Big Change
In 2015, at "Virgin Disruptors in Education", the impact accelerator Big Change were showcasing their work re-thinking our education system. I saw two 12-year-olds interview Richard Branson with confidence, clarity and real humility, and thought: there's something special going on here. They were pupils at School21, one of the projects Big Change supports. There was so much positive energy in the room as people from Virgin Unite came up to speak that I had to get involved.
Big Change consult experts to find the points in a young person's education where the most difference can be made. They then find projects with innovative solutions in those areas, mentor them, connect them with a network of experts, and provide early-stage funding so they can prove their ideas in practice.
Big Change, a registered charity, partly funds these projects through a series of endurance events. I passionately believe in what they are doing, and have so far raised £239,669.
Year by year
- 2025: My #50at60 Challenge - Big Change was one of the four organizations I supported.
- 2024: Ongoing personal support of Big Change's work.
- 2023: Etape Loch Ness and Strive Lapland - here is a blog by Richard Branson.
- 2022: Ongoing personal support of Big Change's work.
- 2021: The 100 km Virtual Strive Challenge and hiking the 100 km STRIVE Weekender in the same week.
- 2020: The 2020 Virtual Strive Challenge, running, hiking and swimming (virtually) alongside 200 other Strivers, raising £50,000 in total for Big Change.
- 2019: London to Paris in 24 hours - cycling 300 km / 186 miles during a wet and windy day and night in May 2019, a challenge organized by Sophie Storm Roberts.
- 2018: The 2018 STRIVE Challenge, an endurance adventure in the French Alps, cycling 285 miles and climbing 42,000 feet up some of the mountain stages of the Tour de France, helping collectively to raise £1.3 million. Blog here.
- 2016: The 2016 STRIVE Challenge - blog here, and also part of an article written by Richard Branson about the challenge from his perspective.
Photos
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