A charity trek aimed at drawing attention to the diminishing ice fields of the far north is set to go, quite literally, where no one has gone before; and a Monmouthshire man aims to turn the adventure into a fundraising opportunity for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Craig Williams, of Usk, aims to join a team of novice explorers in an attempt to reach the remotest of the four recognised North Poles.

The target for the expedition, led by seasoned explorer, Jim McNeill, is the appropriately-named ‘Northern Pole of Inaccessibility’, dubbed the ‘Last Pole’ which lies at the point on the surface of the Arctic Ocean farthest in distance from any coastline.

The expedition is part of the Ice Warrior Project, a long-term endeavour lasting until 2020, which has so far trained more than 300 people - 26 of whom have reached a north pole as part of seven major expeditions delivering crucial climate data to the scientific community.

Craig states, ‘The Northern Pole of Inaccessibility remains the last truly significant place yet to be reached by mankind. It is over two hundred miles further than the Geographic North Pole.’

Craig is running his own campaign for his Ice Warrior profile and raising necessary funds to ensure his place on the team. He said, ‘I decided to join the Ice Warrior Project Expedition to the Last Pole after realising I would be part of something truly meaningful.

‘I also figured it would be an excellent opportunity to raise some money for the Alzheimer’s Society after my Grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in later life.

‘I’m training hard for the challenge and try to get out whenever I can. It will be the first time I have ever done anything quite as long and challenging as this.’

To sponsor Craig please call 07542 117894 or visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/veganicewarrior and donate direct. All funds raised go direct to the charity.

*There are four “North Poles” that can be defined in the Arctic:

The Geographic North Pole (also known as True North):

The Magnetic North Pole: A moving location where lines of magnetic force enter and exit the Earth vertically.

The Geomagnetic North Pole: The pole of the Earth’s geomagnetic field that surrounds the Earth and extends into space as the magnetosphere.

The North Pole of Inaccessibility: At approximately 85°N-175°W, this represents the point on the surface of the Arctic Ocean which is the farthest distance (about 1100 km / 684 miles) from any coastline.