One of the World's best Third Sector (Charity, Social Enterprise, Voluntary Groups.) Advisors with over four decades of making a difference and recognised as one of the UK's greatest adventurers and explorers of our time.
"The world needs more Bernie Hollywood's - a leader by example and an inspiration."
Joshua Wies MScPT
Four decades of pioneering 'Third Sector' growth and impact, having raised over £42 million pounds for UK & overseas Charities, Voluntary Groups and Social Enterprises. Achieved through creative corporate partnerships recognised, celebrated and awarded throughout the third sector. He has and he continues to advise hundreds of Charities, Social Enterprises and Voluntary Groups throughout the world creating thousands of community based jobs that have benefited communities and made them sustainable.
He is an ambassador for Wallace & Gromit Children's Charity, Save the Children UK and Barnardo's.
He is the creator of 'Merchant Giving' a ground breaking micro-donation service which connects business to charity and in doing so makes charities more sustainable.
He mentors numerous people across the world and has supported them in developing ground breaking community interest companies, creating hundreds of jobs and also helping to deliver the 17 United Nations Development Goals (SDG's).
He supports his own five Schools in developing areas of Kenya and Nepal (Upendo Primary / Lucy Primary - Korogocho Slums / Mutaruni High School / Saraswati High School), along with four successful social enterprises within developing areas of Kenya too.
He personally raised thousands of pounds towards the development of Memusi Foundation Schools in developing areas of Kenya, he completed and funded the first solar powered computer classroom within the Rift Valley region with his great friend Chris Arnold and his second solar computer classroom opened in January 2022, that he dedicated and named the classroom after his late Mother Philomena.
He introduced a unique water delivery system to three Maasai Communities with another great friend Adrian Brewer and funded soap making training / social enterprises into the developing communities of Shompole, Madagi and Kiminini, Kenya.
He is a renowned and an accomplished 'Third Sector' international advisor and remarkable storyteller, having advised and spoken at the United Nations - New York and Kenya, The House of Lords, The House of Commons - UK, various worldwide Governments, TED Talks, Turing Talks - Edinburgh, Directory of Social Change - London, Henry Schein Inc - Madrid, American Express - New York and London, Ideas Fest the Glastonbury for Business Enterprise, Halifax Bank / Lloyds Banking Group / Worldpay Conferences and The Princes's Trust fundraisers. He is a mentor, a trustee of four charities. He is the Chair of 'Future Men' a multi-award winning specialist charity that supports boys and young men along the path to becoming dynamic future men, he also sits on the board of 'World Merit', 'The Turing Trust' , 'Include Me Too', 'SHE (Sustainable Health and Education) Foundation' and the Founder and CEO of the BoatOfHOPE.com
Bernie has made films highlighting the needs of the third sector collaborating with some of the UK's best producers with the BBC and ITN filming on location in the UK, Nepal, Morocco, Tanzania, Kenya, Costa Rica, Arctic, Antarctic, Atlantic Ocean, North and South America and the Sahara.
He is recognised as one of the UK's most accomplished adventurers and explorers of our time. His achievements are legendary and have included running 41 consecutive ultra marathons in 20 days. 7 consecutive London Marathons in 7 days. He has completed over 150 marathons around the World. He has completed the Marathon Des Sables, a one hundred and sixty mile, six day, self sufficient race across the Sahara Desert. He cycled across America a journey of 3,000 miles in 14 days, from the UK to North Africa and from North Africa to the UK a journey of 5,000 miles in 26 days raising funds to build new schools within developing nations of Africa. He cycled Lands End to John O'Groats via the UK's three highest mountains and then cycled to the top of Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis in 9 days. He has climbed many of the worlds tallest mountains and has trekked unsupported to the geographic poles in temperatures of minus 50 below freezing!
He is a World record-holder running the longest distance in 7 days and has received countless awards for his philanthropy over the last two decades. He received The President's Certificate of Appreciation from Queen Camilla for the millions of pounds raised for Barnardo's and 'The Honours Award' for the millions raised for charities within his home City of Liverpool, UK.
His Boat Of Hope Mental Health Campaign has reached millions of children around the world by opening up a conversations about how they feel inside their heads and their hearts through the creative arts and adventure. This included a 370 mile 30 day 'boat pull' at Ministry of Defence Base Lyneham to help raise awareness of the 300 plus young children age 10 to 18 that have taken their lives through suicide each year within the UK. Followed by a UK 'High School' and 'Primary School' Tour with his #BoatOfHOPE wrapped in a 42ft Mural created by over 5,000 High School Students showing a young persons journey with depression further engaging with early years children and young adults on their mental health and wellbeing. He then at the age of 63 successfully completed a solo row of in the www.worldstoughestrow.com across the 'Atlantic Ocean' a solo voyage of 3,540 miles and 109 days alone at sea, seen by a global audience of 950 million people. Once home he then displayed his #BoatOfHOPE for two weeks in Europe's Largest Cathedral which included the World Premiere of 'Bernie and Boatie The Play' which was adapted from his best selling children's book 'Bernie and Boatie'.
He was invested by 'Her Late Royal Majesty The Queen Head of the Commonwealth' as an Ordinary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2013 for his lifetime of work and his services within the 'Third Sector.'
He plays the ukulele & has performed across the globe in the UK, USA, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, Spain & including the Sahara Desert! He formed the World's first visually impaired (blind) ukulele orchestra and invented the first ever music braille song sheets.
He has two sons Lewis and Macaullay. Lewis has a Bachelor of Science Degree 1st Class Honours in Computer Science and also holds a Masters Degree at Distinction level also in Computer Science from Liverpool University, Lewis is a Computer Scientist working in London and developed the worlds first 'snakebite app' saving thousands of lives across the world. Macaullay has a Bachelor of Science Degree 1st Class Honours in Media Studies & Computer Science from Bangor University in North Wales and is a Marketing Manager for a Fintech Company based in Manchester, UK.