Story
A 'Motley' Crew, One Mission.
The Team with one ambitious goal: to raise £50,000 by taking on the Hardangervidda Plateau for charities doing extraordinary work – 2041 School and The Royal Marines Charity.
Two causes. One purpose.
2041 School (RCN. 1202447) is a non-profit Antarctica education programme bringing the story of Antarctica, protected environments and environmental conservation into primary schools. Its aim is to inspire children to become Champions of Antarctica — understanding the importance of our planet and their role in protecting it.
The Royal Marines Charity (RCN. 6047294) provides lifelong support to serving and former Royal Marines, together with their families and dependants, helping those who have served our country navigate the challenges that can come during and after service.
The causes may seem worlds apart. One is inspiring the next generation to understand and protect our planet; the other provides lifelong support to serving and former Royal Marines and their families.
The two charities are united by a shared belief in service and protecting the planet for peace through education and resilience.
The Challenge
The team will take on more than 100 kilometres of Norway's Hardangervidda plateau, travelling from Finse to Haukeliseter across frozen lakes, exposed wilderness and high mountain terrain.
This is no ordinary trek.
Hardangervidda is a vast and unforgiving landscape, where bitter winds, deep snow and rapidly changing weather can turn a beautiful mountain plateau into a serious test of endurance. A multi-day Arctic mountain traverse demands fitness, efficient skiing, sound judgement and, above all, teamwork.
The expedition will be led by two of the world's most experienced polar explorers: Louis Rudd, MBE, and Dr Amelia Rudd.
Louis is the only person to have skied twice across Antarctica, while Amelia was the seventh woman in history to ski solo and unsupported from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole.
Having trained as a ski instructor for the Royal Marines in Hardangervidda, Lee Spencer, the world’s only disabled person to break and hold a world record in an able-bodied endurance event having rowed across the Atlantic solo in 60 days, 16 hours and 6 minutes in 2019, has harboured the ambition of successfully crossing the Valley on skis.
Disability does not remove ambition, leadership or the ability to perform at a high level. Crossing Hardangervidda will demand preparation, adaptability and trust in the people around us. As the expedition team helps demonstrate human capabilities and potential, we also will be supporting the Royal Marines community and encouraging young people to understand their responsibility for the future of the planet. - Lee Spencer
The wider team is being brought together by Simon Cooke, a business leader and supporter of 2041 School, who is helping to build the team and bring the campaign to life through his personal and professional networks.
Joining this expedition is an opportunity to stand beside Lee Spencer, raise meaningful support for two important charities and show what can happen when a team is built around purpose and belief. We are incredibly fortunate to have Louis and Amelia Rudd volunteering as our team leaders, making this a unique opportunity to take on a really tough challenge as we accompany and support Lee while being guided by the very best Arctic and Antarctic explorers! - Simon Cooke
Simon Cooke is a former Cambridge University and Harlequin RFC rugby player who has had a long, varied, and somewhat insignificant career in London in the UK real estate market as an advisor, fund manager, CEO and founder of APAM.
He also co-founded 2041 School alongside his wife Jenny Cooke, a UK charity which provides free educational resources about Antarctica to inspire young children to become Champions of Antarctica. He is a long-time supporter of the Royal Marines Charitable Trust and has become the co-ordinator of this ambitious expedition to support Lee Spencer and to ensure the expedition is a success, and substantial funds are raised for these two deserving causes.
At 67, this is going to be his toughest challenge yet, especially as he is a novice skier and hates the cold!
Jenny Cooke is a former primary school teacher and founder of www.oddizzi.com, an online geography resource that inspires children to fall in love with the world by producing award winning interactive films. Jenny is passionate about igniting curiosity and inspiring young children to become inquisitive geographers and future explorers. Oddizzi was founded over 10 years ago and is making geography more memorable, manageable, and meaningful for both children and educators throughout the world.
In 2023, alongside Robert Swan, OBE, Jenny founded 2041 School producing 14 films about the Antarctic continent to educate and inspire young people to become Champions of Antarctica, so that they will speak out for Antarctica when they are young adults when the current Treaty that protects Antarctica for peace and science comes up for debate in 2041.
Having been to Antarctica twice, trekked to Everest base camp, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, filmed in the Namib Dessert, Amazon rainforest and Greenland ice cap, Jenny is taking on this challenge to create further awareness and much needed support for 2041 School, continuing her mission to inspire young children to fall in love with the world, become young adventurers, and perhaps even film makers like herself!
Our Goal
Our goal is to raise £50,000 collectively for 2041 School and The Royal Marines Charity.
This expedition is about more than crossing a frozen landscape. It is about challenging perceptions, changing mindsets and demonstrating what can be achieved when people with different backgrounds, experiences and abilities come together behind a common purpose.
It is a true test of human potential — and an opportunity to use that challenge to make a difference to others.
Every donation, whatever the size, will help us get closer to that goal and support two causes that are working to create a better future — for people and for our planet.
Please donate and support the team on this extraordinary journey.