Mark Wood (explorer)

Mark Wood FRGS (born 1966), is a British explorer, professional speaker, expedition leader, and author. He served in the British Army in the Second Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, and as a firefighter in the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service. He subsequently became an explorer, and expedition leader where he has trained and led teams for major Polar and mountain expeditions in extreme environments such as the Arctic Circle, the Himalayas, Antarctica, Alaska, and the Canadian and Norwegian High Arctic to raise awareness of climate change and creates very large virtual classrooms to talk to schools and children about these issues.[3]

Mark Wood
Mark Wood south pole solo
Born (1966-12-08) 8 December 1966
Coventry, Warwickshire, England
NationalityBritish
EducationStivichall Junior School,[1] Coventry & Finham Park School[2]
Occupation(s)British Army Firefighter in the Royal Berkshire, Fire and Rescue Service; expedition leader, expedition leader, professional speaker and author
AwardsQueen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, United Nations Medal
Military career
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
RankFusilier
UnitRoyal Regiment of Fusiliers
Websitewww.markwoodexplorer.com

Early life and education

Mark was born in Coventry and attended two local schools: Stivichall Primary School[4] and Coventry Finham Park School.[2]

Military

Mark served in the British Army in the Second Battalion, of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, UK. He was in the military for a number of years and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal.

Firefighter

Once he left the military he became a firefighter in the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Expeditions and exploration

As an expedition leader and an explorer he has since 2003 been to various Polar regions ranging from reaching the Magnetic North Pole, the Geomagnetic North Pole twice, and solo expeditions to both the Geographic North Pole and the South Pole. He has worked with the BBC and Channel 5 on various documentaries, having trained teams of people to undertake expeditions, and led expeditions in the extremes of the planet. His documentaries range from: the life of dog teams in Alaska, surviving solo in the Polar extremes, the reality of global warming and its effect on the Arctic Ocean en route to the North Pole.[5] [6] More recently the aim of his expedition is to explain, to children in their classrooms, using the medium of Skype combined with film and sound, during his expeditions, the effects of global warming in the Polar regions where the effects of climate change and global warming are clearly evident.[6] As all of his expeditions are connected with climate change[5] and to empower the younger generations he works with The Prince's Trust, he is a scout leader[7] for the 1st Pillerton Scout Group,[8] a patron of the Children's University,[9] an explorer for IGGY.[10]

Positions and awards

Selected publications
  • Wood, Mark (2020). Rock & Ice: Expedition Photography (1st ed.). UK: Words by Design. p. 142. ISBN 978-1-909075-53-5. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  • Wood, Mark (2020). Solo Explorer (1st ed.). UK: Words by Design. pp. 162pp. ISBN 978-1-909075-52-8. Retrieved 1 May 2020.

References
  1. "Stivichall Primary School". Stivichall Primary School. Stivichall Primary School. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  2. "Coventry explorer Mark Wood conquers the South Pole in his epic journey". Coventry Telegraph. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  3. "Polar explorer Mark Wood reaches South Pole". BBC News. BBC. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  4. "Stivichall Primary School". Stivichall Primary School. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  5. "Coventry man's solo polar expedition for climate change". BBC News. BBC. 19 October 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  6. "North South Solo expedition in association with SportingEquals – My life in a freezer" (PDF). Letter. 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  7. "Scouts Stratford-upon-Avon – Ambassadors". Scouts 2020 Stratford upon Avon District Scouts. The Scouts. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  8. "Scouts Stratford-upon-Avon – Ambassadors". Scouts 2020 Stratford upon Avon District Scouts. The Scouts. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  9. "Children's University". Children's University. Children's University Trust is the charity at the heart of the Children's University network. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  10. IGGY is an international network of the brightest and most creative young people aged 13–18. "Smart Connections: Mark Wood". Warwick University. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  11. "The Explorers Club: International Chapters". The Explorers Club. The Explorers Club. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  12. "Norwiegan Chapter, Explorers Club". Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  13. IGGY is an international network of the brightest and most creative young people aged 13–18. "Smart Connections: Mark Wood". Warwick University. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  14. "Warwick University – Polar Explorer". Warwick University. Warwick University. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  15. "Mark Wood". stratfordscouts.org.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  16. "Scouts Stratford-upon-Avon – Ambassadors". Scouts 2020 Stratford upon Avon District Scouts. The Scouts. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  17. "Partners, Supporters and Ambassadors – The People's Moon 2019". The People's Moon. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  18. "Sporting Equals". Sporting Equals. Sporting Equals. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  19. "Mark Wood – Patron". Hire a Hero. Hire a Hero 2019 :: Registered as Charity number 1143606. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  20. "Honorary Doctorates 2022". Arden University. Arden University. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
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