Our Ambassadors
Our ambassadors are a group of professional climbers who kindly help Urban Uprising in many ways with their time and effort.
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Urban Uprising are extremely grateful for everything our ambassadors provide, it makes a real difference to the children and young people we help by having your support.
Dave MacLeod
Dave is a professional all-round climber based in the highlands of Scotland.
He has been climbing for most of his life and has climbed 8C boulders, 9a sport climbs, E11 trad, XII,12 mixed and 8b+ free solo. Best known for his first ascents of routes such as Rhapsody (the world’s first E11 trad route), Anubis VII,12 (one of the world’s hardest mixed climbs) and Echo Wall on Ben Nevis. He is also known for his writing on training and improvement in climbing.
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Dave has helped Urban Uprising for many years by raising awareness of and fundraising for the charity. He has attended sessions with the young people we support and he has attended events we have held or been a part of to talk about the work UU do.
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"One of the great problems with helping young people to help themselves is that they are often undervalued. So why would they value themselves? They are seen by so many others in society as a problem. Actually they are an opportunity. When someone takes time to show them something good, it will have a positive effect on almost all. For a subset, it will change everything. That is worth supporting.”
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Hazel Findlay
Hazel is one of a kind; a professional climber and mental training coach.
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She was the first British woman to climb a trad route at E9, sport climb 8c and free El Capitan in Yosemite, which she has now done four times. Her interest in the mental challenge that climbing evokes led her to train as a coach so she could help others with their mindset and mental-management.
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Hazel has been a supporter of Urban Uprising for a long time. She has raised the profile of UU in interviews and on her social media. She has attended sessions to bring her expertise to the young people we support. She has participated in talks and interviews about mental health for UU.
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"Climbing has completely shaped me as a person from when I was very small, and I doubt I would be half as resilient as I am now, if not for climbing. I was lucky as my Dad climbed and took me climbing but I know that most young people do not have this luxury. I’ve always been interested in organisations that get kids climbing who wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Urban Uprising was an obvious charity to support in whatever way I could.”
Niall McNair
Niall was one of Urban Uprising's very first Ambassadors.
He has a huge wealth of experience from climbing throughout the UK and Europe for over 25 years and is well known for adventurous rock climbing in Scotland.
Niall kickstarted the successful series of Club Uprising fundraisers. He has also attended climbing sessions with the young people we support and he has spoken at various events to promote and fundraise for the charity.
"Being involved with Urban Uprising is a way of giving back to the climbing community. I can personally vouch for the positive and transformative power of climbing in developing life skills and this opportunity should be available to all."
Robbie Phillips
Hailing from Scotland, Robbie is known for his cutting edge ascents and inspirational adventures across the globe.
He is a professional climber, a speaker, climbing coach, and Youtuber. From high end Sport-Climbing and Bouldering to bold Traditional Climbs, epic Big Walls and Alpine Rock Routes, Robbie's love for climbing has taken him to every corner of the globe.
Robbie has been an Ambassador for Urban Uprising for a long time. He has raised awareness of the charity on social media and in interviews. He has attended sessions on our programmes to share his expertise with the young people we support and he has attended events to represent and speak about UU.
"Climbing changed my life. From being wildly energetic, totally unfocussed and struggling to socialise as a youth, climbing challenged me, gave me direction, and a wonderful community that I cherish to be a part of everyday. I was lucky to have a supportive family and school which gave me the opportunity to go climbing, but I know many don't have this, which is why I am an Ambassador for Urban Uprising. Climbing might not be for everyone but for some it will change their lives forever, and I want to help more young people get access to this wonderful sport."
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