Inspirational Adventurers to speak at The Marine Institute Blue Lectures

Inspirational speakers from the world of sport, adventure, film and science will be presenting at The Marine Institute Blue Lectures over the weekend of The Blue Mile event in Plymouth on 3rd July 2010. The lectures will feature seven remarkable people who have witnessed firsthand some of the challenges faced by the earth from climate change. Between them they have scaled Everest, stood at both Poles, dived in the world’s oceans, and sailed non-stop around the world. Each speaker will motivate you to change matters you really care about.

The Marine Institute Blue Lectures will take place at the Barbican Theatre, which is centred in the heart of the Barbican Event Village and will run throughout the day on Saturday 03 July 2010. Places are limited, so people are advised to book early at the Barbican Theatre Box Office.

Tickets are priced at £15.00 for a Double Bill (chose any two lectures) and a special discounted price of £10.00 for those who have already signed up for main Blue Mile event (www.thebluemile.org). Details of all the speakers can be found on www.theblueproject.org/1430.

For bookings please contact the Barbican Theatre Box Office;
Tel No: 01752 267131
Email:   bookings@barbicantheatre.co.uk

For further information please contact the Barbican Theatre Box Office or visit their website; www.barbicantheatre.co.uk/booking.php

Last year, BLUE Ambassadors and 180 Degress Pole to Pole explorers, James Hooper and Rob Gautlett were awarded with the prestigious 2008 National Geographic Adventurers of the Year award.  Following the tragic death of Rob earlier this month in a climbing accident, James Hooper speaks to the National Geographic on future plans and continuing Rob’s legacy.  To read the full article, courtesy of The National Geographic, please click here.

Rob Gauntlett - 180 Degrees Pole to Pole Explorer

On the very same day that Sam Davies was celebrating her successful exit of the Southern Ocean as she passed the southern tip of South America, another of our BLUE Ambassadors, Rob Gauntlett was tragically killed whilst ice-climbing in the Gervasutti couloirs on Mt. Blanc.  The elation that we felt for Sam, who lies 4^th in the Vendee Globe was suddenly replaced by shock and deep sadness for Rob and his climbing colleague, James Atkinson.

Both Sam and Rob are inspirational young people who live life to the full. They are articulate, caring role models with a passion and a thirst for life.  They look at the world and see such positivity. It is this characteristic that really sums up what BLUE is about.

I hope that both Rob and Sam’s courage will push us all to get more from life.

Conrad”

If you would like to post a tribute to Rob Gauntlett or a few words of sympathy to Rob’s family and friends, you can do so online at www.theblueproject.org/robgauntletttributes.

Rob & James at the start of their 180 Degrees Pole to Pole voyage

This prestigious award, recognises their achievements during their epic 394-day, 26,000-mile madcap natural powered dash from the North to the South Magnetic Pole which they completed earlier this year.  Rob and James skied, dog-sledded, cycled and sailed their way from northern Greenland to the Antarctic’s Southern Ocean in one continuous run, overcoming life threatening challenges, to complete the first-of-its-kind pole-to-pole journey, in an effort to raise climate change awareness and to inspire the human spirit.

The awards presented by the National Geographic Adventure magazine highlight the most outstanding accomplishments by individuals throughout 2008 in the world of adventure, exploration, conservation and humanitarian work and named Gauntlett and Hooper at the top of their honours list.  On receiving the award James said: “I could not have wished for a greater accolade than to win the National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year Award. I hope that through this, Rob and I can inspire other young people to believe they can succeed in their ambitions, and appreciate all our responsibilities to looking after our environment”.  Equally pleased with the award win Rob commented, “I’m absolutely delighted that we have won this prestigious award.  I hope this will help us promote our messages to other young people and prove that anything is possible”.

Gauntlett and Hooper began their adventuring lives as teenagers going onto become the youngest Britons to conquer Mount Everest, summiting just after their 19th birthdays on May 17th 2006.  It was on their return down to Everest base camp that they conceived the epic manpowered ‘180 Degrees’ Pole to Pole adventure.

This is not the first time Rob and James have been recognised for their influence from their adventurous personalities.  Speaking earlier this year at the House of Commons on behalf of The BLUE® Climate & Oceans Project, Rob and James prompted the Secretary of State for The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Hilary Benn MP, and Minister for the Olympics, Tessa Jowell MP to join with them in making BLUE Pledge’s to the environment and creating positive differences in their everyday actions that would inspire others to do the same.

Following the award Rob and James will be looking forward to taking on their next adventure and inspiring young audiences across the world to be BLUE® champions for the environment.

For further information about Rob Gauntlett and James Hooper, please click here.