This is just the beginning...

As I sit here in a very empty Fieldbase, more then a few tears have found their way down my cheeks.  For those of you travelling on, I wish you a safe and happy time and for those of you already home enjoying the comforts, family and friends we spent hours talking about, I hope you are enjoying and appreciating.

Thank you all for a magical experience and remember Raleigh is not just about an expedition; it is about being part of a global community of like-minded people. People like you who want to do something extraordinary with their lives and really make a difference in the world. And so although your time in India is over, your journey with Raleigh is only just beginning!


The Fourth Challenge...

The Fourth Challenge is to make a difference upon your return. During the expedition, you learnt many valuable skills that you can now use to make a positive impact in your community when you get home.

Raleigh has a range of exciting volunteering opportunities in the UK and there is an Alumni Team at Head Office to support you in whatever you choose to do. You could:

Volunteer in your local community

Join the Raleigh Youth Forum and help generate ideas about volunteering and be an active voice for the way Raleigh is run

Be an Expedition Coordinator and help everyone from your expedition keep in contact

Help out at Raleigh events

Tell people about your Raleigh experience at schools and universities, open days and careers fairs

Be an environmental volunteer

Help with a local sports team or initiative

Get involved with national campaigns

Staying in touch



Whether you’ve got a question, photos or stories to share, or just want to say hi, please keep in touch as we’d love to hear from you. Visit the alumni section of the website where you can:



Keep in touch with your expedition friends and share memories and photos on the forums

Find out about Raleigh societies and volunteering opportunities

Register for the alumni newsletter

You can contact the Alumni Team at alumni@raleigh.org.uk or on +44 (0)20 7183 1290 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +44 (0)20 7183 1290 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

A final farewell and thank you from and to 10C!

This is the final blog for expedition 10C and I for one am very sad to say goodbye! Collectively over the last 10 weeks we have:

• dug enough ditches, long drops, short drops and trenches to dig right through the earth's crust;
• we have white washed an area big enough to cover the white cliffs of dover;
• we have created enough diarrhoea to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool;
• we have burnt over 17 million calories;
• we have had 258,986 hits on this blog;
• we have drank over 5,600 cups of chai;
• we have eaten over 11,000 bars of chocolate and
• we have walked over 20,000 kilometres.

So well done 10C!

As promised a picture of Tom in his lungi and a cardi with Clive. True gentlemen and winners of the half marathon.

Our final nights here included skits, awards and a farwell meal/party.

We had skits on the Thursday night and they were even more impressive than the ones that preceded them. They came, they made us laugh, they danced and they spat lyrics. It was close but in the end Echo 4 won the best skit of the night competition and then they preceded to scoff their cake prize immediately and appreciatively.

Here are some of the highlights of the night.

Whilst you were all voting at home, we didn't want to be left out here in India. So we set up some voting booths of our own; although our votes were for the golden mess tin awards. It was a bit like the Oscars but funnier, classier and more emotional.  We even had a red carpet.

We gave the following awards:-

Here we have Geoff receiving his award for the funniest person on expedition. Geoff thank you for the many laughs you contributed to 10C - and there were many!

Sam Dash won the award for Casanova from the many adoring female ladies that cast their vote in his direction. He smoothly accepted his award and so from all the ladies on expedition - thank you Sam Dash for giving us something to look at whilst we were digging, building and sweating.

Kripa swept up the award for Masterchef largely due to a mouthwatering dish she managed to create from a few potatoes, some eggs and some other random 'erbs! She also cooked a curry!

Best comms went to our much loved Rony!

Best Duo went to Duncan and Dave

Harriet bagged the award for Jungle Chic - although after she admitted that she wore her brother's boxer shorts for part of the expedition we were left a little bit unsure of our choice! No fair play, Harriet we all thought you looked effortlessly chic at all times - we want your look!

Little D won biggest faffer!

Ray of sunshine award went to Laura Pye.

We had a lot of nominations for the most outstanding male and female venturers. Everyone on expedition deserves a pat on the back but we would like to give a special mention to the following:-

Jack Bell, Tom Saville, Richard Miranda, Jake Hanson, James Brown, Ali Muir and Jack Campbell.

Hattie Way, Chiara Raine, Claire Traylor, Layla Testi, Laura Pye, Ruth de Saint Croix, Paula Brocki, Louise Carter and Lauren McDonald.

But the winners for the most outstanding venturers went to John Campbell and Lauren McDonald. Well done both, speaking from all of the PM's here you really made 10C special and gave us all a lot of amazing memories. Thank you for all your hard work you really earned those mess tins.

And pictures from the parteeeeeee

Final goodbyes

It is a good bye from the PM's and field base team and a big thank you to the 10C venturers for making our expedition so special. You were an amazing bunch of people. All that is left for the staff to do is have a party of their own. Keep in touch everyone!