Explore Foundation - Impact Report 2025

THE EXPLORE FOUNDATION’S

Impact Report 01 NOV 2024-31 DEC 2025

Our Impact It’s been another important year for the Explore Foundation. As we completed our second full year as a charity, we’ve continued to grow our support for projects that matter deeply to us, raising vital funds and working closely with partners around the world to create meaningful, lasting change. This report shares some of the key areas we’ve focused on, along with the progress and impact we’ve seen over the past year.

While we’re proud of how far we’ve come, we know there’s more to do. Looking ahead, we’re excited to build on this momentum - supporting new initiatives, strengthening existing partnerships, and continuing to connect people with the places and communities that inspire our work. It’s a privilege to see the Foundation grow, and to play a small part in the positive change these projects are making every day.

Hannah Methven Head of Sustainability, Explore Worldwide

It has been one of the~absolute highlights of my year, being able to support the Foundation in so many brilliant projects and seeing the impact we’ve been able to have. The work of the Foundation continues to tighten the relationship between our travellers and the destinations and communities we visit - something everyone benefits from.

Michael Edwards, Managing Director, Explore Worldwide

Our Story The Explore Foundation was created by Explore Worldwide, as a way to make a deeper contribution to the places that make their journeys so special. As a registered charity, guided by a dedicated board of trustees, it supports carefully-chosen projects that create lasting, positive change in the communities we visit.

For over 40 years, Explore has been taking curious travellers around the world, and along the way we’ve seen the real difference that thoughtful, locally led initiatives can make. The Foundation is a natural extension of that - a way to support the people and places we connect with in a meaningful and responsible way.

From improving access to education and strengthening local healthcare, to supporting more sustainable ways of making a living, each project is chosen in partnership with the communities themselves. It means the support goes where it’s needed most, and where it can have a lasting impact.

Our current projects

Cuba Nicaragua

Laos

India Jamaica

Thailand

Tanzania Peru Eswatini

Cambodia

Our achievements We’re proud to support initiatives across the globe, creating real impact for local communities. Between November ‘24 - December ‘25, we’ve...

donated

£105,892 How Many Elephants – we funded 100 beehives and 2kms of fencing to support communities and wildlife corridors in Tanzania Donated £10,000 to Lifting Spirits in Eswatini, providing secondary education for 25 children Lone Buffalo, Laos – we fully funded DevTog6, supporting 81 students through a 6 month program of life skills workshops Just a Drop - Funded a water installation project in Nicaragua providing clean, safe water to 136 community members and to the village school Provided 400 reusable menstrual kits to support young women in Cambodia Funded training for 10 community technicians to maintain community water systems in Peru (£5,250)

supported

11

10

initiatives in countries

Wamboma - Donated £15,000 to provide tools and training to 60 female farmers in Tanzania Supported the Toy Bank in India by donating £6,424 to provide toys and playbased learning sessions to 500 children.

Made donations to offer emergency support to communities in Jamaica (£15,077) and Cuba (£2500) following Hurricane Melissa The crafters of Explore raised £1519 by hosting a Christmas market, which helped support Mahouts’ new initiative in Thailand, creating an elephant-friendly, community-led experience.

How we choose the projects we support The Explore Foundation is committed to supporting projects that create meaningful, lasting change in communities around the world. Much of the work we fund comes directly from our network of tour leaders, local partners, and incountry teams, who have strong relationships and a deep understanding of the places we visit. This on-the-ground insight allows us to identify initiatives that might not come through traditional funding channels, but where our support can make a real difference.

When considering potential projects, we look for those that align with our core focus areas of education, healthcare, and sustainable livelihoods. Just as importantly, we prioritise initiatives that are community-led, with clear local involvement and long-term ownership. This helps ensure that the work we support is relevant, responsible, and built to last.

We do not provide funding directly to individuals. Instead, our focus is on projects that benefit communities more broadly and have the potential to create wider, lasting impact. Each opportunity is carefully reviewed by our board of trustees, who consider factors such as the project’s feasibility, the experience of the organisation delivering it, and its potential for long-term success.

