Charity focus: Climbing Out is changing lives in the outdoors

Kelda Wood MBE set up the charity Climbing Out after her own life-changing injury. The charity works with adults, aged 18 and over, who have had their lives derailed by trauma – whether that be an injury, illness, PTSD, or anxiety linked to a traumatic event.

The fully funded five-day mental resilience programmes combine outdoor activities and personal development coaching to empower people to take control of their mindset, actions and behaviour. Their residential programmes help people who are ready to take their lives forward, helping to make sense of why they think and feel the way they do.

The programmes take place in North Wales, the Peak District, Shropshire and the Lake

District. The team of instructors provide a full week of challenging outdoor activities to stretch comfort zones, personal development coaching to teach mental resilience tools, and fun evening social events to encourage the group to form friendships that will offer support after the programme has ended. The outdoor activities include climbing, kayaking, hill walking, abseiling, caving and cold water swimming. All the activities are adapted to meet the needs and capabilities of the individual participants. By taking on these activities participants are pushed outside of their comfort zone, and in doing so, learn they are capable of so much more than they realised.

“I’ve always been a big believer in healing in the outdoors through physical activity,” said founder Kelda Wood. “It’s important to get away from the pressures of modern life, breathe in the fresh air, and get your body moving – however it is able to move. Through outdoor adventures, we can enjoy an enormous sense of achievement and it’s a great setting to connect with others, away from whatever is in your day-to-day life that might be holding you back.”

Personal development sessions are run throughout the week to give participants the tools to accept the past, move forwards in life and deal with challenges they may face in the future.

The charity has worked with many participants who have suffered life-changing injuries or illnesses. They only work with people aged 18 or over and participants must be independently mobile, self-reliant and selfmedicating.

So far this year they have run four programmes across the UK. Here are some quotes from recent trips:

“Being shown that there is a way out and how to achieve it has turned my life around. It’s given me the self-belief, understanding, knowledge and power to move forward and find the light at the end of my tunnel and finally climb out!” – Michael

“I have smiled, laughed, felt more confident and believed in myself more over these last 5 days than I have in the last 5 years.” – Sophie “For many years I’ve been a shadow of who I want to be. I’ve felt like I’ve been hanging onto life by the tips of my fingers on the verge of dropping off. This week I’ve learnt that there is hope. I can still have fun and be healthy and happy. It’s early days and this is a lifelong journey, but Climbing Out has given me optimism that I can survive.” – Ollie

Participants who have completed a core programme and who have shown a commitment to taking responsibility for their own development may then be invited to get involved with expeditions to continue their personal development. This year a group will embark on a wilderness canoeing expedition in Sweden, tackling a remote five day journey on the Harkan river. In 2024 a team will head to the Alps to attempt the Italian Haute route, which includes climbing at least six 4,000m peaks.

For more information about Climbing Out and how to be referred, visit climbingout.org.uk