My Story :

I grew up in Shoreham, and from a boy, have always aimed for overly ambitious adventures! My Dad coached a local Boxing Club, and overhearing he didn’t think I had what it took to be a great boxer, I practised endlessly, eventually representing England! I joined the Army looking for new challenges, winning Top Recruit of the Year, and served on Peace Keeping missions in Kosovo. Along with challenges and learning of my own, I really enjoy teaching others, and helping them overcome barriers and grow, mainly through 20+ years of teaching Boxing and running events. In 2019 I took on a new challenge and dream of becoming a Firefighter (also winning Silver Axe Top Recruit of the Year) and am constantly learning, taking huge pride in the work we do. I’ve spent my life in the service of others, responding to emergencies, serving in the military, stepping into the ring. I’m now ready to take on the challenge of a lifetime, my most ambitious yet. I have just completed a polar training course in Finse, Norway, to make sure I believed it could be done, that I was capable, and I totally am. So here goes… I am going to ski to the South Pole!

The Challenge :

In November 2026, I will set out to become the first firefighter in the world to ski solo, unsupported, and unassisted to the South Pole — covering over 702 miles in around 45 days!

I’ll be covering more than 25 km a day, pulling an 100+ kg pulk loaded with all the supplies I need to survive. There will be no resupply, no assistance, and no shortcuts — just me, my skis, kit and supplies, in one of the toughest environments on the planet.

I’ll have to face :

The South Pole is close to the coldest place on Earth. The coldest temperature recorded there was -82.8 degrees Celsius, and the South Pole experiences only one sunrise (at the September equinox) and one sunset (March equinox) each year. The region experiences 24 hours of sunlight in the Summer, and 24 hours of darkness in Winter. Winds can exceed 60 mph. I will have to navigate across dangerous sastrugi (often called snow dunes of Antarctica), knuckle-down through whiteouts and sustain altitude gains of over 2,800m. I’m bringing all of the grit, resilience, courage and determination I’ve learnt over the years to get me through this one!

Why I Need Your Support :

This expedition is entirely self-led and part-funded, and I need to raise £100,000 to cover :

Antarctica South Pole Expedition Logistics – £60,000

Permits, safety, emergency evacuation cover, base camp operations

Greenland Ski Expedition (qualifier) – £15,000

A required training expedition to demonstrate polar readiness

Specialist Equipment & Clothing – £10,000

Pulks, tents, skis, thermal wear, food systems, safety gear

Travel & Freight Costs – £8,000

Transport for gear and personnel to/from expedition sites

Training & Conditioning – £5,000

Polar training, crevasse rescue, survival simulations

Media & Awareness Campaign – £2,000

Photography, website, outreach and post-expedition content

Any money raised over the £100,000 target will be donated directly to The Fire Fighters Charity, who support firefighters, retired personnel, and their families through physical rehabilitation, mental health services, and community care.

I will share updates regularly, including a full public, transparent breakdown of costings. Once the £100,000 target is met, 100% of all further donations will go to The Fire Fighters Charity.

Why This Matters :

I have always aspired to be brave enough to try. To dare to imagine. To not be afraid of hurdles or mountains to climb. To take that first step, despite not know what’s around the corner. I keep fit and strong, to stay active and well enough to attempt hugely challenging feats such as this. But also to be able to help as efficiently and quickly as humanly possible in the emergency situations I am involved in at work.

As a firefighter, I understand what it means to put your body and mind on the line. This journey is about testing human endurance, but also about shining a light on the strength, courage, and sacrifices made by the fire and rescue community.

It’s also showing young people from Shoreham, or anywhere else, that they can achieve the unimaginable - to overcome the disbelief or doubt, when opportunities aren’t thrown on laps. To make your own luck, fortunes and dreams come true.

This expedition provides a rare platform to celebrate the bravery and dedication of the emergency service workers and military veterans. It highlights the importance of mental and physical wellness for frontline responders, promoting resilience, service and grit in action.

Please come on this journey with me, by donating whatever you can - even £5 makes a difference. I’ll keep you up to speed on my training, sharing my learning as I go, discussing the kit I need to stay alive, and you’ll able to track me in real time when the expedition begins! Let’s inspire other to push beyond limits, and give back to a charity that supports our frontline heroes. There will be opportunities to support me as a main partner, supporting sponsors and community supporters. Please contact me if you would like more detailed information, and what this could offer you in return.

Thank you so much for your belief, support, and generosity.

Neil