Were Backing Steve Turnbull in the Arctic Rugby Challenge 2015

We're Backing Steve Turnbull in the Arctic Rugby Challenge 2015 Were Backing Steve Turnbull in the Arctic Rugby Challenge 2015 17 Dec 2014   Eden Scott is very proud to be backing Steve Turnbull in his journey to the magnetic North Pole as part of the Arctic Challenge 2015, to support the charity Wooden Spoon. Steve played for Edinburgh Rugby from 2007 to 2013, and upon retiring became General Manager of Everything4Rugby, which aims to provide and gather support for grassroots and club rugby throughout the UK and Ireland. Having been a passionate supporter and participant in rugby all his life, he truly believes in the transformational power of the sport, and in particular the values that are celebrated in rugby â€" the exact same beliefs held by Wooden Spoon, the charity that he supports by taking part in the expedition. Founded in 1983, Wooden Spoon is a children’s charity that works closely with the rugby community, providing support for disabled and disadvantaged children and aiming to transform their lives through the power of rugby. Over the course of Steve’s preparation and expedition, we will be following his progress and highlighting this great cause, with his first blog post kicking us off below:   Why am I going to the magnetic North Pole? Unless you have been involved in rugby in some capacity, I don’t think you’ll truly grasp the power of this amazing game and what it can do for the development of younger people. Rugby is a sport that instils and encourages teamwork, passion, integrity and enjoyment. I have personally experienced each of these values and have seen how they come to life when there is a drive to achieve something, anything. When I retired after 8 years of playing professional rugby I set up kids’ rugby camps. Within those camps, the very same values were inherent and it was so rewarding watching the children thrive and develop in our ‘rugby’ environment. It was really at that point that I grasped the true power of rugby. Witnessing the children develop and flourish as people as well as players was, by far, the most rewarding aspect of the camps. Having a career in professional rugby and having been involved in the game in one way or another since a young age, I was always aware of the amazing work Wooden Spoon does around the country for disadvantaged kids. It is a charity which uses its strong rugby heritage to help children who are in need of support. It’s not only that but also how  those involved in Wooden Spoon go about doing what they do that really inspired me.   Wooden Spoon achieves its goal of making a difference to the lives of disadvantaged children largely through the amazing work of their volunteers and committees. Each and every person involved follows those very same values that I have seen inspire and transform so many people:  passion,  integrity,  teamwork, and  fun. It is for this very reason, when I saw a tweet a couple of weeks back about the Arctic Rugby Challenge and the chance to be part of such an amazing cause, I jumped at the chance. So, application has been filled in, it has been accepted, and now in a matter of mere months I’m joining forces with maritime and polar adventurer Jock Wishart to lead two teams on an expedition to the Magnetic North Pole. In April 2015 we will fly out to Resolute Bay, the world’s northern most inhabited area, for a 7-day training camp out on the ice. We will then get flown to our start position and from there we will begin our 100 mile trek across the Arctic to the certified position of the Magnetic North Pole.   We will have to contend with temperatures potentially reaching a thoroughly bitter -40 degrees, harrowing winds, and a tent that, standing at 6”7, I probably won’t fit in. Oh, and the added risk of avoiding the odd cuddly polar bear. Once we arrive at the pole we will get down to some proper work and play the northern most rugby match in history, along with captains Tim Stimpson and Ollie Phillips to smash a Guinness World Record! It’s going to be tough but once again I have no doubt that the very same values I talked about will carry our team of 10 across the glaciers to the Magnetic North Pole. This is a once in a lifetime trip, which has the potential to raise some serious cash and better the lives of so many deserving children. That is why I simply had to be a part of it. Stay tuned for my next entry where I’ll begin to describe how we are going about preparing for such a bold challenge. If you’re in any way intrigued with what you’ve read and want to help, you can make donations through my  Just Giving page.