POSTED ON: 3rd Jul 2025

EP.2 - Our Leaders respond to EP.1 (feat. Andy Browning & Susannah Cass)

By British Exploring Society,

In the second episode of The Basecamp Broadcast…

After the release of our first episode, a couple of our long-standing volunteer Leaders got in touch to share their reflections on what Honor and Martin discussed in EP1. They also shared how they’re feeling about our new strategy “A New Kind of Adventure”, after having been involved in the delivery of the first stage of our UK Adventures.

Andy Browning and Susannah Cass have led on multiple expeditions for British Exploring Society over the years. In addition to their work with us, both also support other outdoor youth development organisations in the UK. Their first hand and on-the-ground account is invaluable in understanding the systemic issues facing young people today and the benefit that adventurous activity can bring.

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Andy Browning

Andy has been involved with British Exploring Society since 2017 when he went to the Amazon as an Adventure Leader – he had such a good time that he immediately signed up to go back again in 2018! Since then, Andy has led every year with British Exploring Society as an Adventure leader and Knowledge leader in Scotland, and most recently Deputy Chief Leader in Kyrgyzstan and Iceland, before taking on a Chief Leader role in 2025.

Andy has seen first-hand how young people are able to grow and develop when taken outside of their everyday lives and immersed in a challenging environment – as a result, he is dedicated to ensuring that as many young people as possible, regardless of background or circumstance, have the opportunity to do just that.

When not leading for us, Andy can be found leading expeditions and climbing adventures across the UK, working to support youth crime reduction initiatives in Sheffield and Manchester, and supporting the work of the humanitarian charity ShelterBox as a member of their response team.

Susannah Cass

Susannah started her British Exploring Society journey as Chief Scientist for the 2017 and 2018 expeditions to the Peruvian Amazon, and has since lead on expeditions to Iceland, Scotland, the Canadian Yukon, Kyrgyzstan, and the Outer Hebrides as a Knowledge Leader, Base Camp Manager, Deputy and Chief Leader.

In between our expeditions Susannah has worked in a number of roles, from Lecturing in Ecology and Environmental Sciences, to Duty Managing a small theatre and setting up a Youth Rowing charity in East Anglia. She has also undertaken personal adventures by boat, foot and bicycle; and firmly believing there is nothing quite so good as messing about in boats, she has rowed across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

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In case you’re new to us…

British Exploring Society⁠ is the original youth expedition charity.

We were founded in 1932 by Surgeon Commander George Murray Levick RN after his experience surviving Captain Scott’s Terra Nova expedition to Antarctica from 1910-1912.

A lot has changed in the world since 1932. However, the basic concept first advocated by our founder remains at the core of what we do today.

90 years on, we continue to deliver expeditions, adventures and online programmes in the UK and overseas.

We’re empowering and equipping young people with the confidence, strength, and determination to make the most of their futures.

As a charity, our vision is for all young people to be able to contribute confidently in the world. We want equal access to challenging learning and adventure in the wilderness as an unbeatable preparation for adult life.