Invitation to join speaker Jonathon Bradshaw: Polar Explorer & Adventurer

“Setting extraordinary goals and achieving them”

Date:     Friday 2nd July, 9.30 -12.30

Venue:  Main Lecture theatre, Aytoun Building, MMu Business School

 Jonathan’s story: In February 2007, after more than 13 years of working for the same company in the IT industry, making his way up through the ranks from a sales rep to the Managing Director, he sold his house, his car and quit the job he loved. At the time, he had no idea that in January 2008 he would reach the South Pole after walking for 1150km over 58 days.

 During his first month outside corporate life Jonathon hatched a plan to combine his love of cycling and a boyhood dream of visiting the remote Arctic islands of the Faroes, Iceland and Greenland a bold 5 month solo cycling expedition from London to New York via the Arctic Circle.

 In the spring of 2007 he set off Arctic bound and with the first turn of his pedals a modern day adventure started that would change his life forever. A serendipitous encounter with 3 strangers in the high Arctic, would ultimately see him turn South to the Antarctic and become part of the 1st ever Irish team to trek to the South Pole – an arduous 2 month journey covering 1150km with temperatures as low as -50 degrees Centigrade, where every conceivable problem was thrown his way and found him calling on many of his corporate life experiences to see him through the hard times.

 Jonathon's story takes him to the remote and almost forgotten islands of the Faroes, across the barren and wind torn deserts of central Iceland, across the vast and empty ice cap of Greenland where 3 of his team mates were evacuated with serious injury and depression.

 Then half way across the crevassed icecap, after not having seen anyone else for 21 days, he meets the Irish South Pole team training for their Antarctic expedition and is invited to join them in their attempt 7 weeks later.

 Jonathon has spent the last 18 months recovering from his Polar adventures and has focussed his attention on two incredible journeys. He is training six 12 year old kids to break the world English Channel swim record and organising his own next big adventure – to swim the Atlantic Ocean from America to UK.....solo and unsupported through 3400 miles of ocean. Jonathon believes that this expedition provides the perfect vehicle to inspire a nation of children to live healthier lives and to educate them on the importance of protecting our environment.

 Jonathon is a very down to earth individual and enjoys sharing his emotional journey as an ordinary guy rather than a tale from a hardened Polar adventurer. He is accessible and shows us that a basic level, the process of getting to the South Pole or having a successful day in the office are very similar, except that his day is usually much colder!