Sir Thomas Lipton Foundation

Founded by Laurence in 2010, the Sir Thomas Lipton Foundation is a charity registered in Scotland (SC041451).  Laurence continues to work and fundraise for the Foundation

A group of 3 children are sailing in a boat.

The mission of the Sir Thomas Lipton Foundation is to raise the aspirations, confidence and skills of pre-teenage children growing up with disadvantage and in areas of deprivation through fun, educational and practical experiences of sailing, the marine industry, maritime heritage, and enterprise.

Every year the Foundation delivers a unique programme called Buoyed Up for whole classes of children before leaving primary school, enabling them in their teenage years to better navigate their potential and plot a course to a positive destination after school.    

5 primary school aged children hold a green book titled "Sir Thomas J. Lipton - Photographic Collection"

The Buoyed Up programme is the start of a journey on which we help the children chart a course to reach a destination that is rewarding for them and a positive contribution to society. Buoyed Up is a sea-change in their lives. It does not solve the attainment gap on its own, but it has become a vital first navigation, ensuring these final years of childhood become an age of discovery about individual interests, talents and ability, an age of raised awareness of future opportunities. Buoyed Up gives the children a better chance of developing as confident, rounded and motivated teenagers.