leadingedge.org.uk.
Next Step Read through the details, find an expedition that you would like to apply for and download an application form. Send the form, your deposit and a passport photo direct to the leader, who will contact you to arrange your selection weekend. These are usually held in October and December. If you are applying but you believe you are too late because of the selection timetable please do not be put off. We can assure you that your application will be automatically processed and if there are places still available on the expedition of your choice, the leader will make special arrangements with you.
Fundraising Having passed selection, you begin the next challenge, raising the money. We actively encourage you to work to this end. It is especially rewarding knowing that you've raised funds yourself using your own talents. When you come to apply to college or university this will add value to your personal statement Your expedition leader and the information contained on our website will help you.
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Ella Cheeseman
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Ecuador 07, Cascades 08, Dolomites 09
“I went to Ecuador 2007, Cascades 2008 and Dolomites 2009 (peer led). All have dramatically changed my life, my confidence has drastically improved, I have met fantastic people, I have opened up a wealth of opportunities for myself and have seen and done things my friends could only dream of doing. I will never quite be able to describe how I felt on the summit of Mount Rainier and long to tackle more mountains”. Ed Flower India 1992. Ecuador 2005
“When I went to India in 1992. I was seventeen years old and it was my first real trip away from home. Five weeks of rafting, climbing and adventure ahead of me. I could never have imagined what impact that one trip would have on my life. Not only did I make friendships which will last a lifetime I became the person I am today”.
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Investing in your future “Ensure you stand out from the crowd”. UCAS “Leading Edge expeditions are a sound investment in your future. It will enhance your personal statement when applying for university, college or jobs. In an increasingly competitive market, what you learn on expedition will give you the skills and confidence in future interviews to edge in front of your competitors.
Training Young Leaders Under the guidance of our staff, aspiring leaders are encouraged to develop their personal skills. We work alongside our young leaders through workshops, one-to-one mentoring and providing financial and administrative support. By joining a Leading Edge expedition you automatically become a member of the Dorset Expeditionary Society. It gives grants to members to enable them to undertake courses near to their home or place of study. Members are frequently sponsored to gain qualifications such as: Walking Group Leader Award
Rescue Emergency Care First Aid,
Far from help Wilderness Medicine
British Canoe Union Instructors Award
Mountain Bike Leadership Award
Mountain Leadership Award
Single Pitch Award, Cave Leadership
Whitewater Safety & Rescue
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Matthew Christmas Trans Andes 2009, Norway 2010 “I went on Trans Andes expedition in 2009. It was a fun experience and I'm still in touch with people from the trip. Since then Leading Edge has subsidised training courses I've attended, and I‟ve returned from a selfplanned cycle touring expedition to Oslo, with a friend from Ecuador. I always have plans for future ventures and Leading Edge Expeditions are always very helpful when it comes to making them happen”.
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Peer group expeditions Our young leaders represent the future. From our established training workshops and leadership gained on their initial expedition, many young people have gone on to lead their own highly successful ventures. They have gained enormous experience, taking on responsibility through running their own peer expeditions for over 18 year olds. Recent peer group expeditions include:
Trekking in Morocco
Mountain biking in Iceland
Trekking in Indonesia
Climbing the Dolomites in Italy
Mountaineering in the French Alps
Trekking and climbing in Pakistan
Mountain biking in Spain
Trekking the GR20 in Corsica
Cycling in Norway
Trekking in Slovenia and mountaineering in Kyrgyzstan
Tour de Mont Blanc
Mountain biking in Scotland
Expedition leaders are happy to share their experiences with you. As well as the comments in this brochure from past expeditioners, we also have a testimonial section on the website www.leadingedge.org.uk/ testimonials Page 18
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Supporting the community: the UK Our focus is the development of young people. Alongside our overseas expeditions we are active in promoting adventure and exploration opportunities in the UK. We are fully committed to the principal of inclusion. In so doing we recognise that many young people in most need of outdoor experiences are often the least able to ask for them, or indeed, recognise their worth. Many of these children have been let down by adults to the point that they lack trust in anyone, including themselves. These young people have probably the most to gain in growing self-confidence. For many years we have supported member schools and other organisations, to help „raise the bar‟ for their students who lack self-esteem and underachieve, socially and academically. To witness a child climb or abseil where previously they would have refused, is testament enough to the life changing power of outdoor learning. We offer: Generous annual grants to member schools, colleges and clubs. Students identified by their staff who know them well, ie, tutor or head of year, use the money to provide an expedition experience in the UK. The evidence that this works is incontrovertible. Advice to schools to establish their own adventure programmes. Young leaders to staff UK youth expeditions We acknowledge the huge contributions made by other organisations and we work in close partnership to provide even more opportunities for all young people, no matter what their circumstances.
