A FORMER Tameside school pupil hopes to be at the forefront of the battle against climate change by joining an arctic expedition.
Richard Glover is looking to be on board as Global Warrior go around Svalbard, north of Norway, in September.
That will be the first stage in the group’s mission to provide data that is up to the minute when decisions to combat global warming are made.
Famous names including Sir David Attenborough and Sir Ranulph Fiennes have thrown their support behind the work of explorer Jim McNeill.
And former Mossley Hollins High School pupil Richard hopes the area can lay claim to being at the start of something huge.
“The long-term aim is to set up equipment that will test levels in the ocean, said Richard about the expedition. “The problem with a lot of data regarding climate change is that when it’s published, it’s out of date.
“So in terms of making decisions about what the right actions to take are, it’s hard to take them based on concrete, relevant data.
“Over the next 10 years, we’re going to go to the same point every year measuring the oceans, so they can say, ‘This is how it’s changing over time,’ and they can get concrete data over that period of time, which we’re struggling to get at the moment.
“This year is about setting the equipment up. Next year, the project will begin. It could be a case of us outing equipment at one point, going up a year later and saying, ‘This was ice last year.’
“Look at Europe with the heatwaves and fires, it’s no coincidence these things are happening but it seems the concerns and priorities of the people who can make decisions seem to be elsewhere.”
But how does the fight against global warming and climate change land so close to Tameside?
Richard, 33, added: “A colleague of mine sent me a link to a competition that was set up by Jim and Henri Lloyd, the brand.
“I ended up winning a weekend in Dartmoor, which was a training and exercise weekend. Through there, I was offered a place on the expedition.
“At the start of July, I probably had no idea what was happening!
“But my passion has always been the outdoors. I do a lot of landscape photography and the plan is to take my camera and document it,
Because the Global Warrior mission is not Government-funded, attendees rely on sponsorship to get on board for the 10-day voyage, which leaves on September 11.
That means asking for a total of £8,000 to cover the place, travel costs and equipment – and it can be a combination of more than one.
Richard – who lives in Uppermill after spending seven-and-a-half years living in Australia, where he met his wife – hopes the area can come good.
He added: “At the end of the day, no fee is too big or too small.
“It’s last minute but things really happened overnight but it means they can be part of something that will, hopefully, be world-changing.
“We find ways to benefit any sponsors’ brands too. As I’m taking my camera, I can get brands exposed up there.
“There are a few different packages to go for, starting from £250, and with the attention it will get, the bigger the package, we can talk about having flags and banners there, plus there’s social media.
“It’s backed by heavyweights in that field and it’s a great opportunity investment wise.”
IF You would like to help Richard towards making the expedition, you can approach him via email at ricaus77@gmail.com, or a Go Fund Me page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/richard-glover-ocean-warrior.
You can find out more about the project at https://www.warrior-ocean.com.