Leader of the Year Awards
Our annual Leader Awards recognise and celebrate inspiring Leaders – from stand-out beginners to the highly experienced. Recipients are nominated and shortlisted by fellow Leaders and members of the British Exploring Society team, with the final Awards being made by a judging panel who look to honour spirit and skills.
Nominations are closed for 2024THE AWARDS
Watson Emerging Leader of the Year Award in memory of Jean Sinclair is designed to recognise and reward emerging talent, or to identify new, additional or more senior leadership actions on the part of a Leader who may have worked with us for some time.
The Les Morgan Leader of the Year Award is to identify and celebrate consistent excellence in any area of Leadership, or to recognise an individual who has supported and helped develop their fellow Leaders, providing guidance and direction for them as well as for Explorers in preparation for and throughout their expedition experiences.
THE WATSON EMERGING LEADER AWARD
in memory of Jean Sinclair
The three inspiring Leaders nominated by our community for 2024 are below.
Watch the video to meet the winner for 2024…
Alex Donaldson
Social Leader
Hartz Islands
“Alex’s Fire was made up of an incredibly diverse group of Young Explorers, many of whom had little experience in the outdoors. Despite the challenges, he provided exceptional support for their social development and mental wellbeing, helping the group to bond, build resilience, and thrive in the wilderness. His positive energy, patience, and compassion made a lasting impact on both the Young Explorers and his fellow Leaders, who were inspired by his natural ability to connect with and uplift those around him.”
Joel Lees
Social Leader
DNG Iceland
“Thanks to Joel’s influence, every young person on the team returned stronger, resilient, and more confident. He was a steady and reliable presence, a source of laughter and strength during difficult periods… seemingly casual conversations he had with young people were actually highly intentional and effective development sessions and by the end of the trip Young Explorers were making references to their ‘life-changing conversations’ with him.”
Jude Kriwald
Basecamp Manager
Hartz Highlands
“Jude made a huge impact as Base Camp Manager on the Hartz Highlands expedition, especially impressive considering it was his first year volunteering with British Exploring Society. His positive attitude and genuine kindness towards everyone — Leaders and Young Explorers alike — set the tone for a welcoming and supportive base camp. Jude quickly grasped what needed to be done, often anticipating challenges before they arose, and always went the extra mile to make things run smoothly.”
AND THE WINNER IS...
THE LES MORGAN LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARD
The three exemplary Leaders nominated and shortlisted from our 2024 expedition season are below.
Watch this video to meet the winner for 2024…
Mike Burnham
Base Camp Manager & Senior Social Leader
Hartz Islands
“A veteran of many British Exploring Society expeditions, Mike has truly found his niche as an exceptional Base Camp Manager, showing great attention to detail in his research, planning, and execution. His management of the innovative ‘mobile base camp’ model, despite the difficult conditions, was effective and ensured the smooth running of the Islands expedition’s day-to-day operations. In addition, Mike once again took on the role of Senior Social Leader, drawing on his experience to guide and support other Social Leaders.”
Sadhbh Moore
Base Camp Manager
DNG Iceland
“Throughout a challenging expedition, Sadhbh worked tirelessly to ensure that everyone felt cared for and appreciated. She constantly found ways to make people laugh and lift spirits, maintaining an unending supply of positivity and useful kit…. Her energy and dedication were invaluable, making a significant difference to the overall morale of the team… Her enthusiasm for the role was a real joy to behold, and her impact on the Young Explorers, encouraging them to try new foods, was inspiring.”
Susannah Cass
Chief Leader // Deputy Chief Leader
Hartz Highlands // Hartz Islands
“Susannah led on two expeditions with British Exploring Society this season… she helped Leaders navigate unfamiliar set ups, social situations, and group dynamics. She always upheld the spirit and values of British Exploring Society, gently bringing the team back to them during discussions about how to manage challenging situations… she always made her team feel supported, empowered and trusted to succeed in their roles. She showed exceptional energy and genuine enthusiasm in engaging with everyone – and even helped dig the basecamp latrine.”
aND THE WINNER IS...
OUR JUDGE FOR 2024
Mark Evans
Mark was the founding director of Outward Bound Oman, the first Outward Bound school in the Arabic speaking world. Launched in 2009, and further established with the support of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Al Said and His Majesty King Charles, OBO is a not-for-profit foundation that uses challenging outdoor journeys to develop the national talent of Oman, helping shape the lives of nearly 28,000 people to date. Now based in the Highlands, Mark has lived in Arabia for more than 25 years.
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 2019 he was awarded the Rawabi Prize at The Institute of Directors in London for his work promoting peacebuilding and intercultural dialogue, and in 2023 was awarded The Medal of Honour by His Majesty The Sultan of Oman.
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, and last year he completed his latest expedition, a 28-day east west crossing of Saudi Arabia in the 1917 footsteps of explorer Harry St John Philby.
Mark was a Young Explorer with British Exploring Society in 1979 and then a Chief Leader for us on three expeditions to Svalbard, including an entire year over-wintering, with 4 months of total darkness.
