Wood partners with Polar Academy

A Scottish charity that supports and inspires young people through exploration has teamed up with Wood to launch an ambitious fundraising strategy to provide more opportunities for young people.

The Polar Academy was founded by former military serviceman and accomplished explorer Craig Mathieson in 2013 and identifies children between 13 and 17 that have been overlooked by the education system, trains them and takes them on annual Arctic expeditions across Greenland. Craig was recently awarded a spot on The Explorers 50: Fifty People Changing the World for his pioneering work inspiring the next generation of young people to succeed in life with The Polar Academy.

Craig Mathieson said: “We are excited to team up with Wood, a home-grown company of explorers pushing the boundaries of technology and science to help solve some of the world’s most complex problems, including climate change, which is taking a profound toll on the remote environments where we work. That mission is perfectly aligned with ours, which is to harness the power of exploration to inspire children and give them the self-belief to achieve great things.”

Wood’s support has allowed The Polar Academy to recruit its first dedicated fundraiser. Rob Clunas will join the charity in February and is an experienced and motivated fundraiser, having held previous positions at VSA, Royal Northern Countryside Initiative and Nevis Environmental. The move is the first step in the Polar Academy’s ambitious new plan to increase the number and breadth of the expeditions on offer, and ultimately reach as many ‘invisible’ young people as possible.

Wood, formerly known as The Wood Group, operates in 60 countries around the world and its 60,000 employees in those countries are collectively focused on supporting the world’s transition to clean energy and a more sustainable future. The company expects to work closely with The Polar Academy to encourage and nurture the fresh perspective of its young people as they explore new horizons.

Robin Watson, chief executive of Wood, said: “The Polar Academy is an increasingly important charity, and we are pleased to be able to support the organisation at this critical time for young people who are too often isolated and unnoticed. We look forward to working with Craig, Rob and the team to build the profile of The Polar Academy and to attract new sources of funding for its work building expertise and self-esteem among the explorers of the future.”

Rob Clunas said: “I am delighted to be joining the Polar Academy, a small but very mighty organisation with the most compelling mission, and one that is particularly important to me having studied and worked with environmental causes throughout my professional life.

“It is a great honour to be joining such a talented and motivated team, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Under the terms of the [three-year] partnership, Wood will provide ongoing support and funding for Rob and the team at the Polar Academy in an effort to increase income to enable more young people to experience the wonders – and challenges – of arctic exploration and science, gaining confidence and redefining their physical and mental limits.