Regular donor stories: Invenio Training, outdoor first aid provider
Meet Bruce Petty, owner of Invenio Training, who donates £1 per client to the BMC Access & Conservation Trust.
Bruce Petty, paramedic and founder of Invenio Training, an outdoor first aid, safety and skills provider based in Buckinghamshire, now donates £1 per client to the BMC Access & Conservation Trust, starting this year, 2026. Thank you Bruce!
Read on for our interview with Bruce to find out why he has chosen to support the BMC's path repair, access and conservation charity, and why he thinks more outdoor businesses should give something back.
What is your job, Bruce?
I wear a few hats. I'm the founder of Invenio Training, where I deliver outdoor first aid, safety and skills training to individuals wanting to be safer on their adventures. Alongside that, I keep clinically current by working two ambulance shifts per month and a half day a week in primary care. With a background in outdoor education, mountain leadership and climbing instruction, I try to work on a few trips and adventures per year. I'm based in Buckinghamshire, although my work takes me across the UK. Much of my training is delivered in the Chilterns, the South East and Eryri (Snowdonia).
How did you get into the outdoors yourself?
The outdoors has always been part of my life. I went to school in North Wales; I could see Eryri from my window. Having grown up around horses, I found a new interest in all things outdoors: walking, climbing, kayaking and sailing. Later, serving in the British Army, I spent a great deal of time working and training outside and took every opportunity to travel and experience new things. Over the years that developed into hill walking, climbing, mountain biking, paddle sports, skydiving, bushcraft, off-road driving and expedition travel. Professionally, I was an instructor at Outward Bound, managed outdoor education centres and volunteered for Mountain Rescue. I've always been happiest when learning new skills and spending time outdoors.
What are your current favourite outdoor hobbies?
Walking in the mountains remains my favourite. I also enjoy climbing, mountain biking, adventure travel and spending time outdoors with my family. More recently I've set myself the challenge of training for a triathlon, which has added swimming and more cycling to the mix.
When did you set up Invenio Training and what is it?
I launched Invenio Training in 2013. Originally providing a wider range of first aid and safety training, in 2025 we refocused the business on outdoor, wilderness and adventure training. We predominately provide training to outdoor professionals, schools and adventure enthusiasts. Our courses are for anyone who pushes their boundaries and experiences in wild places. Our aim is simple: to help people build the confidence and competence to look after themselves and others when things don't go to plan. I believe that we don’t rise to the level of our expectations; we fall to the level of our training. Training should be memorable, functional and support rescue efforts. As a first aider, you are the first and very important link in a chain of survival that stretches from the point of injury through Mountain Rescue, Ambulance Services and A&E to definitive care. Each link builds on the work of the previous one. Our training focuses on helping people become a strong first link in that chain.
Why did you join the BMC?
Over the years I've been a member of the BMC and the Alpine Club, and I continue to support a number of professional organisations within the outdoor sector. The BMC does a huge amount of work that many people never see. Access, conservation, safety campaigns, representation and supporting the future of our outdoor spaces all require time, effort and funding. The places we work in and enjoy don't stay accessible by accident. The BMC represents many of the values I hold dear and helps ensure my children, and future generations, can continue to enjoy wild places for years to come.
When did you decide that Invenio Training would give £1 per client to the BMC Access & Conservation Trust?
The decision was made while reflecting on what was important to me and my family. I wanted Invenio Training to contribute something positive beyond commercial success. For all our face-to-face courses, we donate £1 per participant directly to the BMC Access & Conservation Trust. We chose a simple, transparent model that is easy for customers to understand and easy for us to administer. As the business grows, our contribution grows too.
Why was that important to you? What motivates you to give back?
The outdoors has given me opportunities, friendships, challenges and a career. Many of the places where I work and spend my free time rely on ongoing conservation and access work. Supporting those efforts feels like the right thing to do.
Do you think more businesses should invest percentage of their earnings to charitable causes and why?
I think every business should consider how it can make a positive contribution. That doesn't always have to be financial. It could be volunteering, sharing expertise, supporting community projects or fundraising. Businesses benefit from the communities and environments around them, so it's reasonable to give something back.
Are you keen to get more involved in BMC Access & Conservation Trust campaigns?
The donation is only part of the picture. I'm always interested in opportunities to support campaigns, raise awareness and help people understand why access and conservation matter. The more people who value our outdoor spaces, the better chance we have of protecting them.
What's next for you personally in the outdoor world?
I want to continue learning. The outdoors offers endless opportunities to develop new skills and explore new places. One immediate challenge is broadening my campfire cooking skills - I recently acquired a Dutch oven. I'm also looking forward to completing a triathlon and spending more time introducing my children to more adventurous activities as they get older.
What's next for Invenio Training?
We're expanding our Adventure Ready pathway, developing free and inexpensive workshops, an advanced course for people travelling further afield and working with partners across the outdoor sector to make quality first aid and safety training more accessible and encourage people to consider training. People are often happy to spend hundreds or thousands of pounds on equipment and adventures, yet first aid training can be overlooked. We're trying to change that. Our goal is to help more people enjoy adventure with confidence while keeping training practical, realistic and relevant.
Anything else you'd like to share?
One of the phrases I often use in training is: "Tell the story, don't be the story." Adventure should be about creating memories, learning new skills and exploring incredible places. A little preparation, good judgement and the right training can make a huge difference. If supporting organisations like the BMC helps preserve those opportunities for future generations, that's something worth investing in.
Support us through 1% for the Planet!
If your business is keen to help the BMC Access & Conservation Trust repair paths, conserve upland landscapes and habitats and restore the moorlands in our Mend Our Mountains and The Climate Project campaigns, support us via 1% for the Planet here!
Protect the Eastern Moors
We have already raised £50,000 to fund a dedicated Wildfire Ranger to protect the Sheffield Moors area from wildfire this season. Please now help the BMC Access & Conservation Trust raise a further £50,000 to support the team with equipment and restore the moorland for future generations.
£10 funds a roll of 20 sphagnum moss plugs
£25 fully restores 1m2 of moorland
£50 stabilises bare peat with cut heather
£100 funds ten educational social media posts
£200 builds a 2m dam to rewet an eroded gully
£2,000 hires one wildfire-prevention road sign
£10,000 buys a wildfire-detection drone
Donate to us for FREE!
Did you know that you can donate to the BMC Access & Conservation Trust entirely FREE simply by shopping online as you usually would, at any time of the year with Easyfundraising? It only takes two minutes to set up, here's how.
Donate to us (not for free!)
If you want to contribute to upland and mountain access and conservation causes like the above, then simply click here to donate to The BMC Access & Conservation Trust via The Climate Project or Mend Our Mountains campaigns at any time. One-off or regular donations of any amount are always most welcome.
Volunteer
Fancy fixing footpaths in the Lake District, placing stepping stones in Eryri or planting sphagnum in the Peak District? Sign up to one of our Get Stuck In events here. And if you can't volunteer, why not gift us the amount you would have spent in fuel or on a train fare getting to a volunteer event?
Leave a legacy
A wise person once said, the most noble thing you can do is to "plant trees under whose shade you will never sit" and, likewise, fund path repair projects on which you will never walk and moorland restoration projects which you will never see. If you'd like to make a lasting impact on the landscape long after you've left this world, please consider leaving us a legacy.
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