The Team

Peter

Peter was 15 years old and still in school when he successfully applied to join the British Army and the Queen’s Dragoon Guards. Peters’ ambition and leadership was recognised early and he became the youngest non-commissioned officer at his unit where he deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2012 he was medically discharged from the Army and has since used his time to help others. His focus is to inspire those around him, never to look back and display courage and humility in life and the challenges that lie ahead. 2013 saw Peter complete and set a new British First with Heroes Challenge UK (HCUK), work with the Prince’s Trust and become a PADI diving instructor. In June 2015 he became the first amputee to cross the Greenland ice cap unsupported with the team of 65 Degrees North.

Kirk

Kirk grew up in the country spending most of his time outdoors riding his push bikes for miles, swimming in rivers and ultimately trying not to get lost in the Black Mountains! His passion for the outdoors and a keen interest in the British Armed Services saw him become a member of the Army Cadet Force in his teens. Upon leaving school Kirk immediately joined the Army spending 13 years in the Royal Engineers as a Combat Engineer.  Kirk’s Army experience gave him exposure to expeditions in places ranging from the Falkland Islands to Canada to the Swiss Alps, he is a qualified civilian Summer Mountain Leader and a Mountain Bike Leader. As a (small) prep for the challenge of 65 Degrees North, he is part of a works team focusing on completing an off road ultra-marathon in the Brecon Beacons in 2014.

Mick

Mick having spent 22 years in the Royal Marines has a wealth of experience which positions him well for the challenge of 65 Degrees North. On a quiet night he estimated that his Norway winter deployments, with each deployment being a duration of two and half to three months, he had spent 1500 days on skis with a fully-loaded Bergen and 1500 nights in a tent or survival shelter. Mick is a fully qualified Mountain Leader class 1; those in the know will testify that this course is one of the hardest in the British Military, as indicated by its 20% pass rate and an eight-month training course.

As a glimpse into the demands of this achievement, the extensive and challenging training regime features:

• climbing cliffs
• free climbing (without ropes)
• mountaineering
• survival
• resistance to interrogation (RTI) training
• ice climbing
• arctic survival
• arctic navigation
• long distance skiing

Mick was a Military ski instructor leading 6 winter deployments, he then spent 5 years as Ski patrol and is also a qualified Norwegian Telemark instructor.

Meinir

Meinir is currently working as a GP with a special interest in Sports and Musculoskeletal medicine. She draws on a wealth of knowledge, coming from 8 years’ experience in emergency and trauma medicine in Australia, United Kingdom and Ireland. Meinir was chosen to provide medical cover at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and has extensive multi-sport experience. Affectionately known within the team as MJ, she worked as a ski doctor in Australia between the 1998/1999 seasons. Chosen as the Medic for Team Wales at the Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010, she looked after both able bodied and disabled athletes for 4 years post Delhi. MJ is a working mum with two young children who lists some of her interests as skiing, long distance and fell running in the Brecon Beacons and has completed 4 marathons to date. Meinir has an interest in the outdoors and is a confident skier.

Rich

Rich is the second youngest team member, a former Royal Marines Commando who served alongside fellow team member Mick at 40 Commando. Rich went on several deployments, significantly to Norway where he took tuition from Mick on all aspects of Arctic warfare and survival techniques, which to this day he treasures and values. Rich has since joined the Police Service and still enjoys the team work and challenges that present themselves through his day to day working life. He led the Heroes Challenge UK team which recorded a British first: an endurance effort completed over 10 days. He has a passion for the outdoors and was part of the team of 4 that travelled to Norway in April 2014 in preparation for the 65 Degrees North challenge.

Nigel

Nigel is a proud Welshman, at the age of 22 he joined the Royal Marines. Having successfully completed the Royal Marines training he served with 42 Commando and Royal Marines Poole. Whilst serving with the Royal Marines he completed a number of Arctic Warfare deployments to Norway, where he became an Arctic Warfare instructor and also a Military ski instructor. He volunteered for Special Duties training, after the successful completion of an operational deployment with 14 Intelligence he volunteered for Special Forces selection. Within six years he was serving with 22 SAS. He specialised in mountain warfare with 22 SAS and completed numerous courses both below and above the snow line. He successfully completed the equivalent to the German Bergfuerers Guide course. Nigel is Chief Fitness Officer for Tough Mudder.