PEOPLE
The Onwards Expedition aims to help more people – especially the young – connect deeply with nature.
In a world that’s becoming increasingly digital, distracted, and disconnected, we want to help rebuild that relationship with nature and the outdoors. Not just by encouraging people to get outside, but by making them feel confident and safe in those spaces. Through storytelling, education, and outreach, we’ll help young people feel confident in nature - curious about the world, capable within it, and empowered to protect it.
It is the next generation who will shape the future and become the custodians of our wild spaces, and if they don’t feel connected to them, they may never feel a reason to protect them.
To amplify this mission, we’ve chosen to support the work of British Exploring Society - an organisation that gives young people the opportunity to connect with nature through life-changing expeditions. Much like this journey will do, their work is about building curiosity, confidence and a deep respect for our wild planet.
British Exploring Society is a youth development charity founded in 1932 by Surgeon Commander George Muray Levick RN, a member of Captains Scott’s final Antarctic expedition (1910-1913). While much has changed since the 1930s, the core of Murray Levick’s concept - young people preparing for life by developing resilience and confidence through adventure and learning in a remote wilderness in small self-contained groups - remains at the heart of their work.
Today they intentionally bring together young people from diverse backgrounds who exchange ideas online, in tents and canoes, up mountains and in the jungle – all in environments equally alien to them. Most importantly, they unlock self-belief and begin to move beyond the limits of what they, and society, thought possible. They ‘Find Their Fire’.
Through this partnership, we aim not only to support young people in building confidence, but also in reconnecting with the natural world, to foster the next generation of environmental custodians, protectors, and adventurers.
PLANET
Antarctica is the focus.
The Onwards Expedition will be used as a platform to help audiences understand why Antarctica matters - its scientific importance, human history, unique wildlife, and the governance that protects it - along with the simple truth that what happens at the poles affects people everywhere. By translating the realities of Antarctica into clear, engaging learning, the project will make Antarctica feel closer, more relevant, and worth protecting.
But the Planet impact does not only focus on Antarctica. The same values apply to all wild places, from rainforests and reefs to peatlands, rivers, and green city spaces. The Onwards Expedition will highlight positive stories and the people behind them: the scientists, community leaders, Indigenous guardians, entrepreneurs, and innovators working every day to protect the wild spaces on our planet. The goal is to raise awareness and optimism by showing that solutions exist and are scaling.
The Earthshot Prize is a global initiative founded to spotlight the most inspiring solutions to repair and regenerate our planet within this decade. Each year, The Earthshot Prize awards £1 million to five winners whose innovations address urgent environmental challenges, from protecting and restoring nature, to cleaning our air, reviving our oceans, building a waste free world, and fixing our climate.
Alongside funding, finalists gain mentorship, resources, and connections to help their ideas grow and make an even greater impact. By partnering with The Earthshot Prize, our expedition will help amplify their mission of Urgency + Optimism = Action, inspiring people everywhere to believe that solutions exist and that change is possible. We will share stories of leadership and ingenuity with audiences of all ages, helping to build a movement of environmental guardians ready to protect the natural world for generations to come.
