Burberry partners with Outward Bound

We've joined forces with luxury fashion brand, Burberry, to give secondary school students across the UK greater access to outdoor learning and inspire young people through adventure.

Part of the Burberry Inspire programme, this partnership will enable students aged 10 – 18 to participate in Outward Bound courses at minimal cost to their families. The initiative will focus on schools in London, Leeds, Castleford and Keighley – regions connected to Burberry’s heritage.

With the shared aim of creating brighter futures for young people, the courses take students out of their comfort zone and empower them to become stronger, more resilient, curious and ready for the challenges of life. Consisting of a range of outdoor activities, including abseiling, canoeing and an overnight expedition, our partnership enables young people who may not have otherwise been able to join the courses to take part and, most importantly, learn to believe in themselves.

As part of the partnership, Burberry colleagues will also be able to volunteer their time to mentor participants, encouraging their own growth and development.

Born from a legacy of equipping people to go beyond and thrive in the outdoors, this partnership with Burberry builds on a shared history of protecting people from the elements.

Where Burberry’s creation of protective outerwear enabled adventurers like Ernest Shackleton, Arthur Clouston and Betty Kirby-Green to explore unknown horizons, The Outward Bound Trust’s expert training helped leagues of young seafarers to survive in harsh sea conditions. Turning Britain’s wildest corners into classrooms, we now partner with schools, colleges and youth groups to deliver transformative expeditions that help people thrive against the odds.

"Through this partnership, Burberry are not just supporting Outward Bound, they’re investing in the future leaders of our country,’ Martin Davidson, Chief Executive at Outward Bound, commented. ‘It's about lighting a spark of adventure, resilience, and determination in young people, values that have been at the core of our mission since 1941."

Our partnership will inspire a new generation of young people to believe in themselves and have the courage to go beyond.

Jonathan Akeroyd, Chief Executive of Burberry

Jonathan Akeroyd, Chief Executive of Burberry, added, "As we welcome The Outward Bound Trust to our Burberry Inspire programme, we are proud to continue the legacy of our founder and to support young people in the communities that are so deeply connected to our heritage. We hope that with our shared passion for the outdoors and equally storied heritage, our partnership will inspire a new generation of young people to believe in themselves and have the courage to go beyond."

The partnership forms a part of the Burberry Inspire programme and will support a total of five courses in 2024, with the first course having taken place in March at Ullswater in the Lake District. Further courses will take place in Penrith, Cumbria as well as in Aberdovey, Eryri/Snowdonia.