Our Fellows

Speaking on his experience, Alex said "It is a huge honour to be named a Fellow of British Exploring Society, a role I take with enormous pride. The expedition I was lucky enough to be a part of gave me so much, then and now. I was given opportunities, experiences and skills that have helped me on my pathway in life. I whole heartedly support British Exploring and urge young people to step out of their norm and take up the opportunity that is right here before them. Thank you British Exploring for everything you gave me, I owe you!"

Belinda has walked through Nicaragua, sailed across the Atlantic, searched for camels in China’s Desert of Death, discovered ancient rock paintings in Lesotho and gained a Guinness World Record for rowing unsupported around Britain. She has led numerous youth development challenges, pioneered inclusive expeditions for people with disabilities and managed scientific research missions in the Amazon, Sinai and Alaska. In 2009, Belinda established Explorers Connect, a non-profit organisation connecting people to adventure and has encouraged 30,000 ordinary people to engage in outdoor challenges. In 2020 she launched the first conference to explore the positive impact that adventurous activity has on wellbeing. She has written Adventure Revolution: The life-changing power of choosing challenge. It’s the first book to explain why adventure is essential to wellbeing. Drawing on lessons learnt from leading groups into the wilderness and the latest findings in neuroscience and psychology, Belinda shows how adventure has the power to transform the timid into the confident, the addicted into the recovering, and the lost into the intentionally wandering.

Ben is a well-informed positive advocate for British exploring Society. He has made a positive contribution to our work and is a strong and serious advocate for us. His own exceptional professional achievements as an explorer and endurance athlete contribute positively to our reputation. He has regularly spoken at British Exploring Society events, and uses the opportunities he has to invite us to events where we can network and try and secure support for our work.

He brings new ideas, challenge and a level of professionalism to the society which we value hugely. He is an exceptional chief leader, and a great Champion of our work. Bruce explains “As a charity we are able to provide something very special which has a profound long-term effect on our young people...20 or 30 years later Young Explorers will still talk about their experience as life changing…this is the reason I choose to lead for British Exploring Society.”

He continues to provide support and challenge (and reputational enhancement to the credibility of work with challenged young people) through his role as CEO at Catch 22 and always agrees to support us when we ask – in bids, as a signatory – whenever he can.

Daragh is passionate about the power of the outdoors and expeditions in wild environments to transform the lives of young people, and he is a strong advocate and supporter of British Exploring Society in making such opportunities available to all. He has worked in the investment industry for twenty five years and is a founding partner of investment firm, Hengistbury Investment Partners. Daragh enjoys skiing, tennis, martial arts, sailing and until recently amateur rugby. He is occasionally to be found wandering in both the Arctic and Antarctic, including skiing to the South Pole from the Ronne-Fichner ice shelf in 2008/9. Daragh is married to Anne, and they have two children.

David Dangoor is a British businessman and philanthropist. A son of Sir Naim Dangoor, he spent his early life in Baghdad as part of Iraq's Jewish community, leaving with his parents and his brothers in the 1960s for the United Kingdom, where he was educated at Carmel College and Imperial College London. David is committed to providing young people of all backgrounds with similar opportunities to excel – and his understanding of the opportunities for youth development through adventure, and of the challenges any organisation trying to achieve this faces – mark him out as an exceptional partner.

Doug was a member of the charity's 1995 expedition to Alaska’s Wrangell St Elias National Park. Subsequent expeditions have taken him to Greenland, Svalbard, Baffin Island, the Sahara, Ethiopia and Antarctica, where he skied from the Ronne-Filchner Ice Shelf to the South Pole to raise funds for research into Motor Neurone Disease. In 2018 Doug founded Palladian Investment Partners, an investment management business, where he serves as managing partner.

Guðrún is also the Chairman of the Farmers Association of Þingeyjarsýsla County (BSSÞ) and Vice Chairman of the Farmers Association of Iceland.o the highest standard. For 16 years Guðrún has also run a school camp for elementary-school children with a focus on learning by doing.

