In celebration of Britain's annual volunteer week, Queer charity OutdoorLads has revealed that it's volunteer leaders donated over 18,350 hours of their time in 2024.
The British charity leads various outdoor expeditions from the peaks of Snowdonia to the rolling hills of Sussex's South Downs.
Expeditions include guided hikes, camping trips, and cycle rides, and are almost entirely volunteer-led. They're designed to provide an inclusive space for people to forge friendships, boost mental well-being, and escape from the struggles of everyday life.
In the past year alone, 242 volunteers have led and assisted in some 1,705 outdoor activities.
Mental health is a prominent issue in the Britain's queer community. The last major Stonewall health survey, conducted in 2018, found that over half of Britain's LGBTQ+ population experienced depression or anxiety in the previous year.
OutdoorLads aims to tackle this problem by exposing queer Brits to the many benefits of outdoor life and creating an inclusive, safe space where they can be themselves.
“One of the best things about OutdoorLads is the ability to build a community,” said Manchester-based volunteer Joe Nellist.
“People are able to be there for each other, to find new friendships, and it’s a place where you can feel like you really belong".
The OutdoorLads 2024 member survey, which collected the data, also revealed that 66% of members felt improved mental wellbeing after attending events and 78% made meaningful new friendships.
Along with helping queer men into nature, OutdoorLads is eager to promote the benefits of volunteering.
Danny McKeown-Henshall, a leader from Preston, said: “I absolutely love leading with OutdoorLads.
“If I lead a mountain walk or a lowland walk or whatever I’m leading, and someone comes to the end, and they’ve said they’ve had a great day or that they’ve done something that they didn’t think they could do before. That’s what makes it amazing”.
Further data from the OutdoorLads Members survey reveals that 73% of leaders benefited from improvements to their own mental health and confidence after volunteering.
- The best hiking shorts: tested and rated for summer adventures
- The best hiking hats: cozy beanies for mountains and sun hats for warmer days
