Glenn Shaw FRGS - Expedition Leader

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Neil Laughton FRGS - Deputy Expedition Leader

Neil has recently led an expedition, which traced Sir Ernest Shackleton's epic traverse of South Georgia he is also a vastly experienced mountaineer with a proven track record of organising, leading and successfully accomplishing adventurous expeditions including British Mt Everest Expeditions 1996 & 1998, North Pole 1999 and '7 Summits' 2000.

He is an ex-Royal Marine, and Director of office interiors company, Office Projects Ltd. www.NeilLaughton.com.

Ruth Woolven FRGS - Expedition Administrator

Ruth is a keen sportswoman, traveller and fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Her travels have included much of Africa, Asia and Europe and most recently Australia. Since Ruth's first visit to Nepal in 2001, she has been keen to return and to visit Mt Everest, which will widen her travel horizons, as well as the challenge that an expedition such as this presents.

Ruth has also enjoyed the challenge of fund raising for this expedition and the opportunity to use her people skills to meet the goals set.

Kim Chishti MBChB BSc(Hons) - Expedition Doctor

Kim has most recently provided medical support for a charity trip to Kilimanjaro led by the renowned Rebecca Stephens and organised through World Expeditions.
His love of travelling has led him to actively pursue his interest in expedition/remote medicine and the study of 'medicine at extremes'.

As a keen trekker, Kim has travelled to six of the seven continents including the North Western Frontier of Pakistan, the Atlas range in Morocco and the American and Canadian Rockies. Closer to home he has spent considerable time in the Lake District and Scottish Highlands having grown up in Lancashire and trained in Scotland.
He is also a very keen diver, which has taken him to some of the most beautiful sites around the world such as the Red Sea, Great Barrier Reef, Fiji, Zanzibar and Belize.

Kim has a broad background of medical training in Accident and Emergency Medicine and Surgery including Trauma and Orthopaedics. He is currently working at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth in the field of Anaesthetics and Intensive Care.

Kim is delighted to join the team and provide medical care and support, and feels privileged to participate in helping Glenn safely achieve one of his many adventurous goals.

Mark Wormald FRGS - Team Member

Mark is an accomplished traveller and has lived for many years overseas in countries as diverse as Australia, Sudan, Saudi and Kenya.

Mark has travelled extensively in these regions sometimes in challenging circumstances. Some noticeable highlights were armed check points in Yemen, straying too far from the track in Eritrea and many more. But always making the most of a host country; scuba diving in the Red Sea of the coast of Sudan, hiking in the Asir Mountains and regular trips to Mt. Kenya.

Mark works in the logistics and transport industry for DHL and continues to travel in his commercial role.

Rachel Ann De Kelsey - Team Member

Rachel was born in South Africa, but spent her early life in the Okavango Delta, where from a young age she grew up to love nature, and adventure. Rachel has competed on a national and international level in climbing and adventure racing. She has also spent time in the army reservists, where officer training developed leadership skills.

Her work teaching climbing, and organising mountaineering activities, embodies her love for people and desire to share extrodinary experiences. The opportunity to help Glenn reach his ambition will be a dream come true, and since being asked onto this team Rachel is considering dedicating more time to aid work.