Ultimately, we support projects that are well planned, responsibly delivered, and committed to learning and improving over time. By taking a thoughtful, community-focused approach, we aim to direct our resources where they can have the greatest positive impact.

How Many Elephants, Tanzania Human–elephant conflict is increasing across Africa as growing populations and farmland expand into elephant habitats. In Tanzania, this has become a serious issue, leading to crop damage, financial loss, and, in some cases, the killing of elephants in retaliation.

How Many Elephants, a UK-registered charity, together with their direct-action partner Wild Survivors, has installed over 15 kilometres of ‘beehive fencing’, using around 750 beehives. The longest continuous section stretches for 7.25 kilometres, creating a natural boundary around farms in the Upper Kitete and Kitete Valley.

This simple, nature-based solution works by tapping into elephants’ natural avoidance of bees. The impact has been remarkable: crop-raiding incidents have dropped by more than 90%. The project also brings wider benefits: bees help to pollinate crops, while honey is harvested and sold by local women, creating income and new opportunities within the community.

We funded 2kms of fencing and 100 beehives

Tourism funding has a unique power to create lasting change because it connects people directly to the places and communities. Support from Explore Foundation has helped make women-led initiatives like the NARI Women’s Beekeeping Group possible, enabling women in remote communities to gain skills, confidence and financial independence while protecting vital elephant corridors.

Holly Budge, Founder of How Many Elephants

£10,231

Find out more

donated

Just a Drop, Nicaragua Just a Drop is a registered charity working globally to provide access to safe water, along with improved sanitation and hygiene.

In the village of Caña de Castilla in Nicaragua, accessing water often means long daily walks to distant wells - a task that usually falls to women and girls. This takes up valuable time that could otherwise be spent in school or earning an income. Standing water can also attract insects, increasing the risk of illness.

The installation of a new water system will bring clean, safe drinking water directly to 37 families. The village school will also be connected, ensuring children have access to drinking and washing water throughout the day, helping them stay healthy and focus on learning.

Access to clean water is not just about convenience, it's about dignity, health, and the ability to build a better future.

The Explore Foundation has provided water tanks, pipework and tools for this new water system.

Find out more

Thanks to your support, 136 community members will see lasting improvements in their lives through access to safe water and vital education, and we’re excited to see this impact continue to grow.

Tess Bettison, Development Manager Just a Drop

£17,557 donated

Toy Bank, Delhi One of the Explore Foundation's newest initiatives is the Delhi Toy Bank in India, which provides educational toys and learning resources to children living in urban slums and low-income communities.

Many of these children face significant barriers to education, including poverty, food insecurity, and limited access to quality schools. The Toy Bank helps address this by introducing play-based learning sessions to schools, providing classrooms stocked with engaging, age-appropriate resources that support subjects such as maths, science, language, and motor skills. The programme also invests in the teachers delivering these sessions, building their confidence and skills in child-centred, play-based approaches to learning.

The programme also promotes environmental sustainability: 80% of the toys are donated and upcycled, diverting them from landfills and giving them a second life in the hands of children who need them most.

We’ve provided funding for 500 children to participate in play-based lessons for one year

the heart-touching stories from the children discovering confidence, joy, and their own voices are powerful evidence of the real and lasting impact our work is creating.

Vidyun Goel, Director Toy Bank

£6,424 donated

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Lifting Spirits, Eswatini The Kingdom of Eswatini faces extreme levels of poverty, with one of the highest proportions of orphaned and vulnerable children in the world.

While primary education is free, the cost of secondary school - including fees, but also uniform and materials - is out of reach for many.

The Explore Foundation has committed £10,000 per year for the next four years to fully fund the secondary education of 25 children. This funding will provide everything required for each child’s school year: • School fees • School uniform • Stationery and school books • Ongoing monitoring and pastoral support Lifting Spirits focuses on children who have lost one or both parents and are living in challenging circumstances, ensuring that the most vulnerable children can continue their education.

We’re committed to supporting 25 children, ensuring they can complete their secondary education in full.

£10,00

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donated

It’s impossible to overstate the positive effect on these children’s lives, not just today, but for decades to come. Having an education is literally changing the direction of their lives.