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Nick George and James Boyce, Beast of Britain 2009, Beast of Britain II 2011 “After completing our Mountain bike expedition in 2009 we both decided to train to become mountain bike leaders. We took great care and spent many hours in preparing for our next trip, taking advice from established expedition leaders. We recognise how important it is to develop leadership, character, compassion and the spirit of adventure. Contrary to public perception, we know that young people are switched on and do want to explore, develop their understanding of the world, and make a difference to the lives of others in our „global village‟”.
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Overseas community projects Kenya Murugi Location is four hours drive from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. It is at the foothills of Mount Kenya near Chogoria. Over the years we have identified a number of needs within the Murugi Location community and currently have several ongoing projects: Barugu Health Centre We have built this facility from scratch over eleven years. In addition to a full medical clinic for all, there is also a well child and sick child unit, a maternity unit and full dental surgery. It also provides an outreach programme to the local schools. A minor procedures facility is being added to provide a much needed kitchen for the 24 hour maternity unit. Child Sponsorship More than 100 orphaned and needy children are currently linked with sponsors in the UK. We aim to ensure that these children have the food they need, that their medical needs are met and they have access and resources for a good education. School Classrooms Each year we repair and renovate classrooms and sometimes build new classrooms as well as install electricity. Over the last eight years we have helped to build a new secondary school, Wiru.
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Shelley Goodall Kenya 2009 & 2011 "I loved the chance to
work with children in local schools; it really made me appreciate the education I received in the UK. I also made life long friends on the expedition and I can't wait to return."
Globalschools linking with the British Council We organise links between UK and Kenyan schools. Kenyan teachers have visited schools in Dorset and teachers from the Chesil Education Partnership go to Kenya. We ship desks, chairs, computer & health centre equipment along with other resources to our 12 linked schools in Murugi location. This includes bags of second hand clothes and shoes for our sponsored children. The Kenya projects have been established by Martyn and Josie Hastings; Gap Year expeditions can also be arranged for Kenya.
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Overseas community projects Nepal Okhle Village Trust, a registered charity, was set up in 2003 by Richard Backwell MBE, a retired teacher and Leading Edge expedition leader, and is coordinated by Nepali trek guide Bimal Gurung. The Trust runs a variety of projects in a cluster of villages in the Mahabharat hills of Northern Nepal. Its aim is to contribute funds, expertise and manpower to enriching the remote communities it enjoys close ties with, in both a sustainable and ethical way. Projects to date have focused on water supplies, access roads, education and social development; ongoing projects include:
Raipali high lift clean water hand-pump scheme
Improvements to Okhle village buffalo track
Bayapani health clinic water project
Kot Guan sewing project
Teachers and resources in primary and secondary schools
Gap year/bespoke expeditions can also be arranged for Nepal
www.okhle.org.uk
Charity No XT26588
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Emily Boyce Alaska 2010, Canada 2012 Naomi Dodds Moonlands 2008, Ecuador 2007, 11, Morocco 2009, Alaska 2010 “Not only have we been on some amazing adventures with Leading Edge Expeditions we have also been able to take training courses to help with our future career ambitions. We have both been on the Young Leaders‟ workshops and I‟ve already led my first expedition. I‟m now a member of the management committee and contribute to how the company is run”.
Ryan Scott Alaska 2010 Joe Wright Kenya 2010 “The expeditions we took part in counted towards the D of E Gold award. The Kenya expedition has a lot of community project work as well as physical challenge so as well as climbing Mount Kenya, white water rafting and visited the Masai Mara, I got the opportunity to help local people. We built a two -bedroomed house from scratch for a needy family and helped in local schools and with orphaned children. It was a great experience”. Page 26
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These ventures represent a unique challenge and provide a testing situation for participants. They enable you to reach your potential and to witness at first hand the problems facing the developing world. Previous expedition patrons have included :
Lord Hunt of Llanfair Waterdine KG CBE DSO Admiral Sir John Hamilton GBE CB Lt. General Sir Richard Vickers KCB LVO Christopher Pope TD DL Hon LLD Chris Bonnington CBE Major General Sir Michael Palmer KCVO
We have won numerous awards since we began running expeditions in 1985. Most recently we have won 2010 Youth Expedition award from the Captain Scott Society Winston Churchill Fellowship Sir Vivian Fuchs Award Page 27
“Young people at the brink of adult life and what they experience, understand and do empowers them as stronger, more active citizens than would be the case without these ventures�. Patron Major General Sir Michael Palmer KCVO
Leading Edge Expeditions Contact Us Leading Edge Expeditions Lupins Business Centre 1-3 Greenhill. Weymouth Dorset DT4 7SP Tel: 01305 777277 Email: admin@leadingedge.org.uk www.leadingedge.org.uk Company No. 07243259