Rab And Lowe Alpine Extend Partnership With The Outward Bound Trust

Equip Outdoor Technologies Ltd, the parent company of British outdoor brands Rab and Lowe Alpine, has announced a two-year extension of its partnership with educational charity The Outward Bound Trust (an organisation recently selected by The Times and the Sunday Times as one of their Christmas Appeal charities).

The partnership between Equip and Outward Bound is set to build on its shared values and recent achievements by introducing even more young to the outdoors and providing them with powerful, lasting experiences in nature, whilst at the same time educating them on how to act responsibly and sustainably in wild spaces.
Further cementing the relationship between the two organisations, Rab and Lowe Alpine will provide support to David Nieper Academy in Alfreton, Derbyshire (the base for the brands’ headquarters), with a multi-day Outward Bound® residential course for 48 pupils in each year of the partnership.

As an important part of the initiative, Rab and Lowe Alpine will also provide employees with the opportunity to volunteer to become Outward Bound Employee Ambassadors. Four individuals have recently been selected to attend the residentials to provide mentoring and support the learning being delivered to the participants.

Since their inception, Rab and Lowe Alpine have been built on a passion for the outdoors and adventurous spirit, and in partnering with Outward Bound in 2019, they have been able to share that through a joint mission. In doing so, they have been supporting outdoor education on the preservation of the natural spaces while helping to empower young people to feel confident in the outdoors.

After a disrupted couple of years due to the global pandemic, it is now clearer than ever the necessary benefits of experiencing the outdoors, on both people’s physical and mental health. Like most, Outward Bound were unable to run their residential programmes during this period, but with the support of Rab and Lowe Alpine, adapted their programmes to help pupils to discover adventure in their local environment.

Debbie Read, Head of Corporate Communications and CSR at Equip, explains: “We’re incredibly proud to continue supporting The Outward Bound Trust and the work that they do. Feeling confident in the outdoors, while maintaining that sense of awe-inspiring adventure is something we as a brand believe to our very core. We hope by continuing to support students from David Nieper Academy each year, that we will help a new generation of young adults discover their own love and respect for nature, and that they use these courses to develop and grow as individuals.”

Nick Barrett, Chief Executive at The Outward Bound Trust, adds: “The pandemic impeded our work, but as restrictions lift, young people are back on Outward Bound residentials, where they are once again climbing mountains, sleeping under stars, getting battered by the elements and having wonderful adventures in the wild places of the UK. We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Equip UK. Our organisations both share a passion and an understanding of the unique opportunity the outdoors offers for young people to connect with each other and with nature, learn to believe in themselves, develop resilience and to have fun. Never has the development of these attributes been more important than now.”