Dartmoor Preservation Association launches 2025 “Moor Boots” grant to support young adventurers

The Dartmoor Preservation Association (DPA) has announced the launch of its 2025 "Moor Boots" grant programme, inviting local businesses and organisations to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds access Dartmoor. After a successful run in 2024, the small grants initiative aims to break down financial barriers to outdoor equipment, ensuring that more young people can participate in activities like the iconic Ten Tors Challenge.

Partnering with the organisers of Ten Tors, the DPA will work through Team Managers to identify young applicants most in need of support. The programme also collaborates with Ice Warrior in Princetown, providing grant recipients with discounts on essential outdoor gear, from boots to waterproof clothing. The initiative opened for applications this week, with an immediate response highlighting the need for proper gear among participants preparing for Ten Tors.

The DPA’s "Moor Boots" scheme addresses a range of barriers preventing young people, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds, from experiencing Dartmoor. Financial challenges, lack of transportation, and low confidence often keep many from exploring the moor and forming connections to the natural landscape. This grant specifically helps young people gain access to the high-quality gear they need, with recipients allowed to keep the equipment after the Ten Tors Challenge, empowering them for future outdoor adventures.

The grant scheme also seeks to inspire a new generation of environmental stewards. The DPA believes that by facilitating formative experiences on Dartmoor, young people develop a lifelong appreciation for the landscape. Engaging with nature through activities like Ten Tors or the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award fosters both confidence and conservation-mindedness, paving the way for young people to become future caretakers of Dartmoor.

Through programs like "Moor Boots," the DPA works to ensure Dartmoor remains accessible and cherished by future generations, continuing its legacy as a vibrant landscape for all.

This year, a new partnership with Expedition Basecamp in Princetown has been created. The DPA were eager to collaborate with the Dartmoor community and make even more of an impact in 2025. Expedition Basecamp are offering 10% off a range of basic equipment for Ten Tors applicants in receipt of a Moor Boots grant. This means that the grant money will stretch that little bit further and participants will be able to get the best expert advice on exactly what they need for taking part in this challenge.

Jim and Sam McNeill are the husband and wife team who own Expedition BASECAMP, Princetown, in the heart of Dartmoor. Jim is a world renowned Polar Explorer with nearly 40 years of exploration in the world’s most extreme environments. Sam has lived on Dartmoor all her life and has a background with local search and rescue teams, mountaineering and training young people in hill and moorland expedition skills. 

In 2024, the Dartmoor Preservation Association’s (DPA) Moor Boots initiative successfully provided essential outdoor kits for over 70 young people, many of whom were exploring Dartmoor for the first time. With weatherproof clothing and sturdy walking boots, these young participants were able to navigate Dartmoor’s challenging terrain with greater comfort, confidence, and a sense of belonging. The difference was visible: equipped and looking prepared, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds were able to fully immerse themselves without feeling out of place.

The impact of Moor Boots extends far beyond functional gear. As DPA Chair Deborah Custance Baker noted, investing in this programme is an investment in community, young people’s mental health, and the future of Dartmoor itself. Research highlights the mental health benefits of time spent in biodiverse landscapes, and Dartmoor offers an ideal environment for young people to connect with nature in meaningful ways. Building this connection early can lead to lifelong appreciation, fostering a generation that values and advocates for conservation.

Through meaningful interactions with Dartmoor, these young adventurers gain more than confidence; they cultivate a respect for the land that may inspire them to protect and preserve it for future generations. With the Moor Boots initiative, the DPA not only equips young people for adventure but also encourages the stewardship that Dartmoor and other natural landscapes so critically need.

Interested sponsors can learn more about supporting the Moor Boots grant by contacting Helen Bruce at helenbruce@dartmoorpreservation.co.uk.

For further information or to apply, visit www.dartmoorpreservation.co.uk