The Polar Academy
As a graduate of the Polar Academy 2024/25 programme, I have experience working as part of a team in stressful and high-risk environments. Completing a year of intense training including an intensive selection weekend to test determination levels, I was selected to be part of the Expedition team that would lead an Arctic expedition to Eastern Greenland during the winter of 2025.
The Charity
The Polar Academy is a children's mental health charity who takes a group of teenagers on an arctic expedition every year.
The charity works with schools to identify kids who struggle with bullying, depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges - to determine who will benefit the most from the experience.
Following a year of training and the expedition, the teenager's outlooks on life, along with confidence, will have risen greatly and they are asked to share their experience with as many others as possible to push themselves and achieve their goals.
Expedition Training
From there, training included weekly high-intensity fitness sessions to prepare us for pulling sledges across the frozen sea ice, multiple tyre-hauls to build endurance, and a training week camping in the Cairngorms to develop skills with tents and stoves - the same equipment we would be using on our expedition.
An Arctic Expedition
During the expedition we faced difficulties, such as an Arctic storm that forced us to seek shelter in a wooden hut used by local hunters for a few days before setting off on a 21 kilometre ski back to safety across extremely deep snow, climbing and decening hills with our sledges weighing 45kg each.
Paying it Forward
Since the expedition I have been giving talks to local schools and organisations to tell the incredible story of the Polar Academy and how this experience shaped my life, with hopes of inspiring more people to step outside of their comfort zone and atchieve something incredible.
Future Adventures
After my experience in The Polar Academy, I have been determined to continue exploring. I walked the West Highland Way, carrying all of my supplies with me, and have been climbing at Glencoe and never plan to stop pushing what I think I can atchieve.