I'M OFF TO THE NORTH POLE FROM NOTTING HILL - WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN ME?!

[romy shovelton]

Dear friends, colleagues, and other kind people who have somehow found your
way onto my email address list.......


OFF TO THE POLE - THE MEANING

As some of you know, in a week's time (18th April) I am off to the North
Pole  - actually the Magnetic North Pole! Travelling in traditional Arctic
fashion, by dogsled and skiis, we will make our way on the 'classic' Mag
Pole route, from Resolute Bay (in the new Canadian territory of Nunavut),
to the Arctic Ocean island of Ellef Ringnes (map attached).

For me, the expedition has a whole range of meanings and purposes.  In
addition to the personal inner and outer challenges, it's important for me
that the trip will have meaning for others who may not have had such a
fantastic opportunity.

As a small contribution to some of those others,  I am taking part in the
expedition in order to raise funds for the Mountbatten Community Trust. 
The Trust works with young people who have been forgotten about by many -
often including themselves.  Young people who may make their voices heard
in less fortunate ways, if they are not brought into the wider community
from their current sense of being on the edges or outside. In today's
prosperous world, it's sometimes easy to forget about those who we may
never meet, who have very low incomes and difficult family lives. 

The Mountbatten Community Trust work includes helping with self esteem and
a sense of community, and often takes the young people to the outdoors for
experiences that they would never otherwise be able to have.  A great small
charity  doing fabulous work for over 20 years.  I actually first heard
about them on BBC Radio 4's a  Week's Good Cause.  Sir Raymond Whitney MP,
the chairman of the Trust has written me a wonderful letter describing
their approach in greater detail, and giving support to our expedition. 
There is also a brochure and Annual Report.  I'd be happy to send copies of
all these to anyone who might be interested.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN IN?

So.... my note to you today, is to ask if you would like to support the
Trust by pledging sponsorship of my attempt to make it to the North Pole? 
By the way, it's worth noting that while Polar trips appear to be becoming
increasingly popular, only around a third of all expeditions actually make
it.  

You can either sponsor me for covering the whole 250 miles (which we aim to
complete in 21 days), or sponsor me for a certain amount per mile.

Please don't feel oblidged or pressured  to join me in this one. 
And....... if you would like to, it would be fantastic to have you with me
- and through that to be able to support the Mountbatten Community Trust.

If you would like to join me, it would be great to 'hear' your pledge (so
much total, or per mile), via a return email to me.   

At the end of the trip, sponsorship support can be sent in a number of
ways:

*  by cheque direct to the Trust:  The Mountbatten Community Trust, Billing
Arbours House, Heather Lane, Lumbertubs, Northampton NN3 8EY, UK . 
Tel/Fax:  +44 (0) 1604 784949

* by CAF vouchers direct to the Trust

* by Sterling Money order to the Trust.


It would be wonderful if between us we could make it possible for some of
the Mountbatten young people to have a great  experience in the outdoors. 
At the hundred-year-old Salmon Youth Centre in East London, where one of
the Mountbatten Community Workers is based, just #200 will fund day trips
to the seaside, #220 a short mountain biking trip and #1000 mountain biking
in Derbyshire.  #800 to #1000 pays for a 3-day camp in Herefordshire. 

On such a camp, just last month, a group of street-wise young people left
London somewhat sceptical about the idea of camping in woodland on the edge
of Wales.  By the time they had built their own shelters, cooked outdoors
for themselves and made their own bows and arrows, they were talking about
"when we come back to OUR camp and OUR forest".  In the evening, they sat
around a long table together in the outdoors having good conversation with
Sir Richard Mynors (who has lent his land for the camp to be set up): "for
many this is not something they would usually do at home", commented one of
the community workers.

Any amount you would like to contribute towards this type of opportunity,
or the work of the Trust as a whole, would be really great.  You choose
what you might like to pledge and let's see what we can create together.

In anticipation of having you with me, thanks so much.


Romy (Shovelton)


PS.  in case you'd like to know a little more about the expedition.......
and my part in it.


THE STORY SO FAR

A couple of aspects of the expedition which have particular meaning for me
personally concern building my own true health and fitness:

1) before October ie. only  6 months ago, I was a typical 'walk to the car'
person, on the exercise front.  ie. the mere mention of gyms would be
enough to convince me that the person mentioning them and I had nothing
much in common !  Well..... now I am in the process of having to change my
own self image:  as I ran/ fast walked around Hyde Park in the almost-dark
of 9.30pm the other day, there were dozens of other people running around
the Park.  I thought "oh my goodness, these people are from another planet
from me"... and then had to change my tune "oh no they're not..... not now
...... I'm one of them.... what a strange feeling as I change my sense of
who or what I am?!"

