The #WeTwo Foundation has revealed the ten 16 – 19-year-olds chosen to join an epic adventure to Antarctica in November this year with Hurtigruten Expeditions, the world’s leading expedition cruise company.
Nominated by teachers, social workers, police officers, parents, guardians and friends from across the UK, those chosen to participate in the adventure were recognised for their plans for sustainability initiatives within their local community. From beach cleans to recycling schemes, rewilding projects and taking a school to Green Flag status, the young explorers will witness how the initiatives they will work on at home are integral to protecting Antarctica and beyond.
The explorers embarking on the adventure of a lifetime are:
· Lola Bradshaw, North Devon
· Reo Christopher, Birmingham
· Aoibh Bradley, Belfast, Northern Ireland
· Ellese Brooklyn Owen, Nottingham
· Allison Ciszynska, Llanelli, Wales
· Kaireen Edwards, Hertfordshire
· Owen Jones, Merseyside
· Melos Krasniqi, Ladbroke Grove, London
· Malaki Morgan-Richards, Wood Green London
· Daniel Ward, Carstairs, Scotland
“From over 700 nominations, we had the unenviable task of whittling them down to the final 10. It was not easy, but we are confident that the young people we have chosen will help us plant the seeds of change in their communities – and beyond. The ideas that they have for improving their local communities in their ‘pay it forward’ pledges shows that this generation truly cares about making a positive change in their environment, and we can’t wait for them to see first-hand how important their work in their communities is for driving real change on the other side of the world.” said Phoebe Smith and Dwayne Fields, co-founders of the #WeTwo Foundation.
The adventure will take place onboard hybrid ship MS Fridtjof Nansen (named the most sustainable expedition cruise ship in the world in 2021) and see the young people join Hurtigruten’s expedition team in a series of Citizen Science projects. This will include Seabird Distribution with the Antarctic Site Inventory, tracking individual whales and leopard seals and studying phytoplankton to understand better how they respond to water temperature changes.
Anthony Daniels, General Manager UK and EMEA at Hurtigruten Expeditions, said, “It’s incredible to see the dedication of every entrant towards sustainability. You can truly see their passion to positively impact their local environment. We can’t wait for all these young explorers to join us onboard the MS Fridtjof Nansen, and with the help of our onboard Scientists and Expedition Team, realise how the actions in their local community will help to protect the world for the next generation.”
The #WeTwo Foundation was set up by adventurers Dwayne Fields and Phoebe Smith to change the face of adventure together and encourage the next generation from all walks of life to fall in love with the outdoors and look after our planet. Before they leave the entire team will be planting enough trees in Britain, at the Scouts HQ in Gilwell Park, to offset all carbon produced by the expedition.
The young explorers will set off on their adventure in November 2022.
For more information about Hurtigruten Expeditions, visit www.hurtigruten.com.uk, and to learn more about the #WeTwo Foundation, visit https://www.teamwetwo.com/.
