Chairman’s Statement and Look Forward for 2026.

As we look back on 2025, it has been another year marked by significant change across the world. Against this backdrop, 65 Degrees North successfully delivered three focused and challenging expeditions: Norway Cold Weather, the Canterbury to Rome cycle ride, and Rock Week in Cornwall. All were heavily oversubscribed, demonstrating both the demand for our work and the trust placed in us.

The 65 Degrees North team, who all volunteer their time, are immensely proud to support the Armed Forces Recovery Centres and to work closely with the veteran community. We continue to share our experience of using the outdoors as a powerful tool to support rehabilitation. More than ten years ago, the benefits of challenging environments for mental health became clear to us, and that relevance is even more apparent today.

With every expedition we undertake, we generate valuable learning that helps us continually improve. Last year, we worked particularly hard to better understand the backgrounds and needs of our beneficiaries, allowing us to match individuals more effectively to each experience. This not only improved outcomes for participants but also ensured we operated more efficiently overall.

I recently had the privilege of helping to chair the selection process for Exercise Aurora, taking place in Finland in mid-February. Once again, the expedition was heavily oversubscribed and difficult decisions had to be made through our established selection process. This year we have targeted people with little or no extreme cold weather or cross country skiing experience. Time and again, we have witnessed how exposure to the outdoors can help break this cycle. This year, we will also be working alongside Finnish veterans, strengthening international collaboration and shared learning.

Finland itself offers a compelling context. Their state of readiness, with a well-integrated reserve force training and living alongside regular personnel, highlights a national commitment to defence that feels increasingly relevant to the UK. This reinforces the importance of our role and the ongoing need to support those who serve and protect our shores.

Beyond Finland, we are finalising our programme for the year ahead, working hard to raise funds for a canoe expedition to the Lofoten Islands off the coast of Norway, as well as a return to Northern Outdoor in Northumberland. Following the success of a previous multi-activity week at this location, we look forward to offering another group of beneficiaries a similarly impactful experience in the autumn.

On behalf of everyone at 65 Degrees North, I would like to thank our supporters for your continued generosity, your support enables us to do what we do.

Aston Woodward

Chair, 65 Degrees North