2) Also in October I was diagnosed as borderline diabetic, which means that
I am following an extremely strict diet, with buckets full of vitamins and
other supplements.  14 years ago I had chronic fatigue syndrome (known as
ME here in the UK) - a complete physical collapse - in the midst of having
fun working with great multi-national clients in advertising. After a year
of recouperation, sailing around Australia and throught the islands of
Papua New Guinea in a small yacht,  I recovered well.  I certainly appear
energetic - ask most people for a description of me, and 'full of energy'
is likely to be somewhere in there. 

However...... underneath it all, I used to feel frequently 'tired all the
time' and lacking in fundamental, from-the-ground-up health. I also knew
that I had a sugar issue, and quite frankly didn't want to deal with it. 
So... now......already, after only 6 months on the no-sugar etc diet, and
with the help of my wonderful nutrionist (Erica White, who wrote a great
little book on ME), I am feeling brighter, clearer and better than I have
done for years and years.  I am definitely on the road to full and fabulous
health. 

And...... the North Pole trip will be quite a test of my energy, fitness
and general wellbeing. 

Why choose the North Pole as a way to focus on great health?!

Well..... I LOVE deserts.  I am 'famous' with friends and family for loving
the sandy versions and particular camels. I have a camel saddle in my
living room + pictures, mugs and all manner of other camel reminders - and
they frequently enter my dreams.  Now, my fabulous neice (who lives in the
South Western corner of Australia, and who is named Romy, after me)... is
running a great camel trekking business: seems as though she is living out
part of my life in some way - and I love going down there to help when I
can.

So.... the arctic is a great white desert for me (at least that's how I
imagine it, while sitting here in Notting Hill).

And in the arctic, no camels, but fantastic sled dogs.  I have already dog
sledded across Lappland from coast to coast over the mountains of Sweden
and Norway, and now  I shall be working with 18 pure bred Inuit husky dogs.
 One of my roles on the expedition is the care of the dogs.  They are truly
wonderful and I can't wait.  In fact it is the dogs that have really drawn
me to the trip - I found the expedition on a great website  called
www.dogsledding.com.  As soon as I saw the expedition announcement on the
screen, I said "Yep, I wanna do that"..... and so........   here I go. 
Still can't quite believe it honestly.

In December I went as a candidate on a training trip, to see whether I
would be accepted for the Mag Pole 2000 expedition. Amazingly (to me)
although I was in the very early days of my fitness training, I was
accepted.  We had to do 'fun' things like skiing into a large hole cut in
the ice of a frozen lake, fully clothed + backpack etc, and to pull
ourselves out using only our ski pole tips - and for me that meant ONE ski
pole, as I somehow lost the other as I went down into the icy water !

As you can probably tell, I love adventures and love learning.  And the
preparation for the trip is certainly proving a lot of learning for me. 
Somewhat like walking into a foreign country without a map and not yet
speaking the language - I don't even know what questions would be good to
ask!

The support I have been getting from family, friends, polar experts such as
Robert Swan, David Hempleman Adams, Pen Haddow and women who have been to
the Poles, plus mountaineering and Nordic ski experts, film-makers,
photographers etc etc has been fantastic.  Such generosity of spirit.

Then of course there is Paul Schurke, the leader of our expedition.  There
can be few people with a greater understanding or appreciation of the polar
Arctic than Paul.  As the first person to reach the Geographic North Pole
unsupported (with his expedition partner Will Stegar and Anne Bancroft, the
first woman to the Pole), Paul has made no less than five trips to the
geographic Pole.  April 2000 will see him aiming for the Magnetic North
Pole for the first time.

My expedition partners are a diverse group of largely amateur adventurers -
although most have extensive Arctic, winter camping or mountaineering
experience, so I am definitley the newest kid on this particular block.  In
addition to my role in caring for the 18 pure bred Inuit husky dogs, my own
focus will be on filming our journey.

The expedition will be undertaking a number of scientific experiments, and
will also be linking up with schools and others who will chart our
progress. You can following our story via the website www.dogsledding.com
(and other linked sites), where we will post daily reports of our location,
happenings during the day etc etc.

As part of my preparation for the trip, last week-end, on a gorgeous sunny
Saturday, I jumped in the car to Snowdonia to do some more physical
training + get some photographic advice from a world respected wildlife
photographer John Beatty. Lucky me.  Sunday was my big birthday - yes the
big FIVE O (50).......  Can't quite believe that I've arrived at this one -
it's just not like you think fifty is when you are younger is it?!  Funny
that.....  I suspect 60, 70, and all the others will be the same.

So.......  time to continue with final preparations.  Do hope you enjoy the
very early moments of this story.

After the expedition, my own story will be captured in a special feature by
the Sunday Express Magazine in the UK.  I am also in conversation with a
number of people (in the UK and Canada) about opportunities for the film
output.

if you would like to talk to me about the trip or the sponsorship, I shall
be on my mobile for much of the time in the next days:  +44 (0)467 370739,
sometimes on the home/work number +44 (0) 207 229 7320, and of course
picking up emails most days.


all the best to you all, whereever you are and whatever dreams you are
pursuing right now


Romy  (Shovelton)
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