Michelle Meineke, Lifting Spirits Founder

EAS, Peru High in the Peruvian Andes, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, many Aymara communities still struggle to access safe, reliable drinking water. While solar-powered water systems have been introduced in recent years, many have fallen into disrepair due to a lack of trained local technicians.

Working with our partner Energía, Ambiente y Sostenibilidad (EAS), we’re working to build skills within the community. Local participants - at least half of which are women - are being trained and certified to manage and maintain water systems across four communities: Accopata, Collini, Cuyuraya, and Cuchu Amaru.

The hands-on training will enable them to - Operate and maintain rural water systems and solar pumps - Disinfect and test water to ensure it’s safe to drink - Carry out plumbing repairs and preventive maintenance - Promote hygiene and efficient water use - Manage and administer community water systems By building this knowledge locally, the project helps ensure a reliable supply of safe water - both now and in the future.

£5,250 donated

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the official approval of the proposed training program opens up the possibility that the training modules developed could be later on used at national level, thus benefitting hundreds of other localities facing similar problems.

Alfonso Carrasco, EAS

Ongoing support As well as supporting some brand new projects this year, we recognise the importance of longerterm support and continue to fund some existing initiatives with the next phase of their work...

Lone Buffalo We’re proud to be fully funding Lone Buffalo’s Develop Together programme for the third year running. This series of life skills workshops gives students the opportunity to build confidence and practical skills, from presenting and first aid to CV writing and health and fitness, supporting both academic and personal development.

The impact has been significant, with higher education enrolment among participants increasing from 12% to 89%.

Cambodia Rural Students Trust Following on from our support in 2024, we’ve funded a further 400 reusable period kits for girls in Cambodia, helping to reduce the number of school days missed each month due to a lack of access to menstrual products.

As well as supporting the girls who receive them, the kits are hand-sewn in Siem Reap using 100% cotton by local women, who are paid a fair wage for their work, creating both practical support and sustainable income within the community.

That’s not all...

In addition to funding these projects and initiatives all over the world, our donations have enabled us to work with a number of other valuable causes.

Empowering female farmers in Tanzania We’ve donated £15,000 to fully fund training, support, and opportunities for 60 women to join the Wamboma Co-operative. On average, each woman supports four dependents and has previously had limited access to education and development opportunities.

The impact is already clear. Women who have taken part in the programme have gone on to build brick homes and toilets, send their children to school - and in some cases, to university - and become role models within their communities, supporting others with advice and guidance.

Through the programme, women and their families gain business and financial management skills, helping them to build more secure livelihoods and move beyond subsistence farming.

Protecting elephants in Thailand Working with the Mahouts Foundation, we’re helping to support a more responsible model of tourism - one that allows people to experience elephants in their natural habitat, while prioritising their welfare.

The Explore team also got involved, hosting a Christmas market and raising £1,680 to support the Foundation’s ongoing work in Thailand.

We provided emergency support in Jamaica & Cuba Following Hurricane Melissa we donated £17,566 to the Red Cross to support immediate rescue efforts - including providing food, water, medical aid and emergency shelter.

The Explore team in action The Explore team showed real commitment this year, finding meaningful and inspiring ways to support the Foundation.

A group of 12 colleagues took on an overnight hike across the South Downs, covering miles through the dark to raise vital funds. Their determination and team spirit paid off, with the challenge raising over £3,275 for our projects.

At the same time, a creative group of team members brought festive cheer to life by organising a Christmas market, complete with handmade decorations, sweet treats, and thoughtful gifts. Their time, creativity, and energy helped raise a further £1,519.

Together, these efforts reflect the generosity and spirit of our team and show how coming together, whether through endurance or creativity, can make a real difference.

Fundraise with us Sometimes the best way to give back is by doing something you love, and inviting others to be part of it.

By creating your own fundraiser for the Explore Foundation, you can turn a hobby, a challenge, or an idea into meaningful support for our work.

Whether it’s a bake sale, a bike ride, or something completely your own every effort helps.

And the best part? Everything you raise goes directly towards the projects we support, from creating opportunities for young people to protecting wildlife and supporting communities.

Find out more: theexplore.foundation/fundraiseforthefoundation

What’s next?

