September 08

25 years with The Outward Bound Trust

A Tywyn man is celebrating 25 years of changing the lives of young people through outdoors-based learning this month.

Nick Dawson, a senior instructor from The Outward Bound Trust’s Aberdovey centre, has been inspiring people through outdoor activities for a quarter of a century, since joining the Trust in 1983.  The 47 year old, started his career as a group instructor, having been moved by his own experience when he attended the centre as a student in 1980.

Nick said: “The Outward Bound Trust truly is a life-changing organisation and it is for that reason that I joined it, and have stayed. 

“The Outward Bound® courses that we deliver have a real and meaningful impact on the students; I have spoken to enough young people to know that is true.  The fact that what I do can really contribute to youngsters’ education, is why I love my work.  It is also the reason that I intend to continue working for the Trust for many more years to come.”

Aberdovey’s head of centre, Andy Jeffrey, said: “Nick is a real asset to the Aberdovey team.  He has played a major role in the development and ongoing success of Outward Bound Aberdovey.  Nick has been able to enthuse and inspire students for over two decades and his colleagues have also benefited from his knowledge and experience.  We hope he will continue to be a key team member for many more years.”

The Outward Bound Trust is an experiential learning charity that was established in 1941.  It has four residential centres across the UK, which between them deliver outdoors-based education to around 28,000 young people each year.

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For more information contact 01931 74000.

Notes to Editors:

The Outward Bound Trust

• The Outward Bound Trust is an educational charity, established more than 65 years ago to boost personal learning and development through a programme of challenging activities in the outdoors. The Outward Bound Trust is the original and leading facilitator of experiential learning in the outdoors.
• The charity runs courses and expeditions in the UK for young people aged 9-25. Courses last from 3 days to three weeks ( www.outwardbound.org.uk).
• Outward Bound® for young people is delivered at four residential centres across the UK – Ullswater and Howtown in The English Lake District, Loch Eil in Scotland and Aberdovey in Wales – and through the Metro project (urban) in Glasgow and Scotland’s Central Belt (www.outwardbound.org.uk/Education/Downloads).
• The Outward Bound Trust also facilitates Apprentice Development and currently works with some of the UK’s largest companies on their apprentice programmes.
• In 2007, 28,000 young people benefited from an Outward Bound® experience. Almost a third of these participants were financially supported by bursaries raised by The Outward Bound Trust through private donations and in conjunction with its corporate partners, as part of the Patron’s Company scheme.
• The charity also works with volunteer groups across the UK called Outward Bound® Associations, whose members have mostly experienced Outward Bound®, and they source participants from local schools in their areas and help fundraise for their courses. These volunteers include Youth Reps, fresh from their Outward Bound® experience, who provide advice and support for other youngsters (see www.myspace.com/outwardbounduk ).
• The organisation runs a professional development centre for adults at Eskdale in The Lake District, called Outward Bound® Professional.

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