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Deaf man plans to make North Pole dream come true
COURAGEOUS Oliver Westbury is launching an expedition to become the first deaf person to reach the North Pole on foot.
Oliver will trek 70 miles through one of the world's most hostile landscapes to raise money for deaf children.
But before he can start planning the challenge of a lifetime he needs to raise 27,000.
The 26-year-old, who was born and raised in Portsmouth, said: 'I'm nervous and excited, but I don't want to look too far into the future because I know I need to raise the money first.
'If I get the money then I'll really get excited.'
Half of the cash will go towards financing the trip – clothes, equipment, food, training, transport and a helicopter to drop the adventurers off and pick them up.
The rest will go directly to the National Deaf Children's Society.
The journey, to take place in April next year, will be on skis towing 40kg sleighs of equipment and supplies.
Each day the team will trek for six to eight hours through freezing Arctic conditions with temperatures as low as minus 35 degrees centigrade.
A team of 10 plans to undertake the Polar expedition if they can find funds.
Mr Westbury, who was diagnosed as having a profound hearing loss when he was 18 months old, said: 'I am scared. I have to think that I might not come back. And there's frostbite, thin ice to fall through and all those things to think about.
For more information visit
www.justgiving.com/oliverwestbury.
Mr Wetbury added: 'I'm so excited. I have always dreamed of reaching the North Pole.'
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Weather for Portsmouth
Wednesday 08 February 2012
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