On the day of HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh's memorial service and as we approach the first anniversary of his death, we at Outward Bound would like to reflect on the immense contribution he made to our charity.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s longest charitable commitment was to The Outward Bound Trust. Outward Bound was co-founded in 1941 by Dr Kurt Hahn, the Duke’s Headteacher and mentor at Gordonstoun. The Duke was a supporter of Outward Bound, before joining our Board in 1953, acting as a Trustee, dynamic Chairman and longstanding Patron until his retirement in 2019.
The Duke’s involvement over seven decades helped Outward Bound grow into the strong and successful organisation we are today. He was steadfastly committed to help young people fulfil their potential.
During his time as Patron, over 1.2 million young people passed through the doors of Outward Bound UK to experience learning and adventure in the wild, helping them to realise what they are truly capable of achieving; a cause he so passionately believed in and advocated.
As well as saving Outward Bound UK from collapse in the 1990s, his influence was also key to the reach Outward Bound now has around the world.
At the time of his passing, you may remember Her Majesty The Queen suggested people may choose to donate to causes he loved the most. A sentiment we know he would have endorsed. He was well known for addressing a group of potential donors at Outward Bound and tell them ‘a good business makes money; a good charity needs money’.
A great many of you did donate to Outward Bound in his memory last year, and we offer you a heartfelt thank you. This money was immediately used to help disadvantaged young people at a critical time as we emerged from the pandemic and outdoor learning and residentials were once again accessible.
This film captures what having this opportunity in 2021 meant to the young people you supported.
Over 80% of the young people who come to Outward Bound need financial assistance to attend. Many of them have never left their own postcode and so being in a wilderness environment, climbing mountains, paddling across lakes and sleeping under the stars on a personal development journey is a huge step for them.
As we reach this first anniversary of his death, we're reflecting on the legacy the Duke has left at Outward Bound. The values he emulated are those we hold close and aim to instil in young people every day: courage, determination, teamwork and resilience. We know that after the past year, HRH would be proud to see that our work is continuing and we are proud that his legacy lives on.
You can make a donation to Outward Bound and support young people to experience learning and adventure in the wild, in memory of The Duke of Edinburgh.
We've pulled together stories, video and images of the Duke of Edinburgh at Outward Bound. Alumni, supporters and staff from Sir Chris Bonington to Alfie Boe reminisce here...