Finally reaching the North Pole as news broke of a Queen’s Award double honour, CEO and Co-Founder of Oakland International, Dean Attwell, said he was exhausted but elated, thanking everyone for their support, good wishes and generous donations during his North Pole trek in aid of Cancer Research UK.
Walking for up to 10 hours a day in freezing conditions, Dean and the Super Combined Team reached the North Pole on the evening of Thursday 20th April after displaying amazing grit and determination not to be deterred by the massive open water lead which they encountered, just 2 miles short of the North Pole, and with no visible way around it.
Said Dean: “We had been skiing for upwards of 15 hours already so we camped for a few hours to get some rest, eat and then on for our last push of the day and another 10 hours of skiing, which paid off after we found a way around the lead, there we were, all exhausted but finally at our goal, standing at the North Pole; this has had to be the most strenuous thing I’ve done.
“I am immensely grateful to everyone for supporting me and for their generosity and pledges of support, and very proud to have the news of our double Queen’s Award for Enterprise break as we prepared to return home.
“My sincere thanks to the Polar Explorers Expedition team and to our guides who kept us going right up to the last minute when things got tough; it’s been a tremendous privilege and one experience I will never forget.”
You can still donate and support Dean and Cancer Research UK via Dean’s JustGiving page: (www.justgiving.com/fundraising/NorthPoleDean) or you can send a cheque made payable to: Cancer Research UK c/o Jane Thompson, Oakland International, Seafield Lane, Beoley, Redditch B98 9DB.