British Exploring Society

British Exploring Society
Founded 1932
Founder Surgeon Commander George Murray Levick RN
Type Charity
Registration no. 802196 (England and Wales)
Focus Youth development
Location
  • 1 Kensington Gore
    London SW7 2AR
    United Kingdom
Key people
Professor David Rhind
President
Website www.britishexploring.org
Formerly called
Public Schools Exploring Society
British Schools Exploring Society
BSES Expeditions

The British Exploring Society is a UK-based youth development charity based at the Royal Geographical Society building, aiming to provide young people with an intense and lasting experience of self-discovery in wilderness environments.

History

The society began as the "Public Schools Exploring Society" in 1932 by Surgeon Commander George Murray Levick RN, who had been a member of Captain Scott's final Antarctic Expedition of 1910-13. It was later renamed the "British Schools Exploring Society", then became BSES Expeditions, before adopting its current name in 2012.

For 80 years, British Exploring has provided the opportunity for young people, aged 1625 years old, from different schools, universities and many other walks of life to take part in valuable adventure and environmental research projects in challenging areas of the world from the Arctic to the Amazon Rainforest. Led by experts drawn from a host of professions such as universities, teaching and the Services, all the expeditions aim to help in the development of young people through the challenge of living and working in remote and testing areas of the world.

Norwegian polar bear attack

In August 2011, a party of teenagers in Norway was attacked at night by a polar bear leading to the death of a seventeen-year-old boy and injuries to several others. Both the Norwegian authorities and an enquiry by a UK high court judge commissioned by BSES criticized the expedition's defective gun, and inadequate warning arrangements, the judge ruling that the accident was preventable.[1][2] However, in July 2014, a coroner cleared the BSES of neglect as failure "was not total or complete."[3]

Membership

British Exploring is a society which is formed from those who have taken part in a British Exploring expedition. Typically, students aged 16–25 apply to take part in an expedition and are selected by interview. When a British Exploring Explorer successfully completes an expedition, and on the recommendation of the expedition Chief Leader, they are admitted to the society. Society members may vote in the AGM, and help to govern the future of the society. One other way of entering the society is by becoming a leader.

Expedition locations

British Exploring is most well known for its expeditions to the Arctic, but has mounted expeditions from the The Amazon, India, Kenya and Papua New Guinea among many others.

Funding

Participants are expected to raise money to pay for expeditions through personal fundraising. A typical expedition may cost in the region of £4000 (excluding flights).

Science projects

Early expeditions collected valuable fieldwork data and brought back specimens for the Natural History Museum and the British Museum. Currently British Exploring collaborates with a range of scientific research institutions from universities and world-respected scientists and in-country NGOs and conservation organisations.

The expeditions contribute to long-term research projects by:

Many of the Society's full members, who qualify as such by successfully completing a British Exploring expedition, have gone on to play a leading role in major international adventurous and scientific projects.

Notable members

The society has a strong record of developing young people, and its alumni include:

References

  1. James Orr; Richard Alleyne (7 August 2011). "Norway polar bear attack: failings that left Horatio Chapple at bear's mercy". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  2. Steven Morris (18 July 2014). "Horatio Chapple death: explorers' attempts to fight off polar bear attack". Guardian newspapers.
  3. Steven Morris (18 July 2014). "Polar bear death inquest clears Arctic trip organisers of neglect". Guardian newspapers. Retrieved 9 August 2014.

External links

British Exploring Society, Registered Charity no. 802196 at the Charity Commission

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