This is when she had her first opportunity to take part in, and see the positive impact of, challenging overseas adventures with young people.

James has since taken on the role of Expedition Training and leadership Advisor and is responsible for advising on appropriate leadership recruitment and skills for our trainee leaders and Leaders, as well as the development of leadership training resources.

John talks about British Exploring Society whenever he makes a speech to young people. His own career is an adornment to the whole sector. He founded the Scientific Exploration Society. He invented white water rafting ‘by accident’ and has been awarded numerous medals and trophies for his explorations and discoveries. He established Operation Drake, later to become Operation Raleigh, and even helped a hat maker Lock and Co, design their explorers hat. If anyone typifies a combination of youth development and adventure – it’s John.

His support helped many young people experience the life-changing benefits of challenging learning and adventure in the wilderness. Sir John's own professional record was a huge adornment, and he was an excellent model of the good humour, modesty, and commitment to contribution which we would want every Young Explorer to emulate. We are incredibly grateful for the time and energy he dedicated to British Exploring Society. He served as Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, from 1988 to 1992. Other ranks included Governor of Gibraltar from 1993 to 1995, Commander, British Forces in Hong Kong 1980-1982 and Regimental Colonel of the 2nd Gurkha Rifles from 1986-1994. His involvement with British Exploring Society included two expeditions as a Young Explorer (Newfoundland 1947 & Northern Norway 1949) and two as an Assistant Leader (Central Iceland 1952 & British Columbia 1953).

Julian is passionate in his belief that young people should experience the benefits of challenge and adventure, especially when combined with elements of travel and the natural environment. For someone who is an expert in H&S and crisis management involving travel and young people, this may come as a surprise, but Julian believes the benefits of overseas trips outweigh the risks and aligns himself with the mission and methodologies adopted by British Exploring Society. He started out as a Commissioned Officer in the British Army and became Operations Director at the UK's largest expedition company for schools in the UK, Australia and USA, seeing it through to the successful acquisition by a travel-industry leading global PLC.

Justin studied Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College, became a Chartered Engineer following Post Graduate Studies. Upon retirement in 2003 he studied a part-time MSc History of Science degree at Imperial College.

She is passionate about exploration, conservation and hospital partnerships in Kenya, worked with the Help for Heroes Kilimanjaro summit and teaches medical skills to explorers and leaders. She has previously acted as a medic for British Exploring Society, and is now our Technical advisor for all expeditions. She also stepped in at the very last minute to enable our Himalayas expedition to continue in 2017. She advocates across the sector, is helping us improve our work, and is a fabulous role model for British Exploring Society.

In 2005 he was cited by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth as a Pioneer of the Nation for his work in outdoor education, and in 2012 was awarded the MBE by Her Majesty for his work using challenging outdoor journeys for personal development and learning. In 2023 Mark was awarded the Medal of Honour by The Sultan of Oman for his work connected to peacebuilding and intercultural dialogue and establishing Outward Bound in the Sultanate. In 2016 Mark led a team of Omanis to become the first people in 85 years to retrace the first crossing of the largest sand desert on earth-the Rub Al Khali, a 49 day journey on foot and by camel from Salalah to Doha; in 2022 he completed a 28-day east west crossing of Saudi Arabia in the 1917 footsteps of explorer Harry St John Philby and earlier in 2025 completed the 30 day Jewel of Arabia Expedition in Oman. Mark is patron of The Andrew Croft Memorial Fund and a trustee of The Scottish Arctic Club and Aban, an Inverness based youth charity.

Marvin was brought up in Bristol, where he later worked as a freelance journalist and radio presenter at BBC Radio Bristol and Ujima Radio, as the Programme Manager for race equality in mental health issues at NHS Bristol, and as the Communications and Events Manager at Black Development Agency (now Phoenix Social Enterprise). Marvin is the Founder of The Bristol Leadership Programme, a two-week programme that helps a dozen young people annually from disadvantaged backgrounds to attain what they aspire to. His education includes a Master's in Political Theory and Government at the University of Wales, a Master's in Global Economic Development at Eastern University (United States) and completion of the World Fellows Program at Yale University.

