THE CAMPFIRE British Exploring Society Members Magazine
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THE CAMPFIRE British Exploring Society members magazine Spring 2019 “The only low point I can think of was being bitten by hundreds of mosquitos” Amina Smith-Gul on her expedition last summer to the Amazon “I think I’m grateful overall for having subconsciously blanked out chicken supreme from most of the last 40 years” Former Young Explorer from our Norway’79 expedition WELCOME TO THE CAMPFIRE Since 1932 over 11,000 Young Explorers and Leaders have participated in expeditions with us around the world. Our members are a diverse group of people. You are a collective of individuals who, through your adventures together, have forged friendships for life and become part of a unique community with shared experiences, values and perspectives on the world. With this magazine, we want to provide a community space for members, celebrating members, with content from members. We want to encourage you to share your adventures, past, current and future. We also want to keep you up to date with what’s happening here, as many of you have told us you have a continued interest long after your expedition. We hope you enjoy your first edition of The Campfire. Honor Wilson-Fletcher CEO British Exploring Society What’s in your magazine Over the page you can read about what’s been happening recently at British Exploring Society. And on page eight, we ask for your views on what membership with us means to you. You’re introduced to Amina on page four, an inspirational young woman who visited the Amazon rainforest last year, who shares details of her experience. On page five you can meet our most recent Chief Leader to the Yukon, Bruce Manning, as he shares some of his experiences from expeditions over the last decade. On page seven you can watch the videos our talented Media Leaders produced from our expeditions to the Peruvian Amazon, the Indian Himalaya and the Canadian Yukon, last summer. You’ll find information on page nine about the retail discounts you’re entitled to as British Exploring Society member, and if you’re up for a challenge this summer than look no further than page 10. On page six we say thanks to you, our members. Some of you recently responded to our first fundraising campaign and offered some excellent words of advice and encouragement for our Young Explorers soon to depart on expedition, and we wanted to share some excerpts from these with you. On page 11, you can find out about how some of you have been busy organising reunion events. Members from Newfoundland’69 are planning a get-together this summer in the lake district, a whopping half-century on from their expedition. Members from Norway’79 are similarly planning a reunion, but are looking to venture back to the location they visited on expedition. Explorers cooking around the campfire, on one of our earliest expeditions Roald Dahl, Newfoundland’34 Cover: Young Explorers enjoying a campfire Ben Watts, Yukon’18 WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING Infinity UK Explorers We’re finally setting sail. How many first part of the expedition began Sticking to the theme of firsts, our of you are sailors as well as hikers on land with us leading the young Expedition team have been hard at and climbers? people across Dartmoor. They spent work planning for our first ever UK three nights and four days on land based expedition. The programme We are delivering, in partnership before joining Jubilee Sailing Trust will take 40 young people on with Jubilee Sailing Trust, one of the aboard one of their unique tall ships’ expedition in the Scottish Highlands most ambitious youth development SV Tenacious at Poole, Dorset and in the Spring, and another 40 in the programmes in the world; a multi- embarked on a six-day challenge Autumn. year expedition programme for at sea. disabled and non-disabled Young The UK Explorers programme is Explorers. Combined with Jubilee Sir Ben Ainsle, Olympic sailor and designed to be an accessible first Sailing Trust, we have over 125 supporter of British Exploring Society, step into an expedition environment. years’ experience in creating and had this to say about Infinity. Following feedback from our delivering personal development Leaders and in pursuit of our through adventure – Jubilee Sailing “I started sailing in a duffle strategy for broader inclusion, the Trust at sea, and us in deserts, coat and wellies as a child. programme is predominately aimed mountains, jungles and the arctic. I couldn’t have known then at young people aged 14-17 from Both of us understand the value that what my adult life was schools and youth organisations. comes from offering young people going to be like. You never This nine-day programme will offer genuinely challenging experiences in know what can happen. young people an opportunity to gain new and demanding environments. Infinity offers an incredible further experience in the outdoors opportunity for young and valuable training for those Last November, 28 courageous people to discover a real who might want to join one of our Young Explorers (comprising of 16-18- taste for adventure as well international expeditions in the future. year olds, non-disabled and disabled as a life-changing challenge students from Westminster academy that can influence their Did you take part on Expeditionary and students from Bristol City Council, entire future. Infinity will year in 2017/2018? If so, our thanks VICTA & REACH) embarked on define lives - like sailing as a go out to you as your experience an educational land and sea pilot child transformed mine.” and feedback helped shape UK expedition ahead of the Infinity Sir Ben Ainslie, Olympic sailor Explorers. programme launch this summer. The AN IDEA BORN FOUR DECADES AGO “Another possibility was a short future in accordance with the best is remarkably similar to the idea our (three-week) low cost Easter traditions of the Society.” Chairman, Mr Derek Jackson, had expedition to NW Scotland for almost 40 years ago. Thank you the 14 ½ to 16 ½ year age group. It This excerpt is taken directly from the Derek, and sorry it’s taken us this would take the name of B.S.E.S.* Chairman’s report following our 1981 long! into more schools and at a younger AGM. Amazingly, the programme age, thus helping to build for the we are now launching, UK Explorers, *British Schools Exploring Society, our former name OUR STORIES An interview with Amina Smith-Gul, Amazon Explorer 2018 Amina, 20, faced a series of serious Q&A as I was constantly doing something. I feel more encouraged about life. “I realised that the Aminas’ key worker Tameeka says: challenges in her young life, which The only low point I can think of I recognised the skills I have now, “To say that she is a changed young left her homeless and contemplating What motivated you to go on an was being bitten by hundreds of like emotional intelligence. I can destination is always lady is an understatement. She said suicide. With support from her youth expedition? mosquitoes! contextualise things and use effective it was the best experience she has centre, Amina, from South London, Before I left for the Amazon there communication skills when dealing pleasing despite not ever had”. joined us through our Ambassador was lots of chaos in my life; I wasn’t What did you learn? with others. Explorer programme. organised, and I wasn’t clear about I learned mapping skills, pacing and knowing where you Amina, who described her life what my next steps would be. Life mammal traps, camera traps and What does the future hold for you? will end up. I feel previously as “chaos”, has completely The programme works with school was happening, but I felt like I didn’t lots of things about the Amazon such I want to keep developing myself turned things around for herself. As groups and partners to make taking have control. I thought I might as as the different canopies and the and focus on my goals. I will start my more encouraged well as being an ambassador for us part in expeditions possible for those well as I probably wouldn’t get the animals that live in the Jungle. own business shortly; I want to work through our Duke of York Explorer from disadvantaged communities. opportunity again. in sports and mental health and about life.” programme, she also works for the What have you taken away from wellbeing. I would like to combine charity Black Minds Matter and has Last summer Amina visited the What was your favourite moment? the experience? these three to find different ways to change their lives for the better. I am been selected to sit on the FA Youth Peruvian Amazon with us and My happiest moment was watching When I got back from the Amazon, I help others. a better person because of it. I have Council. now joins the thousands of other the sunrise, surrounded by trees, realised how much calmer I am and realised that life is about choices and members that make up the core of animals, the seabed and the marvels how much resiliance I have. I am Any last thoughts? I am in control of my own life and British Exploring Society, like you. of nature. more driven and focused, I know to This experience was life-changing destiny. keep on pushing despite not knowing for me. I hope more people support Watch Amina’s And your low point? where I am going. I realised that the this programme because I think so I didn’t have many low points destination is always pleasing despite many opportunities can be created story because I didn’t have time to think not knowing where you will end up.