Rachael’s Canada Trip of a Lifetime

Rachael is my 16 year old daughter who, is currently in Year 12, studying for her A Levels.

She has recently applied for, and been successful in winning a place on an Outward Bound Expedition in Canada in August of this year. A place that only a handful of young people from the United Kingdom, aged 16 - 18 get offered. This place is part of the Youth Leadership Scholarship Program.

The cost of the expedition itself is funded by the Stuart Horne Bursary, who work In collaboration with Outward Bound Canada & Marlborough College

Despite this amazing funding opportunity, Rachael still needs to fundraise for expenses such as a passport and all the personal equipment and clothing essential for her survival in the Canadian wilderness.

MY EXPEDITION

My journey begins in the beautiful Comox Valley where I will meet my group and prepare for the expedition ahead. From there, I'll take to the water in the perfect vessel for exploring and discovering the coves, natural harbours, and islands in and around Clayoquot Sound - a sea kayak. Clayoquot Sound, declared by UNESCO a biosphere reserve, is a maze of small old-growth cedar covered islands and protected inlets, rocky reefs, sandy beaches, deep fjords and natural hot springs. I’ll travel in double or single sea kayaks learning and mastering many ocean travel skills: paddling techniques, ocean navigation using nautical charts and tide tables, and safety and rescue skills. In addition, I will take part in a private two-day surf camp on a remote beach, instructed by Catherine Bruhwiler, sponsored surfer and member of the world famous Tofino surfing family, the Bruhwilers. As part of the surf camp, I will be given individualized instruction with my own board, wetsuit and booties, brought in by water taxi.

So, here is more information about the Stuart Horne Bursary, the expedition and what Rachael will achieve by participating.

THE STUART HORNE BURSARY

Founded in 2012, the Stuart Horne Bursary’s mission is to mirror its namesake by providing
economic assistance and an array of educational, adventurous, and life changing
experiences in Canada to those English teenagers and young adults who yearn to reach and
accelerate their potential.
Stuart Horne was born and raised in Shipley, Yorkshire, England, and like any of his family
was destined to remain content there for the rest of his life. However, a confluence of
unintended events combined with his adventurous and ambitious spirit pushed him without
any support to be educated and then prosper in his adopted Canada.
The Stuart Horne Bursary seeks to identify and support less privileged, and deserving
English children to be exposed to what Stuart Horne experienced, by providing and funding
scholarships to Canadian universities, schools and outdoor leadership programs. The
program, in a smaller way, mirrors the bursaries' namesake in the path of life he had, and
challenges he confronted. With some help and support, Stuart Horne made his own luck
and life.

PROGRAM

Currently the program offers children the opportunity to join outdoor leadership/wilderness
programs, universities and schools in Canada.
Our aim is to provide a life changing experience, by taking English children out of their
normal and routine environment so they can engage with nature, challenges, whilst working
in a team environment. Most of the bursaries are awarded by the various institutions to
honour their candidates’ efforts amongst their peers. Moreover, the Bursary likes to work
with these groups because they are more qualified in choosing the appropriate candidates.
In a smaller way, we also provide bursaries for those teachers who have helped these
English children in their endeavours.
To date, the Bursary has supported over 50 candidates with Outward Bound Canada and
many more through other sponsoring organizations. Going forward the program hopes it
may support higher and higher volumes of children.

OUR EXPEDITIONS

backpacking. It's an adventure in the classic sense of the word. It's about dealing with the
unknown. It's about meeting challenges. And it's about learning; learning about yourself,
about others, about the environment and, most of all, about your potential. Our courses
compel students to dig deep. With encouragement and support, they transcend the illusion
of limitations, and find new strength and confidence within themselves.
Outward Bound Canada’s youth courses are challenging, exhilarating journeys that take
place in some of Canada's most beautiful remote areas – the dramatic coastline of British
Columbia’s Vancouver Island, the rugged peaks of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains, the vast and
historic waterways of northern Ontario’s boreal forests, and the Bay of Fundy's
worldrenowned Maritime tides and towering cliffs.
The wilderness is our classroom. The lakes, rivers, forests, mountains, and oceans provide
the challenges. Some of these challenges will be physical launching a sea kayak into the
rolling waves, climbing a rugged peak, or portaging a canoe through a sundappled forest.
Other challenges are more subtle, such as developing leadership skills or learning to work
effectively as a member of a team.
All of Outward Bound Canada’s programs use the challenges and inspiration of the natural
environment – rivers, lakes, mountains and oceans – to bring out the best in everyone. The
rewards come from meeting these challenges and accomplishing what was thought to be
impossible. Students not only learn the technical skills demanded by travel in the wilderness,
they also develop longlasting attributes that are the hallmark of Outward Bound adaptability,
courage, resilience, responsibility, persistence, integrity, compassion, service to community, and the ability to work well with others qualities that will last a lifetime.

PARTNERS

The Bursary works with various groups to provide suitable programs/challenges, and worthy
candidates. Amongst this expanding group is: Outward Bound Canada, McGill University,
CLIC Sargent, The David Ross Education Trust, IntoUniversity, Marlborough College, The
Sutton Trust, Chelsea Academy & Success Academies.