The UK’s most famous mountaineer and global climbing icon Sir Chris Bonington has been deeply engaged in the Great Outdoors for over 70 years. He has undertaken and led 19 Himalayan expeditions, including four to Everest.  He has made numerous first ascents around the world, while also continuing to indulge his love of hill walking and rock climbing when back at home in the Lake District or exploring other parts of the UK and Ireland.

Sir Chris started climbing in 1951, at the age of 16 during a trip to Ireland where he scrambled up The Little Sugar Loaf. Shortly later he visited Eryri (Snowdonia) in Wales, and upon visiting Harrison's Rocks near Tunbridge Wells, he felt a complete release in physical expression that ignited his lifelong passion for mountaineering. 

He continues to work tireless (now in his 90s)  through many charities including The RDC foundation to get young people into the Great outdoors.

Ann was never into the outdoors when she was young, but a moment of inspiration came to seek a challenge (as if three 18month old triplets was not enough) to try and join the first all female team to sledge to the North pole.

The rest as they say is history and this started a series of World Record Breaking expeditions in the field of polar exploration.

Ann may have not started her outdoor life at a young age but she is now a huge advocate for getting young people into the outdoors and shares our desire to bring those benefits to as many young people as possible

Rebecca didn't get into  climbing until her late 20s when as a journalist she visited Mount Everest to explore the question "why do climbers climb". She reached 7100m  but then returned 4 years latyer to become the first British Woman to climb Everest and in time the Seven Summits.

Rebecca remains hugely committed to and involved in the outdoors and strongly believes in the power of the outdoors and nature in particular to inspire people.

If modern British adventure has a face, it looks a lot like Leo Houlding. Based in the Lake District, he is one of the world’s most accomplished adventure climbers.

Leo knows firsthand how formative early experiences in the outdoors can be. Born and raised in rural Cumbria, he fell in love with climbing the moment he touched rock for the first time at age 10. That passion has since carried him to some of Earth’s wildest and most remote places — from the Amazon to Antarctica, Everest to El Capitan.

As a father, he has introduced his own children to the wonder of the outdoors on adventures most adults would never dare: a week-long family ascent of El Capitan, a fortnight sea kayaking across South Pacific atolls, and unclimbed 4,000m peaks in Kyrgyzstan.

Leo shares the RDC Foundation’s belief in getting young people outside — embracing discomfort, facing fear, and finding adventure. He is particularly passionate about helping the Foundation reach young people in financially deprived areas, giving them the skills, knowledge, and equipment to access the outdoors.

With 20 Everest summits and a list of global mountaineering achievements, Kenton has built a reputation as one of the world’s most sought-after mountain guides. Being one of the global elite IFMGA guides, Kenton provides a guiding service that is second to none.

Kenton is one of Britain's leading alpine and high altitude climbers, he has reached the summit of Mount Everest 20 times (the most of any non-Nepali) and he has completed over 45 expeditions in the Greater Ranges and is the first person to climb Everest, Nuptse and Lhotse in a single push.

Kenton got into mountaineering from a young life in scouting and like us shares a passion for the education and the wider life benefits that the outdoors can bring to young people.