Antibodies.com Provide Expedition Gear

Preston Lodge High School is a secondary school located in Prestonpans, East Lothian, Scotland. It serves the communities of Prestonpans, Cockenzie, Port Seton, and Longniddry, and is supported by its own charitable arm, the Preston Lodge Learning Foundation (PLLF). 

Preston Lodge Learning Foundation submitted a request to source essential outdoor gear for their student expeditions. Their request stemmed from three primary goals:

Promoting Inclusion: The school aims to ensure that all students, regardless of their financial background, can participate in residential trips and outdoor adventures. By securing donated equipment, they remove the "barrier to entry" for families who may not be able to afford expensive hiking or camping gear.

The S1 Adventure Program: A core part of their curriculum involves the "S1 Adventure" project, which uses outdoor learning to build confidence, teamwork, and resilience in first-year students.

Health and Wellbeing: The school focuses on "learning beyond the classroom." They believe that access to nature and physical challenges during expeditions significantly improves students' mental health and social cohesion.

 

Gordon Kidd, Preston Lodge teacher who manages the Duke of Edinburgh expeditions shared with us why this donation was so important; 

"We are very grateful to receive the following items for our DofE Expeditions. This equipment is essential to be able to continue to operate and offer the programmes to so many students. The donation also removes financial barriers in taking part.

We have currently 76 Bronze Students and 7 Silver Students taking part this academic year. However the equipment will be used every year for as long as it lasts. Our numbers are usually around 100 students per year.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award group at Preston Lodge recently received a very generous donation of tents, walking boots, stoves, gas and compasses. These are consumable items which constantly need repaired, replaced or both. Although many students choose to buy their own boots and sometimes their own tents and equipment, some are unable to and we try never to burden any family with any added expense. Having boots and tents available to students encourages parents to allow their children to participate in the award scheme, safe in the knowledge that no further expense is required on their part, especially when the cost of living is so high."

They received a donation from Antibodies.com who had seen the request online and were keen to support a great opportunity to further the educational experiences of students. 

Antibodies.com were founded in 2015 and headquartered in Cambridge and are a leading supplier of high-quality biological reagents, including antibodies, proteins, and ELISA kits, serving life science researchers across more than 100 countries. Their operations are built on values of scientific excellence, transparency and accessibilty. By bridging the gap between primary manufacturers and the lab bench, Antibodies.com acts as a dedicated partner in advancing biological research and drug discovery worldwide.

They are also a supplier of the University of Edinburgh and were keen to follow their strategy for their suppliers to demonstrate positive social impact in the communities they serve. 

Antibodies.com kindly donated brand new kit including: 6 Vango tents for camping, compasses, camping stoves and gas, and 8 pairs of sturdy walking boots. 

These resources are set to make a lasting impact, benefiting multiple cohorts of students for years to come .