Since 2010, The North Face has been creating access and driving equity in the outdoors by funding hundreds of non-profit organizations around two main themes: Enabling Exploration and Loving Wild Places.
The Explore Fund is now being rolled out across Europe, starting with the UK, Germany and Italy.
In the UK, The North Face is partnering with The Outward Bound Trust – an educational charity that helps young people to defy limitations through adventure.
Amanda Calder-McLaren, brand comms director EMEA, said: “For over five decades, The North Face has been pushing the limits of exploration. The Explore Fund is how we turn our purpose into action.
“We’re thrilled to be launching The Explore Fund by announcing a very special diversity project with The Outward Bound Trust, designed to support young underprivileged people living in city environments to access the outdoors. We firmly believe that advancing diversity in the outdoors will make for a kinder, more connected world.”
Through a series of events and activities over the next year, The North Face and The Outward Bound Trust will be enabling thousands of young people to experience exploration in the UK and how it can shape their lives.
Following a successful campaign last year for the brand’s She Moves Mountains campaign – aimed at empowering women and girls to explore the outdoors – The North Face and The Outward Bound Trust are continuing to encourage equality and are now providing career opportunities for young people who would never normally have access to outdoor sports. They believe that getting young people outside at an early age will ignite their imagination and create a curiosity for the natural world.
Nick Barrett, chief executive of The Outward Bound Trust said: “We’re excited to be developing our work with The North Face this year. It’s great to work alongside an organisation who shares our passion for outdoor adventure, and genuinely wants to help develop and diversify our sector.
“We’re excited to see how our program unfolds, and about the opportunity to not only offer more young people the chance to experience real exploration in the wilderness but help them to progress a career in the outdoors as well.”
To find out more about The Explore Fund, visit the website: https://www.thenorthface.co.uk/ or follow The North Face online, @thenorthfaceuk #neverstopexploring on Instagram, and @thenorthface on Facebook.
