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Felicity Aston

Felicity Aston

Reykjavík, Iceland

Felicity Aston MBE, is a British polar scientist turned expedition leader, author, speaker and TV presenter who, in 2012, became the first woman to ski across Antarctica alone.

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Felicity Aston is the first and only woman in the world to ski across Antarctica alone. The 1744km, 59-day journey completed in January 2012 earned her a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. In 2015 she was awarded the Queen’s Polar Medal for services in Antarctica and was appointed MBE for services to Polar Exploration. Felicity has also been elected Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in London and is a Fellow of The Explorers Club in New York.

Felicity has been exploring the polar regions for more than twenty years. Previous expeditions include the first British women’s crossing of Greenland, a 35,000km expedition in a Land Rover Defender to the Pole of Cold (the coldest inhabited place in the world) and the 38-day, 911km Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition in 2009, the largest and most international women’s team ever to ski to the South Pole. Her book about this international expedition, ‘Call of the White: Taking the World to the South Pole’ was published in March 2011 and was a finalist in the Banff Mountain Book Competition. She has written two further books, ‘Alone in Antarctica’ (which was named a National Geographic Fall Read of 2014) and ‘Chasing Winter: A journey to the Pole of Cold’.

Trained as a Physicist and Meteorologist, Felicity’s first polar experience, at 23, was as a scientist with the British Antarctic Survey. Based for three years on a remote research station on the Antarctic Peninsula, her job was to monitor climate and ozone. In 2013 she co-presented a two-part series for BBC Science exploring atmospheric physics and cloud science called, ‘Operation Cloud Lab: Secrets of the Skies’ and in 2016 she co-presented a three-part series for BBC History called ‘Operation Gold Rush’ retracing the route of the 1898 Klondike stampede across the Yukon.

Felicity regularly publishes her words and photography in online and print publications around the world (Geographical Magazine, Huffington Post, CNN, The Guardian, The Hill) as well as appearing in international print and broadcast media (BBC Radio 4, National Geographic Radio, Outside, Vanity Fair, Discovery Magazine) and is a sought-after professional speaker, delivering presentations about her expeditions to some of the biggest companies (Microsoft, Google, Goldmann Sachs, Deloitte, HSBC) and at the most influential idea-exchanging events (Globe Series, Women's Forum for Economy and Society, Chicago Ideas Week, TEDx).
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The women's Euro-Arabian North Pole expedition Team Members

Natasa Briski (Slovenia), Misba Khan (UK), Ida Olsson (Sweden), Asma Al Thani (Qatar), Susan Gallon (France), Lamees Nijem (Kuwait), Olga Rumyantseva (Russia), Mariam Hamidaddin (Saudi Arabia), Stephanie Solomonides (Cyprus).

Selected from over 1000 applicants, several members of the team became the first person or the first woman from their country to ski to the North Pole as a result of the expedition. Already highly accomplished in their own fields, they are each pro-active role models both in their own countries and internationally.

Natasa Briski (Slovenia) started her career as a sports journalist before tackling international politics as a corresspondent in Washington DC and more recently founding her own media network. She remains one of the most prominent broadcast journalists in Slovenia.

Misba Khan (UK) is a financial officer for the National Health Service in the UK as well as a Chaplain at her local hospital. She became the first British Muslim Woman to ski to the North Pole as a result of the expedition and has since been in huge demand to share her experiences with groups within the British Muslim community and beyond. She has climbed several international peaks and continues her mountaineering journey.

Ida Olsson (Sweden) is a kayak master, polar bear guard and expedition leader on expedition vessels exploring the Arctic and Antarctic. She also leads snowmobile tours to see Polar Bears in Svalbard. She regularly gives lectures about her experiences to hundreds of passengers and guests each year.

Asma Al Thani (Qatar) is a Marketing Director with the Qatar Olympic Committee and is the first woman from Qatar to ski to the North Pole as a result of the expedition. Previously she was also part of the first women's team from Qatar to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. She regularly visits schools and takes parts in events to raise the aspirations and sporting ambition of young people in Qatar.

Susan Gallon (France) is a marine biologist who has completed field seasons in Antarctica and Arctic Europe. Susan was instrumental in establishing the scientific work undertaken by the expedition and is an active ambassador for STEM, particularly to women and young people.

Lamees Nijem (Kuwait) is a motion graphics designer and keen runner. She is the first person from Kuwait to ski to the North Pole as a result of the expedition and was a winner at the Arab Woman of the Year awards in 2019.

Olga Rumyantseva (Russia) is a mountaineer instructor and tour guide who has previously climbed the highest volcano on each continent as well as completing many other physical challenges. She works for the biggest adventure tour operator in Russia and is in much demand as a tour leader, sharing her polar experiences with all her guests.

Mariam Hamidaddin (Saudi Arabia) is a community space founder passionate about creating safe spaces for genuine expression and collaboration. She manages community events as well as shared-working spaces.

Stephanie Solomonides (Cyprus) works in an investment bank and as a result of the expedition is the first person from Cyprus to ski to the North Pole and - having previously become the first person from Cyrpus to ski to the South Pole - has now made pioneering expeditions to both ends of the world!

