Town supporter Richard Smith has helped his friend Alan Lock to become the first visually impaired person to walk from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole after they completed their Polar Vision challenge. The duo, along with Andrew Jensen, made the 530-mile journey in 39 days.
Richard, who promised TWTD that he would have a photograph taken in a Town shirt at the Pole, says he's delighted to make it: "We finally reached the South Pole after 39 days.
"It is fair to say the team are excited, elated and exhilarated but also exhausted. The weather has been very kind to us today; it’s been beautiful to come into the South Pole.
"We have to take the photographs to capture this moment then off to have a cup of tea and a nice warm meal. It’s a fantastic day for the team and everyone is delighted and really excited.”
Prior to leaving, Richard, who is from Milton Keynes but is currently living in Boston in the US, told TWTD about their epic journey: "I set up Polar Vision with Alan, who suffers from Macular Degeneration, a disease which started to rapidly degrade his vision when he was only in his mid-twenties.
"At the time Alan was an officer in the Royal Navy but despite this setback he has completed a number of achievements, most notably running the Marathon des Sables, setting a world record for rowing across the Atlantic and completing his MBA at UC Berkeley Haas.”
Richard at the Pole
Richard, whose family originally hail from Felixstowe, said the aim of the three-man expedition was to show that visual impairment doesn’t prevent people from achieving remarkable feats: "We are firstly trying to tell a good news story — the tagline of our expedition is ‘Seeing beyond limits’, which is something that I think most people can relate to.
"For those who are visually impaired, especially when this afflicts them in the prime of their life, it can seem as if so much of life is taken away from them. Alan’s story proves otherwise.”
Polar Vision is also raising money for charities Sightsavers International and Guide Dogs for the Blind. Donations can be made here. The expedition’s Facebook page can be found here.
Blues chief executive Simon Clegg sent Town's good wishes: "Congratulations on behalf of everyone at Ipswich Town Football Club on your outstanding achievement.
"Richard — we look forward to welcoming you to Portman Road before you return to the US."