St Albans dad in training for trek to the North Pole
Ed Suttie, 48, training with son Alex, 5, and Madeline, 7, before his North Pole trip. - Credit: Archant
A dad-of-three from St Albans is gearing up for 200km trek to the North Pole in an attempt to raise £30,000 for various local and national charities.
Ed Suttie, with son Alex, 5, and daughter Madeline 7 - Credit: Archant
Ed Suttie, 48, is part of a six-man team which will be skiing and walking from a position two degrees south of the North Pole for Cancer Research, Rennie Grove Hospice Care, Earthworks and the UK Heritage Trust.
In preparation for his self-funded adventure Ed, who works for sustainability firm BRE, has begun working hard for next April’s arctic trip. He said: “One of the great spin-offs of this whole thing is that I’m getting fit.
“I joined a gym for the first time in my life; I’ve got a personal trainer and have got a little programme which I’m more or less sticking to. It’s two runs a week, at least two sessions in the gym, a yoga session and then a session with my personal trainer.”
Four charities are set to benefit from Ed’s arctic journey, the cost of which is he funding entirely by himself from a “private nest egg”. After opting to sponsor Cancer Research, Ed explained: “It’s a disease that touches everybody’s lives.
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“My father died prematurely from it; at the beginning of this year a dad two doors down from me died from it; there’s a mum we know who is suffering from breast cancer at the moment. It’s this pervasive presence, both in my past and in my present.”
And Earthworks - which provides horticultural training to thos with learning disabilities in St Albans - was chosen, according to Ed, because he “loves to grow his own fruit and veg, and the theraputic nature of doing so.”
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Two of Ed’s children - seven-year-old Madeline and five-year-old Alex (one-year-old James is too young) - have been getting involved with both the training and the science behind the trek. Ed explained: “I’m going to put ice cubes in the bath and set up a fan to demonstrate how the north pole can be moved by the wind.
“They [Ed’s family] have been incredibly supportive. When I pitched the idea to [wife] Clare, she immediately said ‘do it’. She’s nicknamed herself the Polar PA.”
For more information on Ed’s arctic adventure visit ed2northpole.org, where you can learn more about Ed, the charities, the trip and the sponsors.
To donate instantly you can also text POLE67, and the amount you wish to donate to 70070 - for example, text: ‘POLE67 £10’ to donate £10.