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Success! Polar Exposure has already sold 201 pre-orders , was pitched to 10 publishers , and will be published by Imagine, a Charlesbridge imprint .
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$25 Individual supporter bonus

109 readers

Pre-order a copy of our book and you will be among the very first to receive a copy, personally signed with thanks. You will also receive an exclusive invite to our very special virtual book launch alongside team members, expedition sponsors, supporters and guests from the polar world.

'Estimated delivery date of books is from Spring 2021. Shipping available worldwide.'

1 copy

Free shipping

$100 Group Supporter bonus

8 readers

Receive four copies of the book to share with friends and family or to give away as gifts. Each copy will be personally signed, with thanks, and will include a very special signed photograph of the team at the North Pole. You will also receive an exclusive invite to our very special virtual book launch alongside team members, expedition sponsors, supporters and guests from the polar world.

'Estimated delivery date of books is from Spring 2021. Shipping available worldwide.'

4 copies

Free shipping

$150 eBook Group Bonus

1 reader

Receive ten eBook copies of the book for your book club members and we will arrange for a member of the expedition team to virtually join one of your meetings to discuss the book, share your feedback and answer those burning questions!
You don't have to be a book club to take advantage of this offer - perhaps you simply want to share with friends, neighbours or any group you belong to (For example: WI, Girl Guides, sports clubs, special interest groups, Rotary, Lions, social groups, U3A, home-school classes and more).
Have more than 10 members? No problem! Simply buy multiple bonus packages and we will throw in exclusive invites to our virtual book launch featuring interviews with team members and untold stories from the expedition!
NB Please use the same name and details when making multiple orders so that it is clear it is the same purchaser/group.

'Estimated delivery date of books is from Spring 2021. Shipping available worldwide.'

10 copies + ebook included

Free shipping

$250 Book Club bonus

5 readers

Receive ten copies of the book for your book club members and we will arrange for a member of the expedition team to virtually join one of your meetings to discuss the book, share your feedback and answer those burning questions!
You don't have to be a book club to take advantage of this offer - perhaps you simply want to share with friends, neighbours or any group you belong to (For example: WI, Girl Guides, sports clubs, special interest groups, Rotary, Lions, social groups, U3A, home-school classes and more).
Have more than 10 members? No problem! Simply buy multiple bonus packages and we will throw in exclusive invites to our virtual book launch featuring interviews with team members and untold stories from the expedition!
NB Please use the same name and details when making multiple orders so that it is clear it is the same purchaser/group.

'Estimated delivery date of books is from Spring 2021. Shipping available worldwide.'

10 copies

Free shipping

$1500 eBook bonus

0 readers

Expedition Leader Felicity Aston is a much sought after international speaker, regularly sharing her insights with some of the biggest companies in the world. She speaks about creating and leading high performance teams as well as personal resilience, facing adversity and managing change. Complete with spectacular expedition imagery, her talks are positive and inspiring, thought-provoking and practical. She is offering her services to provide a virtual keynote to your company or organisation for the very competitive price of $1500 which will include an e-copy of the book sent to every person attending the talk to take away with them to further the themes and messages of the session.
(100 ebook copies)

'Estimated delivery date of books is from Spring 2021. Shipping available worldwide.'

100 copies + ebook included

Free shipping

$2500 Business bonus

0 readers

We will arrange for a member of the expedition team to deliver a professional virtual keynote at your business event or meeting. The presentation can be tailored to use stories from the expedition to focus on a relevant theme of your choice (such as managing diversity, personal resilience, overcoming adversity, leadership in a shifting environment, team work) or it can simply be an uplifting and motivational story to create inspiration. We will arrange a briefing call with you in advance of the event to talk through all the details and arrangements.
You will also receive 100 copies of the book for the attending delegates to take away with them. Expecting more than 100 delegates? No problem. Simply purchase multiples of any bonus packages so that the number of books ordered adds up to the number required. Please use the same name and details for all the orders you make so that it is clear you are the same purchaser. In return we will provide some additional online content that can be shared with your delegates to support the themes of the event.

'Estimated delivery date of books is from Spring 2021. Shipping available worldwide.'

100 copies

Free shipping

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Update #8 - All about design Nov. 20, 2021

One of the reasons why we knew Imagine! was the right publisher for our book was that their vision of what our final book would look like, far exceeded our own. Right from the start they were adamant that the book would be as inspiring in look and design as it was in words and stories.

With the manuscript nearing completion and it's first round of structural editing attention is turning to selecting the very best of the images we have of the expedition to use as illustrations in the book. If we thought choosing the right words was challenging, choosing the right pictures is equally tough!

What makes a good picture? There are the beauty shots of course, the images that show the wondrous landscape of the Arctic Ocean in all its delicately shaded perfection - but an image can be so much more than beautiful. A carefully crafted photograph can convey the menace of an ominous wall of ice rubble that must be crossed, the tension of the moments before departure on a journey into the unknown, the relief, joy and reward experienced in a moment of achievement. 

And then there are the subtle, mundane moments of an expedition that can actually be as telling as the heroic shots of the scenery - the look of exhaustion on a team mates face as she diligently dries gloves and socks above a stove in the tent, the chaos of packing the sledges in the days before leaving, the messages written in the snow from one team mate to another...

This book is more than a collection of words, it is a full archive of memories. To get the design right will take some time, but we hope to be done by the end of the year. Let's get to work - Yalla!