For many young people, a week at the Outward Bound residential centre in Aberdovey is a turning point. Set on the coast of west Wales, the experience challenges students to step beyond their comfort zones and discover what they are capable of.

Run by the Outward Bound Trust, the programme includes demanding activities such as rock climbing, abseiling, hiking, camping and jumping into the sea from a pier. This year, almost 100 students from five academies across Bristol have taken part, supported for the fourth consecutive year by SMV in partnership with Avon Outward Bound.

Faced with cliffs, open water and long days and nights outdoors, students quickly learn that resilience, courage, teamwork and determination can carry them further than they expected. For many, particularly those who might not otherwise access such opportunities, the experience builds confidence, broadens ambitions and strengthens self-belief.

SMV’s role extends beyond funding the experience. To help sustain the momentum beyond the short-term, several of SMV’s members are working closely with Merchants’ Academy to deliver a mentoring programme that was launched last year. The aim is to provide consistent support that helps students translate their Outward Bound experience into long-term confidence and achievement.

Leading the mentoring initiative on behalf of SMV is Gail Bragg, who visited the Outward Bound Centre last week to witness the impact first-hand. While speaking with a group of students who were nervously preparing to abseil down a 25ft cliff, the visit took a turn that Gail hadn’t expected.

Photo: Gail begins her descent down the 25ft cliff.

“Encouraging them to give it a go didn’t seem quite right if I wasn’t prepared to do it myself,” she said. “So over I went. It gave me a real perspective on how challenging it was, but also how amazing it felt to have completed it.”

Gail’s abseil was met with cheers and, more importantly, gave students the confidence to complete the abseil themselves.

That same spirit carried through this week when Caroline Duckworth DL (SMV CEO), Laura Marshall (SMV Junior Warden), Peaches Golding OBE (HM Lord-Lieutenant of Bristol) and Bob Jennings (Chair of Avon Outward Bound) visited Aberdovey to meet students from Montpelier High School and Fairfield High School.

The group spoke with students and staff, toured the centre and witnessed a wide range of activities including rock climbing, abseiling and a boat trip.

Inspired by the students’ determination, and with Gail having already set the bar, Laura climbed into a wetsuit and joined students jumping from a pier into the sea below, an experience that she described as “exhilarating”.

Having spent the day at the centre, Caroline said it was the conversations with students that left the strongest impression. “Again and again, the same words came up: confidence, courage and teamwork. They spoke about facing their fears, supporting each other through difficult moments and forming new friendships. Their only regret was that the week was coming to an end.

“It’s almost impossible to describe the transformational impact this experience has on the young people who take part. You really do have to be here to witness it first-hand.”

With the first group from Merchants’ Academy now back at school, the impact is already clear. Students who approached the trip with hesitation have returned with renewed energy and belief in themselves.

“Having met the students before they went, seen them thrive at the Outward Bound Centre, and now speaking to them afterwards, the difference is remarkable,” says Gail. “They’re more confident, more motivated, and already thinking about the next challenge they want to take on. For some, this has completely changed what they want to achieve in the future. Nothing feels out of reach anymore, I can’t wait to see what they do next.”