Our focus for 2026 We’re planning to expand our impact and have set ourselves the goal of funding five new initiatives in key Explore destinations.

We’re already reviewing projects in Cuba and Cambodia and working with our network to find more.

The overnight hike is back! This fab Explore staff fundraiser raised over £3,000 last year - and we’re hoping to go even further this time. New route, new hikers with the same big energy and drive to fundraise.

For the first time, we’ve set an annual fundraising target of £25,000, in addition to Explore’s donation for every customer who travels with them. We’ve got a wonderful network of supporters and we’ll be encouraging them to get involved and fundraise for us - every penny raised goes directly to the wonderful initaitives we are able to support.

Bring it on!

Meet the Trustees Our fantastic Board of Trustees ensures that the Explore Foundation funds are directed where they can create the most impact. Here’s a little more about them.

Jo Hendrickx In 2017, after experiencing what Jo calls “a styrofoam breakfast” she founded Travel Without Plastic (now evolved into Triple Impact Hospitality) to help businesses reduce unnecessary single-use waste.

Jo is a big believer in collaborative working and finding ways to put money directly into local economies, having spent most of her career supporting small hospitality businesses develop sustainability strategies. A life in tourism wasn’t always on the cards though, Jo originally worked as a 999 operator for Merseyside Police before being drawn to the travel industry.

John Telfer Since starting out as a Tour Leader, John has always been passionate about inspiring positive travel interactions, both for travellers and hosts. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in scrutinising overseas projects from his other non-profit work. He gets all of his best ideas on long-distance walks, having walked the length and breadth of England & Wales. His latest project is connecting the Venice of the Midlands to Little Venice (that's Birmingham to Paddington Station for regular folk!) on foot.

Christy Hehir From tracking polar bears in Svalbard to turning travel into positive change, Christy has spent 15 years showing how tourism can connect people, protect places, and ignite change. A trip to Antarctica kickstarted her journey, leading to a PhD in environmental psychology and philanthropy (Making tourism count for conservation), the book Arctic Reflections, and her role as Senior Lecturer and Tourism Programme Director at the University of Surrey. Curious, energetic, and inspired by people and very cold places, she is all about turning adventure into meaningful action.

We also said a heartfelt thank you to Georgina Wilson-Powell this year as she stepped down from the Explore Foundation trustee board, having been part of it from the very beginning. Her energy and commitment have played a huge role in shaping the charity.

Our accounts Statement of Financial Activities For the period 1st November 2024 - 31st December 2025 Unrestricted Funds 2025

Restricted Funds 2025

Total Funds 2025

Total Funds 2024

£

£

£

£

141,784

12,026

153,809

84,816

Charitable Activites

94,082

11,810

105,892

79,977

Administration & Support Costs

3,360

-

3,360

7,523

Governance Costs

1,320

-

1,320

1320

Total Resources Expended

98,763

11,810

110,573

88,821

Net Movement in Funds

43,021

215

43,236

(4,005)

Total funds brought forward

3,162

624

3,786

7,791

Net Movement in year

43,021

215

43,236

(4,005)

Total funds carried forward

46,183

839

47,022

3,786

Incoming resources

Total incoming resources: Resources Expended

Reconcilliation of funds:

For more detail please visit the Accounts and Annual Returns section on the Charities Commission website. Our registration number is 1201356.

How do we

raise money?

The majority of the Foundation’s funding comes from Explore, which makes a donation of £2.50 on behalf of every customer, allowing us to continue supporting projects that create a positive impact on people, places and the planet. We also have regular supporters, and wonderfully generous one-off donors who support our work.

Every penny that is donated to the Explore Foundation goes to our initiatives, Explore covers all of our administration costs, ensuring your donations create maximum impact.

How you can help us

Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on socials to hear all the latest news

Register with easyfundraising.org and raise money for us whilst you shop

Make a donation recurring or one-off we appreciate every penny.

Fundraise for us

Leave a legacy

Your passions can change lives, Do what you love and urn it into positive impact.

Start your own fundraiser and help us make a difference

Leave a lasting legacy. A gift in your will to the Explore Foundation can help young people and communities thrive for years to come

Find out more at

theexplore.foundation