Team Southern Lights

Tess Burrows

I passionately believe that we are making a difference by collecting Pledges for the Environment and Messages of Peace to carry to the South Pole.  On previous occasions thousands of individuals including many children have written Pledges and Messages for us to express from high places.  This is in the long-held tradition of Himalayan prayer flags which are flown high to help bring peace and harmony to the Earth.  We have sent them off from the point furthest from the centre of the Earth, the place nearest the sun at the Millennium, the tallest mountain, the tallest building, the top of the world…  We are now turning the world upside-down!

I was educated at Bedales School and have a degree in ecological science from Edinburgh University. My early working life was as a forester growing trees on a farm in Australia. I am a single mother of three boys and have undertaken many events for charity including cycling, running, walking, climbing and parachuting, fundraiser for environmental, animal and educational projects, inspirational speaker, climbing instructor, healer and more recently become a best selling author.

In have recently featured in the national press as a 50 yr old living the life of a 20 yr old. I shall be the first and only grandmother to race to the South Pole!

Pete Hammond

I see this race as the ultimate challenge which with its profile will help raise awareness of our declining Environment and highlight the worldwide wish for peace.

My business life was as a highly successful insurance manager running a large team. Now I am a climbing/mountaineering instructor. I have over 40 years extensive experience in mountaineering, skiing and ski-mountaineering having climbed in the Himalayas, the Andes and summitted most 4,000 metres peaks in the Alps. I am also a veteran of seven 80-mile South Downs Way runs, a number of marathons and four 33 mile Welsh 3000’s plus have cycled Lands End to John O’Groats in 9 days and walked the 550 mile Camino de Santiago in 28 days… so know a good challenge when I see one!

I am dedicated to the work of speaking out Pledges for the Environment and Peace Messages (sent from all over the world) at high and extreme places and raising money to build schools for under privileged children in Asia and other charitable projects. I have three daughters aged 26, 20 and 15, and a son of 24, who say that I am a super-charged action pensioner!