Patron
Sir Chris Bonington
The Young Explorers’ Trust is delighted to have mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington as its patron. Sir Chris has had an illustrious career in mountaineering since the 1950s, including notable ascents of Annapurna, Changabang and Kongur. Nineteen expeditions to the Himalayas have included four to Mount Everest. His work in the field has been recognised through multiple decorations: in 1974 he received the Royal Geographical Society’s Founder’s Medal and he went on to be honoured with a CBE, knighthood and CVO.
Trustees, Officers and Council
YET Board of Trustees
The YET is overseen by the Board of Trustees who ensure that the Trust is administered and run in line with its constitution and in keeping with the articles of the Charity Commission. Without exception the YET Trustees each have extensive influence and experience in the world of outdoor education and expedition work with young people. Current Trustees are:
Haydyn “H” Tanner – Chair
Haydyn, or “H” as he is more commonly known, has been involved with the Trust since his first submission for YET approval for an expedition he was leading to Mongolia in 2005. After the expedition, he was invited to join the Trust and after a few years as a member, he took on the role of Membership Secretary, along with working on YET Evaluations as a Qualified ISO 9001 Lead Auditor. He was appointed as a Trustee and then to the post of Vice Chair. In January 2023 he was appointed as Chair of the Trust.
H is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a Summer Mountain Leader, an Advanced Joint Service Mountain Expedition Leader (Summer), a Level 2 Scottish Rafting Association White Water Raft Guide and a BSAC Dive Leader. His day job is as a Chief Inspector with the Metropolitan Police, working on Major Events planning. H has been a member of the Air Training Corps (ATC) since 1982, involved in leading Air Cadet Adventure Training since 1990 and currently overseeing 7 Air Cadet Squadrons in South Bedfordshire. He has led expeditions in Belize for Coral Cay Conservation, in Ecuador, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Mongolia, Morocco and Vietnam for World Challenge Expeditions and Bavaria, Ecuador, Mongolia, Ghana, French Alps and Borneo for the ATC. He is the Co owner of “Pants” Rafting and has rafted in Ecuador, Zambia, Malaysia, Scotland and French Alps. He has also led a Prince’s Trust Volunteers programme in Barnet, North London.
Bob Schroter
Bob is Emeritus Professor of Bioengineering at Imperial College (notionally retired) and has a vast experience of expeditions and fieldwork abroad. As well as being a current Trustee of YET he has over the years supported the Mount Everest Foundation, BS8848 initiative, Imperial College Exploration Board and Gino Watkins Memorial Fund. He is a member of both the Antarctic and Arctic Clubs and a Fellow of the RGS.
Dick Griffiths
A retired Chartered Accountant, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a Churchill Fellow 2004, and a member of the Arctic Club. he has spent his life developing young people through the Scout Movement using adventurous activities in remote areas. Early years were in Mountain Rescue, becoming a Searchdog Handler and Team Leader of Derby MRT, of which he is now a life Member, and with two colleagues running a Search & Rescue Management Project in Jordan in 2004.
A member of the Scout Movement almost all his life, Dick is currently Deputy County Commissioner for West Lancashire County Scouts and holds a national appointment as the APR Global Adviser. Over the years he developed an adventure programme for West Lancs and along with taking young people’s expeditions to NE Greenland he has encouraged a culture of overseas travel within the County. In recognition of his services he holds the highest adult award in Scouting: the Silver Wolf.
For over 40 years Dick has organized and led many expeditions in the Arctic to Greenland, Svalbard and Norway and continues to work with a logistics support organization in NE Greenland. Having taken early retirement, Dick became a freelance expedition leader and led expeditions to many other countries as well as enjoying personal overseas travel.
Will Close-Ash
Will is an international mountain and expedition leader and Fellow of the RGS. He has led expeditions to Peru, Bolvia, North and South Africa as well as many mountain areas in Europe. He is also a member of his local mountain rescue team and in 2008 was awarded the Life Saving Medal of The Order of St John for his part in a rescue in the Pyrenees. He has spent 22 years as a volunteer with the Air Cadets, running expeditions, and assesses and runs Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions.
Al Hakan
Al first started venturing outdoors as a young teenager with the RAF Air Cadets, taking up any opportunity to try out the various adventurous activities offered. This passion took his on expedition to the likes of Borneo, Mongolia, Ghana, Ecuador, travelling around the Far East and completing the Mongol Rally in 2014.
He’s been instructing young people for 15 years in navigation and hill walking and dozens of Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions as a leader and assessor. In September 2019, he took his professional qualifications to the next level and qualified as a Mountain Leader on the stunning Isle of Rùm of the Inner Hebrides.
He is still active as an Adventure Training Officer with the RAF Air Cadets in North London, Navigation Training lead for a Search & Rescue team and a National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS) course director.
YET Council & Officers
The Council of YET is the “working arm” of the Trust and the powerhouse of activity. Trustees attend Council along with a number of elected members to fulfil a representative role for a sector of youth organisations and/or have specific responsibility for at least one area of Trust business.
Members of Council
Mike Blakey representing Air Cadets
Richard Walton representing Army Cadets
Alistair Cole representing Expedition Providers Association
Charlotte Makanga representing Guide Association
Ian Wainwright representing Field Studies Council
Oliver Blomfield representing Outward Bound
Honor Wilson-Fletcher representing National Exploration Societies
Clive Burgess representing Regional Exploration Societies
Jess Kelly representing Scouts
Officers
Roger Miller FRGS (Company Secretary)
Dick Griffiths (Treasurer)
Gemma Wardle (Grants & Awards)
Bob Schroter (Evaluations)
Paul Rignall (Web Editor)
Advisers
Shaun Mockett (Insurance)
David Williams (Legal)