There was quite a spectacle in Trafalgar Square today as Prince Harry arrived to launch the charity expedition to the South Pole for military charity Walking with the Wounded.
An open-top bus full of tourists couldn’t believe their luck when they drove past one of England’s most well known landmarks only to see a member of the royal family doing his bit for chairty.
As the official communications partner for the event, telecoms company Arqiva was there to meet the Prince and the rest of the team before they set off on the intrepid adventure.
Arqiva will be providing 28 satellite phones to enable the trekkers to keep them in touch with support teams and giving them an important SOS emergency button function should anyone in the teams find themselves in danger. The team will also have Panasonic Toughpads to endure the sub-zero Antarctic conditions and video equipment to film video diaries to stream back home and around the world.
Not only does technology play an important part in the trek for guiding the team members to the South Pole finish line, but it helps them to keep others updated on their progress. The communication technology primarily ensures the teams are kept safe with GPS tracking to support services outside of Antarctica for logistics and safety purposes.
But also, the technology is a great way to help raise awareness for the charity. Having a patron like Prince Harry is one way to promote a charity, but thanks to Arqiva, the public can constantly be kept updated on how the teams are getting on via the charity’s website, Twitter feed and YouTube as well as through the Telegraph website and Virgin Money’s charity website.
If you want to do your bit for the charity, use the hashtag #SouthPole2013 when tweeting as well as mentioning the charity twitter handle @SupportTheWalk.
Virgin Money is donating £1 for every retweet of a tweet they will be putting out during the launch today. Keep an eye out for a promoted tweet from @VirginMoney and help raise money towards the re-training and re-education of wounded service men and women. And of course, follow the Computer Business Review Twitter if you’re not already: @cbronline and @Claire_CBR
Prince Harry will be leading the UK’s Team Glenfiddich in the trek to reach the South Pole (the other two teams consist of Team Soldier on for the Commonwealth and Team Noon for the US). The majority of the teams are made up of servicemen and women with physical and mental injuries. Actors Dominic West and Alexander Skarsgård will also be taking part with the teams.
They will make their way across the Antarctic in what is being billed by a number of polar experts as the largest modern-day expedition of its type.
Overcoming the harsh conditions and, of course, the complexities of their own specific injuries, the teams will race to the South Pole, battling blizzards, facing the threat of wide crevasses, biting winds of up to 50mph and temperatures as low as -45oC.
Not only does the expedition illustrate the extraordinary determination and courage of the injured service personnel, it will also raise awareness and vital funds for Walking With The Wounded.
