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VOTING IS NOW OPEN
ARMCHAIR ADVENTURERS CHOICE AWARD
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ARMCHAIR ADVENTURERS CHOICE AWARD
£3,000 is up for grabs for one winner of this year’s #GetOutDoStuff Armchair Adventurers’ Choice Award!
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Our judging panel has selected three brilliant finalists, and now it’s over to you to decide who takes home the grant. Below, you’ll find details of each finalist and their adventure — then all that’s left to do is cast your vote and help choose the winner.
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Voting opens at 9am on 2/02/26 and closes at 17:00 on 8/02/26. Only one vote allowed per person.
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Sharon Oliver​
Nordkapp to Tarifa at 60
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Ten years ago I had stage 3 breast cancer, 2 years ago it came back. I was homeless, living in temporary council accommodation, one room in a hostel. My main focus during this time was to secure a permanent roof over my head whilst undergoing a second series of cancer treatments and operations. Eventually, I turned a corner and decided that despite long term health issues, there was never going to be the right time to do my bucket list. Riding my motorbike has always been important to me, I’ve rode Morocco and India solo.
I left school at age 16 and a year later gained my full motorcycle licence in 1982. I’ve never had much money, mostly going from job to job, but always somehow managing to make ends meet and only recently accepting my own mental health struggles that contributed to me turning to drugs and alcohol for many years.
I am passionate about showing people that no matter what your background, wherever you are from, there is always something you can achieve and, as you get older, it’s important to take a step back, refocus and slow down.
I will be raising awareness and funds for mental health motorbike, a special charity, close to my heart, that has helped and supported me in the past.
I hope people can be inspired by my story to just make a start and have a go themselves because as I always say, what have you really got to loose?
Guliafshan Tariq
Solo ride from London to Pakistan
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Wheels of Freedom is more than a journey, it is a statement of courage, resilience, and belief. My name is Guliafshan Tariq. I was born and raised in Pakistan and now live in the United Kingdom as a mother of 3 Years old daughter . Choosing to travel solo from the UK to Pakistan on Motorcycle is not an easy decision. It comes with challenges, sacrifices, and moments of doubt, especially for a woman and a mother. Society often places limits on women, telling us where we belong and what we should or should not attempt. This journey exists to question those limits and to prove that women can carry responsibility and dreams at the same time.
Traveling alone on a motorcycle is my chosen tool of freedom. It represents independence, strength, and the courage to take control of one’s own direction. Every mile I ride is a message to women in Pakistan and beyond that freedom can look different for everyone, but it always begins with belief.
Wheels of Freedom is about breaking barriers, cultural, emotional, and personal. It is about creating hope for women who feel restricted by fear or expectations and showing them that possibility still exists. This journey connects communities, cultures, and generations through visibility and conversation. By supporting this journey with your vote, you support empowerment, representation, and hope. This is not just my journey; it is for every woman who dreams quietly. Together, we can show the world that women can, and women will.
Tom and Lauren
Southern Africa to England on 125cc bikes
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With not enough money, no experience and inappropriate bikes (just 125cc of fury), Lauren and I set off for an adventure to Africa with minimal planning and a heap of unknowns! All in the pursuit to get out and do stuff!
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During our first date we spoke about our desire to travel and explore the world. It was then, we knew we would go the long haul together. Only we didn’t know what the long haul would be!
I write this, after riding through 31 African countries covering more than 29,000 miles and about to travel through the Middle East, all on bikes that ought to be delivering pizza across cities, not embarking on transcontinental expedition… and that began when Lauren had only passed her motorcycle licence just 8 months earlier!
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There have and always will be naysayers that say we have the wrong bike, not enough experience, travel in the “wrong” way or just dislike how we conduct ourselves but if we do nothing other than get one person to take a leap out of their comfort zone and into the unknown then our trip has been a success. That and having a laugh whilst doing it of course.
Book the trip, buy the bike or strap on your walking shoes. If we can (ab)use little commuter bikes to travel across the second largest continent in the world, whatever you are dreaming up is surely possible. GET OUT AND DO STUFF!
THE ARMCHAIR ADVENTURE FESTIVAL
New here and wondering what the heck the Armchair Adventure Festival is? We are the UK's best celebration of adventure travel. The festival was founded by Matt and Reece (AKA The Sidecar Guys) during the first covid lockdown as a way of connecting adventurers when we couldn't leave our living rooms. In the 3 years since the festival has been around we have held a number of virtual events, two in-person festivals and raised more than £15,000 for good causes.
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Our purpose now is to celebrate adventure travel and inspire more people to embrace the positive impacts adventure can have on your life.
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Our next festival will be held from 23th-26th July at Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, Cornwall and it will be a full on weekend of tales of adventure, activities to get involved with and live music. Find out more here.
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE GRANT?
INDIVIDUALS
The best way to get involved is to #GetOutDoStuff!
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Please #GetOutDoStuff and use the hashtag so we can reshare your posts. Talk about the grant in your posts so more people can hear Dave's story and #GetOutDoStuff. You can also share this webpage with anyone who might be interested in applying for or supporting the grant.
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You can also donate to the grant here. All funds raised are ringfenced and 100% of the money raised goes to funding adventures. Some fundraising platforms take a small fee for their service but The Armchair Adventure Festival takes no fee and every penny that makes it into the grant goes to funding #GetOutDoStuff adventures.
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