Tim Levy, CEO of £6 billion alternative investment boutique Future
Capital Partners, is about to embark on an expedition led by Bear
Grylls through the treacherous Northwest Passage. FCP’s investment
partnership Future Fuels - which will fund the construction of a
renewable fuel plant in the UK - is sponsoring the expedition.
The 14 day trip will raise awareness of the effect of climate change
on the planet and raise money for UK Charity Global Angels, providing
safe drinking water for thousands of children in Africa. To donate
please go to www.globalangels.org/fundraiser/BearGryllsNorthWestPassage/
The expedition through the formerly frozen Northwest Passage will begin
on 28th August in Pond Inlet in northernmost Canada. Over the next
fortnight the team will navigate a passage through ice flues melted by
global warming, before finishing their voyage in Tuktoyaktuk, North
West Territories. From start of the expedition to the finish, the team
will cover 1700 nautical miles.
The crew will use a custom made Zodiac rigid inflatable boat (RIB),
christened ‘Arctic Wolf’. The journey will represent the first time
that the NorthWest Passage, which links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
via the Arctic, has been attempted in a RIB boat. In clear water, the
Zodiac can reach speeds of up to 40 knots, but the team expect to
travel at between speeds of 18 – 38 knots, as they try to avoid the
infamous growlers across the Northwest Passage.
Tim Levy says: “Businesses can and should do more to look at slowing
down the effects of global warming, which is why we are backing this
trip. The bio-ethanol plant we are building will have a tangible impact
by helping to lower the carbon footprint of British motorists. I am
excited at the challenge that awaits us in the Northwest Passage, and I
hope that our adventure inspires those in the financial community to
take action of their own.”
Bear Grylls said: “Traversing the Northwest Passage has long been a
dream of mine. The severe conditions will make the trip extremely
challenging, and navigating a route through the ice is fraught with
danger. The mere fact we can make this journey at all is evidence of
the effects of global warming, and we’re hoping this trip will
emphasise the need for profound and immediate action to counter the
effects of climate change.”
To follow the expedition team, visit www.fcpnorthwestpassage.com.