Polar welcome

Jan 26 2008 by Joanne Douglas, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

AN EXPLORER has made it to the South Pole.

And he got his taste for adventure in the Mirfield Scouts!

Cameron Hudson, 27, trekked deep through Antarctica on a gruelling 700 mile expedition in sub-zero temperatures.

He reached the South Pole on Wednesday and will return to the UK on February 3.

His dad Noel Hudson said he was proud that his son has realised his dream – and thanked the 8th Mirfield Scouts for helping him achieve it.

Noel Hudson said: “We have kept up to date with everything he has done online.

“We are very proud of him and also relieved that he is there.

“A lot of his grounding came from being in the 8th Mirfield Scouts, they gave him a real taste of being outdoors so we have a lot to thank them for.

“I always expected him to do these adventures. I expect there will be more to come.”

Cameron Hudson is a former Mirfield Free Grammar School pupil and later attended Greenhead College.

He works as an optician and completed the trek for the Optical Express South Pole charity challenge.

He braved freezing temperatures for 57 days to get to the South Pole and raise money for research into eye problems.

The team wrote an online blog for family and friends to check their progress.

In their final blog they wrote: “The big day has finally arrived!

“The conditions remained favourable today for us to make the final 12 nautical miles push to the Pole.

“We took our time to collect the last pieces of footage on ski and savour the final hours on the ice.

“We were greeted at the Pole by an American news crew who threw microphones and cameras in our faces as if we were film stars.

“At the Pole itself is an impressive new science base run by the US National Science Foundation. It is home to 244 scientists and labourers who work in and around the base.

“The base manager came out to welcome us on the ice and after pitching our tent we were given a comprehensive tour of the base.

“The tour was followed by complimentary hot drinks and cake which we lapped up in record time.

“The rest of the day has been spent relaxing and chatting to people interested to know about our journey.

“It has been quite an overwhelming day, which for all of us represents the culmination of over 14 months of planning and preparation.”

Cameron was joined by polar guide John Huston, Everest summiteer Sumiyo Tsuzuki and Peter Blaikie, 70, who became the oldest person to reach the South Pole.

The team are hoping to raise £25,000 for the Royal National Institute for the Blind, International Glaucoma Association and Guide Dogs for the Blind.