News from HQ

One of (or rather, nine) the reasons why we are doing the equipment tests today. Severe frostbite could threaten the entire expedition, so getting the right gloves is paramount. With that said, the poor individual in this photo ended up this way after spending a day taking photos of the team during preparations in Sweden with fingertip-less gloves. Thankfully, the feeling is starting to com…

After one of the Ice Team’s two mechanics had to pull out of the expedition for personal reasons a month ago, we have been looking for a suitable replacement. Today, the four short-listed candidates from Finning UK are here at Millbrook for a series of tests and interviews, to see who’s the best choice for the expedition. As well as having to be highly trained in the use and maintenance of…

Well, we’ve made it. After a hideously early start, Tris and I hurtled down the M1 to arrive at the testing site for 7.45am, where we met the rest of the team and the guys from Millbrook. Ran turned up five minutes later having driven down from Gleneagles, setting off at 1am. After a quick breakfast in the warm canteen we’ve shifted down to the preparation room outside the cold chamber. This…

Members of the Ice Team are getting ready for the next stage of the Cold Chamber testing this Friday. The all-day event at Millbrook Proving Grounds will give equipment specialist Steve Holland and his team the chance to test equipment and clothing to temperatures of -55C. Tris and Hugh will be going along to interview the team in the cold and get a chance to experience what it might be like for…

Yesterday’s launch has proven to be a huge success, following a great reception from the media in yesterday’s TV news and radio, and today’s papers. After five years of planning behind closed doors the public announcement of The Coldest Journey was always going to be a fairly momentous occasion for the team and the positive response has been overwhelming. The website has been attracting visitors…

Dr Mike Stroud said he firmly believed the team “can do this a low risk, despite the age of some of them”. He conceded that Sir Ran’s physical health could not be expected to be as it was when he was half his age, however technology a significance to overall safety. Anton Bowring added that it nevertheless was a major and risky attempt never done before. “We have only been able to get here today…

Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba, Deputy Secretary General of the Commonwealth, stepped forward from the audience to say the expedition would “bring science to life” and give young people an opportunity to recognise and understand the impact of climate change. “We are really excited about this and will be encouraging members across the Commonwealth to engage, support and learn from this expedition,” s…

Phil Hodgson, senior lead of Durham’s education development service, talks about the exciting opportunity for generating fascinating resources for children across the Commonwealth. His team have been trialling the wealth of resources across schools in England. Now some of these “original and fascinating resources” will be available to other schools for a small subscription to go towards t…

Dr Mike Stroud announces that he is sadly unable to join the trip to the Antarctic, but has a list of experienced doctors eager to take his place. Nevertheless, he will be designing, along with Dr Alex Kumar, an important project to be carried out on the ice, looking at the effect of such a hostile environment has on the human body and mind over such a long period of time. The project is called…

Richard Holmes, CEO, Standard Chartered (Europe), tells the conference that 80% of blindness across the world is curable and explains why they formed their charitable initiative, Seeing is Believing, which is being supported by the expedition. He explains that in 2003, at the time of 150 years anniversary of the birth of Standard Chartered, the bank asked employees what charity they wished to…