Origins

Odyssey was the brainchild of Dr. Howard Smedley, a consultant Oncologist in Canterbury. He had used outdoor adventure for staff development and it occurred to him one day that something similar might benefit many of the people he saw as patients.

Later that very evening Howard, Steve Gough and Charles Lyster got together over a couple of pints in a dark corner of the 'Roseneath' in Gillingham and after a short labour, Odyssey was born. Unlike many of the ideas developed in such circumstances this one looked even better in the morning. It took six months of research, discussion and planning to organise, but in September 1994, sixteen bold people met for the first Odyssey course. The success of the event astonished everyone and with a little modification, the same course is run today.