Danny Golding-Polar Teacher Fuchs Foundation Greenland Crossing 2009: Breathtaking Greenland

Greenland Crossing May 2009

Four teachers have been selected to be part of the Fuchs Foundation teachers’ expedition to the Arctic Circle in May 2009. The Fuchs Foundation is a charitable trust set up in the memory of the pioneering explorer Vivian Fuchs. The trust facilitates expeditions to Polar Regions to encourage teachers to engage in scientific field work with the intention of inspiring young people. The 5 week expedition in May 2009 is to be based around the high arctic snow fields of Greenland. We will complete a crossing of the Greenland icecap on skis and will be supported by a team of dogs. The expedition will leave on the 29th of April and return on June 12th 2009. The main body of the journey is from Ammassalik (65.36N 37.38W) on the east coast of Greenland and finishing at Kangerlussuaq (67.01N 50.72W) on the west coast.

Tuesday 5 May 2009

Breathtaking Greenland

After a night in Iceland we were off again to Greenland. The views as we arrived at Kulusuk were beyond breathtaking, with a land of ice and stunning whiteness stretching as far as the eye could see. However, there was no time to stop and we were moving on again, this time by helicopter to Tasiilaq where we could recharge our batteries (literally!) and spend our last few nights eating proper food and sleeping in a bed- a luxury that we take for granted! We were able to meet with the local community and visit a local school to find out more about living and learning in the harsh Arctic environment.

In an attempt to refresh our minds (and bodies!) with our Nordic training we set of on our skis to observe the sea ice, only to find that someone or something had beat us to it! Fresh in the snow were the prints of a Polar bear... We later learnt that there had been reports of a sighting in the settlement that morning. This was a totally awesome yet humbling experience and unexpected for this time of year. We set off for the ice cap tomorrow (Tuesday) and the reality of what we are hoping to achieve fills me with a mixture of exhilaration and determination.

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Support for the expedition

Taking part in a Polar expedition cannot happen without considerable support. Thank you to:
My family: who have been supportive, patient, caring, giving and loving...every step is for you.
Work: University of Bedfordshire have been incredibly supportive and have invested in the vision. Also the generous support from BPEOSA
Companies/organisations:Rollerski.co.uk, Chocolate Fish, Howies, Sangers flooring, Alpkit. Without your generosity the journey would not be possible
The Team: Andy, Helena, Nicola, The Fuchs Foundation, Steve Bull Precision Expeditions

The Fuchs Foundation

www.fucsfoundation.org
Foundation Objectives and Origin
CURIOSITY - SELF-RELIANCE - SELF-DETERMINATION - CHALLENGE
The idea of the Foundation was conceived by the party of British Antarctic Survey scientists wintering on South Georgia 1973/4, and the objective was to mark the service of Sir Vivian Fuchs as the first Director of the Survey.
Originally in the Foundation’s trust deed the stated objective was "To provide education and character training, physical moral and spiritual for boys and girls and young men and women who are in necessitous circumstances through adventurous and challenging experiences."
Over the first thirty years the Foundation has helped over 200 young people in this way (see Fuchs Scholars page). But in recent years the size of grants that the Foundation could make became progressively out of step with the costs of applicants' projects.
However the effect of the small contributions is not to be underestimated as a recent endorsement from one of the early beneficiaries in 1979 shows, "…I can testify to the impact that going on such an expedition had on my attitude and later development - and if it helps to encourage others to try that little bit harder and not be dissuaded by the seemingly huge obstacles they may face, I am all for it." - Dinsdale Broderick.
Now with the re-launching of the charity to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of Sir Vivian Fuchs’ Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1956-58, the Trustees have re-focused the charity to:
"To organize expeditions of young teachers of science and geography to undertake scientific expeditions to the Antarctic and Arctic in alternate years – preparing teaching materials from their experiments and experiences which will be of use to meet the needs of the National Curriculum – these teaching materials to be available on the Foundations web site for the use of all schools."
Sir Vivian Fuchs showed a generation of school children a sense of curiosity, self reliance, self determination and challenge. So as Science and Geography are perceived as dull subjects and hard work, the Fuchs Foundation wishes to challenge this perception and recreate in young people the sense of excitement, adventure, and the thirst for knowledge.
No one forgets an inspirational teacher and the Fuchs Foundation believes the key is challenge and experience. Give the young teachers the opportunity to break free from the constraints of their normal safe existence. Inspire them through expedition work that tests both their mental, physical and emotional resources. This will give them a life changing experience and will inspire their teaching for the rest of their career.

Danny Golding-Polar Teacher Fuchs Foundation Greenland Crossing 2009

Greenland Crossing May 2009

Tuesday 5 May 2009

Breathtaking Greenland

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