Building on Henry Worsley's Legacy

Friday 20 October, 6:30pm
Worsley

About the event

November 2017, 1030 miles on foot: Ben Saunders embarks on Henry Worsley’s Antarctic legacy - Dinner at Stowe in support of The Endeavour Fund

In early November 2017, record-breaking polar explorer Ben Saunders will set out to make the first solo and unsupported crossing of Antarctica. This 1030-mile west-to-east traverse from Berkner Island to the Ross Ice Shelf via the South Pole and the Shackleton Glacier was planned by Ben’s friend, and Old Stoic, Lt Col Henry Worsley, who nearly completed the expedition before falling ill and passing away in hospital in Chile in January 2016. The journey remains unfinished.

Ben Saunders is uniquely qualified to complete this expedition. A career-long polar specialist with a world-class support team, he has covered more distance on skis – in 11 expeditions – than any British explorer in history. He holds the record for the longest solo Arctic journey by a Briton, and the outright record for the longest ever polar journey on foot, set during his 1800-mile, 108-day Scott Expedition.

Lt Col Henry Worsley was an officer in the British Army for 36 years, spending more than two
decades serving with special forces, and a polar explorer with two major Antarctic expeditions to his name, both coast-to-South Pole journeys on foot. Henry was also a friend of Ben’s for more than a decade; he sent Ben photographs and handwritten notes to help him navigate the Beardmore Glacier, Henry was wearing Ben’s skis and jacket on his final expedition, and Ben’s words were read at his funeral.

It is Ben’s belief that the most fitting way to honour his friend is to complete his expedition, and to build on his legacy by raising funds for Henry’s chosen cause, The Endeavour Fund, a charity established to assist injured servicemen and women and which is part of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

In January 2017, Ben helped to open the newly built Worsley Science Centre at Stowe School, and is honoured to be contributing to the extraordinary association Henry had with the School.

All Old Stoics are warmly invited to attend, please click here to view the invitation.

To purchase tickets at £35.00 per person, please email jking@stowe.co.uk 

Please click here for full information about this fundraising event.