The expedition, which sets off this Friday 1st April, hopes to raise £2 million for the Walking With the Wounded charity, which supports the rehabilitation of wounded service personnel and will be the first team of amputees to reach the Pole.
HRH Prince Harry, who is patron of the charity, will be setting off with the team and then returning to welcome them back following completion of the expedition.
Alternative’s CFO Edward Spurrier got talking about the challenge with one of charity’s founders Ed Parker, last year. “We were discussing how communication would be vital for the expedition and whether there was anything we could provide by way of advice or kit,” explains Spurrier. “So we offered to provide hardware and cover calls incurred throughout the expedition.”
Having assessed the team’s needs, Alternative sourced the best possible equipment for the expedition through one of its third party suppliers, Cellhire, which specialises in providing telecoms equipment for the MOD and Arctic environments.
“The kit has to be able to withstand extreme conditions, with temperatures ranging between -15 and -40, and therefore needs to be rugged and reliable,” explains Aidan Jackson, Alternative’s Marketing Director. “Alternative has supplied the team with seven Iridium 9555 handsets for satellite network and global coverage and we are covering the costs of the line rental, as well as call and data charges.”
“It’s great that the Alternative Group is able to support such an amazing team of people as they triumph over their injuries and undertake this incredible journey,” adds Ed Spurrier. “We look forward to tracking the team’s progress over the next couple of weeks and wish everyone involved the very best for a safe and successful expedition.”
You can follow the Walking with the Wounded challenge via the charity’s website : www.walkingwiththewounded.org.uk