The Foundation

CURIOSITY - SELF-RELIANCE - SELF-DETERMINATION - CHALLENGE
 

The idea of the Foundation was conceived by the party of British Antarctic Survey scientists wintering on South Georgia 1973/4, and the objective was to mark the service of Sir Vivian Fuchs as the first Director of the Survey.

Originally in the Foundation’s trust deed the stated objective was  
 
"To provide education and character training, physical moral and spiritual  for boys and girls and young men and women who are in necessitous circumstances through adventurous and challenging experiences."

Over the first thirty years the Foundation has helped over 200 young people in this way (see Fuchs Scholars page). But in recent years the size of grants that the Foundation could make became progressively out of step with the costs of applicants' projects.
 
However the effect of the small contributions is not to be underestimated as a recent endorsement from one of the early beneficiaries in 1979 shows,   "…I can testify to the impact that going on such an expedition had on my attitude and later development  - and if it helps to encourage others to try that little bit harder and not be dissuaded by the seemingly huge obstacles they may face, I am all for it."  - Dinsdale Broderick.

The charity was re-launched in 2005 to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of Sir Vivian Fuchs’ Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1956-58, and the Trustees re-focused the charity to:

"To organize expeditions of young teachers of science and geography to undertake scientific expeditions to the Antarctic and Arctic who will prepare teaching materials based on their science projects and their experiences which will be of use to meet the needs of the National Curriculum – these teaching materials to be available on the Foundations web site for the use of all schools."

Sir Vivian Fuchs showed a generation of school children a sense of curiosity, self reliance, self determination and challenge. So as Science and Geography are perceived as dull subjects and hard work, the Fuchs Foundation wishes to challenge this perception and recreate in young people the sense of excitement, adventure, and the thirst for knowledge.
 
No one forgets an inspirational teacher and the Fuchs Foundation believes the key is challenge and experience.  Give the young teachers the opportunity to break free from the constraints of their normal safe existence. Inspire them through expedition work that tests both their mental, physical and emotional resources. This will give them a life changing experience and will inspire their teaching for the rest of their career, and all their students they teach

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Page last modified: 9th Nov 2014 - 13:00:41