My name is Katie Walter; I am 16 years old, 17 in September. This Christmas I will be walking to the South Pole to raise money and awareness for my two charities Dyslexia Action and Nott's & Linc’s Air Ambulance.

In completing this expedition I will be the youngest to walk the final 112 miles to the South Pole. I will be walking this distance while pulling a Pulk (sledge) weighing 40Kg. The temperature will be between -25 Degrees and -45 Degrees.

I am not only doing this expedition for charity but to prove that young people can do amazing things. There is a lot of bad press about young people and I hope to change people’s minds about my generation by completing this expedition.

My main sponsors are Baillie Gifford and they had supported me both financially and helping me with the media side of this expedition. I am very grateful for there help and continued support.

My leader for this expedition is Mike Thornewill. Mike has been to the South Pole on many occasions and, with his wife Fiona, they were the first married couple to reach both poles.

My expedition costs £29,500 which has been raised through sponsorship from friends but mainly businesses. I have raised £1,000 purely for charity as well. I hope to raise another £1,000 via my two Just Giving pages (there is another page for Dyxlexia Action)

Thank you once again.

Katie Walter

PS please visit my website for more information: www.southpole2009.co.uk

Or my facebook group: Katie to the South Pole 2009

UPDATE

6/8/09

Went to speak to my main sponsor’s PR company yesterday. We discussed many factors of my expedition including the possibility of media interest and future publicity. Great meeting and hopefully you will be seeing me soon in the national papers!!!

I have had my tyre test recently; this involved pulling a 58Kg tyre 1 kilometre on a countryside path. I am delighted to say I passed!!!

Speak soon

12/11/98   

Exactly four weeks until I fly, am now really nervous and really excited all at the same time.  Had kit check so now have everything I need.  Training still going well, am as fit as I have ever been.

I have set up a twitter site Katiewalterxx (not very South Pole is I know) which I will be up dating at regular intervals.

Katie x