Bonita sets her sights on theVocaLink North Pole Challenge
Bonita Norris, youngest British woman to climb Mount Everest has set her sights on the North Pole, raising money for the Forces Children’s Trust.
Bonita Norris, who became the youngest British female to summit Everest in May 2010, is heading off on her next adventure. Bonita will setout on the VocaLink North Pole Challenge in a bid to raise £10,000 for the Forces Children’s Trust.
Sponsored by VocaLink, Bonita Norris is heading to the geographic North Pole on 31 March. Travelling across the dynamic polar ice will require patience and agility, as well as a flexible attitude to deal with the many obstacles that pop up over the course of each day that make reaching the North Pole all the more satisfying.
Bonita will ski and sledge for around 8 hours per day encountering many challenges but also breathtaking scenery. If conditions are good, the route will take her across large pans of flat ice that present few obstacles. When conditions are less favourable, Bonita will have to manoeuvre around open water leads and over pressure ridges that can range from 1-5 meters in height.
During the trip, Bonita will be working with VocaLink to raise £10,000 for The Forces Children’s Trust. The Forces Children’s Trust is a charity devoted to helping dependent children that have lost a parent whilst serving with the Armed Forces. The FCT, by reason of its aims and size, has the flexibility and ability to make decisions and offer help as needed, with minimum fuss and consequent time-loss.
When talking about her impending trip Bonita said; “I can’t wait to get started. I took a small amount of time off after Everest but it has pretty much been training for the next challenge solidly since Autumn 2010. I got bitten by the adventurer bug when I climbed Everest and now I want to embrace something else that’s equally as strenuous but very different in nature. I’m confident Everest will have prepared me in some way for this trip but no one really knows what’s out there in the great outdoors until you get started. It means so much to have VocaLink’s backing for this trip and
raising money for the Forces Children’s Trust. Such a great cause that I’m delighted to be backing during this expedition”
Bonita’s trip is being led by Alan Chambers, MBE, Polar Explorer. During 16 years service with Her Majesty’s Royal Marine Commandos Alan operated in the deserts, jungles and frozen tundra’s of the planet, travelling the world visiting over forty countries. After spending five years researching, planning and training, Alan led the first successful British unsupported expedition from Canada to the Geographic North Pole. After a gruelling seventy days on the ice, Alan and team mate, Charlie Paton, raised the Union Jack on top of the world at 23:16 hours on 16th May 2000. More men have walked on the moon than walked to the North Pole unsupported.
The money will be raised by people topping up their phone at an ATM during the expedition. To learn more about Bonita’s VocaLink North Pole Challenge, including blog updates, pictures, video, go to www.vocalink.com/Bonita.
Good Luck Bonita!
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