About Us
Venturing Out is East Lothian’s premier outdoor activities provider offering adventures to all.
Whether you are looking for holiday activities for the kids, a coastal journey on paddleboards, a staff team away day or a private party, we have it all. Please browse our website and let us know how we can help.
We are a Not for Profit organisation. Buying from us means we can offer free activities to a variety of people who may not normally have an opportunity to take part. This includes members of our additional support needs and carers programmes, as well as work that we do with other socially disadvantaged people. This helps improve communities and people’s life chances.
We are a team of highly qualified outdoor professionals with a wealth of experience. It is our aim to give you a fun and safe experience not to be forgotten.
Safety is paramount. We hold an Adventure Activities Licence (AALS), a legal requirement for many activities with under 18’s within the UK. All staff are outdoor first aid trained and all are PVG checked for working with children and vulnerable adults. We work in partnership with East Lothian Council and hold an AAP Licence for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
The Team
Antony Stone’s role is operations, staffing and delivery of activities. He has over 25 years of experience working as an outdoor professional. He holds a wide range of professional coaching and guiding qualifications for Mountain, Rock, Mountain Biking and Water activities.
Over the years Antony has held various instructional and youth work roles at a variety of outdoor centres and organisations. In 2009 he set up Venturing Out and In 2016 made the decision to incorporate Venturing Out as a Community Interest Company.
His desire to make adventurous activity available to all is what moves the business forward. “Everyone should have the option to reap the wide ranging benefits of taking part in adventurous outdoor activity”.
When not working with groups Antony can be found outdoors, either in the hills, the sea, a river or a MTB trail centre.
Claire Mackenzie’s role encompasses business development and marketing as well as delivering group activities. Claire holds qualifications for hill, water, trail cycling and archery activities.
She joined Venturing Out in 2017. She is a firm believer of equality and inclusion and has been a driving factor towards the direction of the company’s social aims and impact.
Claire has many years of hill walking and cycling experience and is a keen amateur triathlete.
In her spare time Claire enjoys the tranquillity of the hills, a coastal paddle and time out with her kids.
Associate Staff
Venturing Out use a team of associate outdoor instructional staff. All are very experienced at working with a wide range of ages and abilities and each is very well qualified for whatever activities they deliver. We select our staff based on personality, experience and of course qualification. It is our aim to give everyone who takes part in our activities a fun, safe and memorable experience that makes them want to come back for more.
Blair Aitken has been exploring East Lothian on bike and foot since he was a child growing up near Ormiston. Although he is a qualified teacher he prefers to work outdoors than in the classroom. He has a wide range of interests including rock climbing, mountain biking, canoeing, hillwalking and ski touring.
Chris Green grew up in Cornwall and being outside was a major part of Chris' childhood, whether it was hiking on the moors and coast path or getting in the sea surfing and coasteering. The decision to pursue a career in the outdoor industry was an easy one, allowing him to share what he loves with people from all walks of life. Chris loves the headspace that the outdoors gives him and is happiest when in the sea or up a mountain.
Sean Rodgers Jones - I love the outdoors, it makes me feel free, it helps me sort out everything in my head and helps me to put it into place. It doesn't matter if it's rain, snow hail or sun. I just come away feeling happy.
Craig Burry
Craig is a Mountain Snowsports Leader, Winter Mountain Leader, Paddlesports Instructor and Mountain Bike Leader. He is also a chemistry teacher and holds an MSc Outdoor Environmental & Sustainability Education from the University of Edinburgh. His thesis investigated the potential of ‘micro-adventures’ as a method of Outdoor Education for Sustainability.
Angie Kinghorn
Angie has an Early Years background. She loves getting out and about in the great outdoors, often on her bike and teaching others to cycle. Whether they’re 3 or 63, that first time pedalling is a magical moment!
Angie has spent 14 years as a volunteer team member with Border Search and Rescue Unit.
Management Committee
Venturing Out’s Management Committee are an advisory group of individuals who have a love of the outdoors and a keen interest in Venturing Out’s diverse programmes and social objectives. They have a broad range of working and personal experience that is relative to the work that we do. Good governance and transparency is a key part of not for profit trading. Our management committee are well placed to help shape the future of the organisation and help ensure we meet our community interest obligations.
