Fiennes’ polar trek aims to raise $10 million for Seeing is Believing

Howard Lake | 27 September 2012 | News

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Veteran polar explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes is planning to be the first person to cross Antarctica during its winter. ‘The Coldest Journey’ aims to raise $10m for Seeing is Believing, a global initiative led by Standard Chartered and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) to tackle avoidable blindness in developing countries.

Every dollar raised for Seeing is Believing is matched by Standard Chartered.

Fiennes will take on the challenge with five colleagues and with the support of the Commonwealth and a number of sponsors.

The expedition’s ship leaves London in December 100 years after the death of Captain Scott in the Antarctic. The six-month expedition across Antarctica begins on 21 March 2013. The expedition team will travel nearly 4,000 kilometres, mostly in complete darkness in temperatures as low as -90 degrees C.

The furthest any expedition has ever reached into Antarctica during the winter is 60 miles.

Fiennes’ charitable activities on past expeditions have so far raised a total of £15 million. He was a keynote speaker at this year’s Institute of Fundraising Convention in London.

Fiennes explained his choice of charity, saying: “I have been on some amazing expeditions and seen many of the beautiful and unique sights the world has to offer. When I discovered Seeing is Believing, what it stood for, and understood how easily avoidable blindness could be prevented, it inspired me and my colleagues to undertake this challenge”.

www.thecoldestjourney.org

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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.