Winning the IoD Award
Bee N Spired founder Rees Davis-Campbell
Wins IoD Aspiring Director Award 2025
When Rees Davis-Campbell walked into the Institute of Directors (IoD) England Awards ceremony, he almost talked himself out of going. Hours later, he walked out as the Aspiring Director of the Year 2025, sponsored by Oriium an honour given to emerging leaders who have operated at director level for less than three years and demonstrated exceptional vision, ambition, and entrepreneurial potential.
For the founder of Bee N Spired
This wasn’t just a trophy.
It was a moment that rewrote an entire story.
“For a kid born into the care system, this feels surreal.”
Rees’s journey is one few would expect to lead to an award stage.
Born into the care system.
Labelled a “failed case” by professionals at just 14.
And then one week later left by his adoptive family in Kenya.
Most people assume he is Kenyan.
He’s not.
He didn’t speak the language. He didn’t know a soul.
He went from life in England to washing clothes by hand, sitting alone in a boarding school where he couldn’t understand the conversations around him watching classmates be visited by their parents with snacks and treats, wishing someone would come for him.
No one did.
Those years could have ended the story.
Instead, they became the blueprint for a new one.
Turning pain into purpose
The IoD’s official citation reads:
“Rees’s journey is a story of resilience and purpose. From a challenging start in life to building Bee N Spired, he helps young people see that success is possible, even when the odds are stacked against them.”
This award recognises early-stage directors with the drive to shape the future. Rees is doing exactly that not in corporate boardrooms, but in classrooms, youth hubs, university lecture theatres, and communities across the UK.
Through workshops, programmes, and hands-on learning experiences, Bee N Spired gives young people especially those who feel written off something too many never get
One more chance. One person who believes. One space to try again.
“This isn’t about me.”
Standing on stage with the award in hand, Rees reflected:
“This isn’t about me. It’s about what happens when a young person is given one more chance, one person who believes, one space to try again.”
Bee N Spired was born from that belief that potential is overlooked far more often than it’s absent.
Rees founded the organisation to build futures that weren’t offered to him: opportunities, support, belonging, and proof that young people who’ve been told “you won’t make it” can achieve extraordinary things.
To every young person who has been dismissed
In his message, Rees said:
“To every young person who has been called ‘too much,’ ‘too broken,’ or ‘hard to reach’ you are not your file, you are not your past, and you are not what they say about you.”
This award is not an end point it’s fuel for the mission.
Gratitude, and what comes next
Rees shared his thanks to the Institute of Directors, Oriium, his board, partners, and most importantly:
“Every young person who has trusted our workshops and programmes. This award has my name on it, but it belongs to all of us.”
Bee N Spired is just getting started and this recognition marks a major milestone in a much bigger story of resilience, leadership, and youth empowerment.
This award is just one milestone in a much bigger mission. You can learn more about why Bee N Spired was created and the mission behind our work on our About Us page and if you want to see the impact in action, explore our full range of Bee N Spired workshops to see how we help young people build real-world skills confidence, and opportunity.
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