He was also director of the military Knights of Windsor. As Director of the London Law Trust he was instrumental in the funding and design of the Stellar Leadership programme at British Exploring Society – another formative programme for us - and became a friend of British Exploring Society in the process. He has been an invaluable contact, advocate, champion and critical friend ever since.

Nigel has been on expeditions with us to Svalbard 1987 (as a Young Explorer), Alaska 1989 over wintering (Young Explorer), Svalbard 1990 (Leader), Svalbard 1992 (Deputy Chief Leader) and Yukon in 2007 as the Chief Leader. Nigel was also the Chair of the Expeditions Committee and also a Member of Council for 10 years. Other expeditions Nigel has participated in and organised include: Haute Route 1990, Himalaya 1991, Kenya 1993, British Crossing of Greenland Expedition 1994, British Magnetic Pole Expedition 1997, Sea Kayaking around Svalbard (80◦NorthExpedition) 1999, Ski Mountaineering in Svalbard (Winter) 2002, Around Oman Sea Kayaking Expedition 2005.

Speaking on British Exploring Pen has stated that, “British Exploring Society is a unique and precious national resource. In combining scientific research in extreme environments, through the vehicle of an expertly organised expedition, it offers unrivalled personal development opportunities for young people." Pen has supported us whenever he has time, including at a Royal round table last year. His professional reputation as a scientist and environmental campaigner align with the direction that British Exploring Society is taking as a charity, and he recommends potential leads for us whenever he has the chance.

He is currently championing a 3-year piece of work looking at the legacy of our work in the lives of our members over the last 60 years at Penn State University.

Peter took over from Sir Michael Hobbs as Governor of the Military Knights of Windsor and was also the Lieutenant of the Tower of London. His professional reputation is exceptional, and he continues to support and promote the Society through his networks.

"The last three years, I’ve completed three solo expeditions in Antarctica, gaining four Guinness World Records and it has been an incredible journey. Four years ago, I did not know much about Antarctica and that is what inspired me to go there. Hopefully doing something that pushed me so far out of my comfort zone would inspire others to believe in themselves and push their boundaries."

Ranulph has kindly stated, “I wish British Exploring well. You have my continued support with your incredibly worthwhile expeditions showing our youth what successful and rewarding experiences they can have through outdoor activities.” Ran was a critical champion of the society during a tough period in 2011 and continues to support us whenever asked. He makes donations to us (in kind) applies his name to what we do, is happy for us to ask for his support in fundraising, and his reputation significantly enhances our work with specific audiences. His reputation as an adventurer is exceptional.

He worked in finance and banking in London for eight years, was an expedition leader and country director for Raleigh International for seven years, and the base manager of the largest non-governmental operation in Antarctica for Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions LLC. He has hard-won leadership experience in high-risk environments where decisions saved lives.

With over ten years of experience in inclusive design, he has run research and development projects in the UK and abroad which have combined a range of methodologies and user involvement strategies to produce sports equipment for people with a wide range of impairments. His current research into inclusive adventure considers gaining consent and integrating therapy with community participation. He currently lectures in design, sports engineering and outdoor studies on a range of undergraduate courses across the UK, and mentors graduates during their internships at Equal Adventure. He is a Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor at Harper Adams University supporting inclusive practices in farming.

His current appointments include: Executive Director and Trustee of the Swire Chinese Language Foundation; Associate Fellow, University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School; Member of Council (governor) Radley College; and Chairman of Sensonomic Ltd, the UK arm of a high-tech start-up. He founded the prestigious Wallace Watson Award at St Catherine's College, Oxford and has an amateur’s love of opera and history, and dreams of the mountains.

She is an ambassador for DofE in Wales. She actively helps us try and recruit, particularly in her homeland, Wales. She attends events, asks questions, tries to support us and interrogate our direction of travel.