Heather Falconer has a passion for all things outdoors, she is a keen mountain biker and loves nothing more than taking to the hills. Heather had worked in the outdoor sector, on and off, in a trainee capacity and is now working as a mental health nurse for the NHS. In her spare time Heather is now undertaking the Outdoor and Adventure Therapeutic Practice PgCert at the University of Highlands and Islands.
Alun Joseph is a local business owner with a keen interest in the great outdoors. He has 2 young children who have attended Venturing Out holiday sessions and he is passionate about supporting the work of an organisation who enable access to adventurous outdoor activities for all. Alun brings a wealth of business experience and the ability to question and challenge. His advice and guidance is greatly valued.
Carrie Murray is an additional support needs specialist and is a parent to two autistic children. She has attended activities with Venturing Out for many years. Carry has a background of events management and is a keen horse rider. She is an advocate of third sector organisations, particularly those that help change the lives of people with ASN’s. Carry is an ideal candidate for our committee with first hand experience of working with people with additional support needs.
VOLT - Volunteer Outdoor Learning Team
In partnership with East Lothian Council Outdoor Learning Service, we have an award winning volunteer team who help with the delivery of various activities throughout the year. VOLT members can volunteer for both organisations and are a key requirement to us meeting our ambition of inclusivity. If you believe that you could be an asset to the VOLT team and would like further information please get in touch.
Social Impact
Our mission is simple: to make the outdoors accessible to everyone.
We are a not-for-profit outdoor activity provider committed to removing the barriers that some people may face when accessing adventurous outdoor activities. This could be due to a disability, financial restrictions or poor mental health, that prevent people from experiencing the many benefits that outdoor adventure can bring.
We run programmes that support mental health & wellbeing, social connections and opportunities for peer support, with activities tailored specifically for the needs of each group we work with.
Why We Exist
We believe that taking part in adventurous outdoor activities can be life changing. They can help to build confidence, self-esteem, resilience and a sense of belonging—qualities that can positively change lives.
Yet, for many people, outdoor adventure feels out of reach. That’s where we step in. Through funded programmes, partnerships with other not-for-profit organisations, and affordable places we make sure that everyone—regardless of circumstance—has the chance to feel the joy, freedom and wellbeing that outdoor activities create.
Building Adventure Communities – this should be on the Adventure wellbeing page
We don’t just deliver activities—we create communities. Our programmes bring people together around shared experiences and shared need. Participants support one another, forging friendships and building networks that continue far beyond any single session. This peer support is often just as powerful as the activities themselves. Every programme is designed to enhance wellbeing through adventurous activities and social connection. Participants regularly tell us they feel more confident, more resilient and more connected after taking part.
ASN Provision – Changing Lives for Children with Additional Support Needs
Our Additional Support Needs (ASN) Provision offers year-round, free outdoor activities for children living in East Lothian whose needs prevent them from accessing mainstream opportunities. We focus on supporting the whole family through outdoor activities and work with the young people together with their parents/carers and siblings.
This programme has been running for 7 years and is funded by East Lothian Council and supported by East Lothian Council’s Outdoor Learning Service. This improves family confidence, strengthens relationships and allows siblings and parents to enjoy the outdoors as a team
175 families registered
Over 460 activity sessions delivered to date
Over 1,800 activity places offered to date
This programme continues to be a lifeline for families seeking safe, supportive, inclusive adventure.
East Lothian Carers’ Adventure Wellbeing Group – A Setting for Adventure and Connection
Launched in March 2024, this group supports unpaid adult carers—a community often overlooked and at high risk of isolation and burnout. We now have nearly 100 Carers registered with the group, taking part in regular outdoor activity. This group aims to:
- Provide a break from caring
- Bring a focus to positive mental health & wellbeing
- Provide a setting for social connections
- Reduce isolation
- Provide a platform for peer support.
Participants describe the group as “a game changer”—a place where friendships form easily and where carers finally have space for themselves, surrounded by others who truly understand.
Working With the Third Sector
Beyond our own programmes, we work in partnership with other not-for-profit and community organisations to provide outdoor activities tailored to their client groups. These sessions are offered at cost, ensuring they remain accessible while extending our impact across the wider community.
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