Craig Mathieson is a polar explorer, motivational speaker and founder of The Polar Academy, a groundbreaking Scottish charity that helps young people build confidence, resilience and self-belief through adventure. He was recently awarded The Polar Medal in the King’s New Year’s Honours.

Craig has completed expeditions to both the North Pole and South Pole, including leading the first dedicated Scottish expedition to the South Pole in 2004. Having mentored a young person on a life-changing expedition to the North Pole two years later, Craig saw the extraordinary potential of these experiences and was determined that this would act as a catalyst to extend these opportunities. In 2013, the Polar Academy was born.

To date, the Polar Academy has worked with nearly 300 young people and their families. The programme deliberately seeks out “invisible kids”— young people who struggle with confidence, anxiety, bullying, bereavement or simply feeling overlooked. Over the course of an 18 month training programme, the teenagers on the programme prepare physically and mentally for an expedition to East Greenland, where they haul sleds across Arctic terrain and discover what they’re truly capable of.

Our conversation centres on Craig’s journey to founding The Polar Academy and the work it does to transform the lives of young people struggling with trauma, low confidence and mental health challenges. Craig speaks with honesty, humour and compassion as he shares stories from his own experiences at school, the inspiration that first sparked his dream of becoming an explorer and how that ultimately led him to create a programme that helps young people discover their own strength. We explore themes of belief, resilience, family support and the life-changing impact of nature as Craig reflects on why so many young people feel hidden and what it truly takes to help them thrive. From trekking across Greenland to searching for Yetis on the west coast of Scotland, this conversation is both moving and inspiring — a powerful reminder of what can happen when someone believes in you, before you believe in yourself.

Learn more about The Polar Academy:

https://www.thepolaracademy.org/

Facebook: @thepolaracademy

Instagram: @thepolaracademy

Thank you for listening to Season 8 Episode 7 of The Everyday Adventure Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who could use a little more adventure in their life :-)

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This week on The Everyday Adventure Podcast, I’m joined by two truly inspiring women, Clare Millington and Vicky Balfour. Both are passionate advocates for making the outdoors more inclusive and accessible for everyone.

Clare is the founder of Outdoors Is For Everyone and a powerful voice for increasing opportunities for people with disabilities to experience adventure in nature. She’s also a mum of three, including twins Pip and Alix, who both have complex disabilities, and her lived experience shines through in her work.

Vicky — also known to many as Vicky Bikes — is a writer, bike mechanic and someone deeply committed to helping others discover their voice, their confidence and their freedom through the outdoors. She’s actively involved with the New Forest Off-Road Club, doing brilliant work to open up cycling and outdoor spaces to more people. Her daughter Cece, who has complex needs, is also one of the club’s ride leaders — which tells you everything about the spirit of this amazing community.

In this conversation, we explore resilience, community, the assumptions which can impact inclusion and the many different ways adventure can belong to all of us.

Find out more about Vicky and Clare:

Instagram: @outdoorsisforeveryone @vickybikes

Website: www.vickybikes.co.uk

Facebook: @outdoorsisforeveryone

Useful links:

https://www.bendrigg.org.uk/ - Bendrigg Trust

www.thenewforestoffroadclub.com - The New Forest Off Road Club

https://www.alltheelements.co/news/5-minutes-with-pip-and-clare - All The Elements

Thank you for listening to Season 8 Episode 7 of The Everyday Adventure Podcast.

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Ash Alexander Cooper is a former soldier, combat helicopter pilot, athlete, musician, artist and now keynote speaker, who works with businesses and leaders looking to build resilience and adapt in complex environments.

He has also recently added author to his impressive CV, having just published ‘Mindful Soldier’ written with Dr Jessica Miller. In the book, Ash draws on his own experiences and the psychology behind them to share strategies that can be applied by anybody who’s looking to build resilience and overcome life’s challenges.

Our conversation centres on his motivation for writing Mindful Soldier and his hopes for the impact it can have going forward in terms of supporting others with their mental health. Ash speaks with openess and candour as he shares stories from his life and explores how they have shaped his approach and build his resilience. Ash is a former colleague, long time friend and previous guest on the show (S3 Ep 10 Hotel Marathons and Silver Linings) so it was a huge pleasure to catch up and explore the highly relevant themes of this book in depth - a must read for anyone navigating life’s challenges or simply wanting to feel less alone.

Find out more about Ash visit:

Instagram: @ashalexcooper

Website: www.ashalexandercooper

Facebook: @ashalexcooper

Substack:

To buy Mindful Soldier visit:

Gurkha Welfare Trust

Amazon

RBVE Shop

Thank you for listening to Season 8 Episode 6 of The Everyday Adventure Podcast.

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Instagram:@everydayadventurepod @resilienceatworkLinkedin: @Nicki-bassWebsite: www.resiliencework.co.ukTEDx: The Life Changing Power of Everyday AdventuresEmail: nicki@resiliencework.co.uk