Ahh… it’s Friday afternoon, I’ve just finished a nice cuppa tea and I’m looking forward to the weekend. So, what better way to kick start it than a news story featuring two of my favourite things; Polar Bears and British Sea Power!
Following the release of their Do You Like Rock Music? album, British Sea Power now turn their gaze to the plight of the polar bear and a race to the North Pole. The band are doing their bit for Ursus Maritimus, the polar bear, by donating the proceeds of a specially designed T-shirt and sew-on team badge to BSP fan Gareth Ellis as he heads to the North Pole on the Polar Challenge race.
The Polar Challenge is a 350-mile race across the Arctic to the Magnetic North Pole, which Gareth and the other members of three-man team will be taking part in between mid-April and mid-May this year. It had been described as the world’s toughest race. Gareth and his team will use to race to undertake research for the Polar Bears International research organisation. Geologist Gareth’s team consists of himself and Yoyo Schepers and Alastair Leiper
“The polar bears are becoming more and more distressed by the retreating ice,” says Gareth. “Relatively little is known about polar bears in the high Arctic, so observation of any polar bear predation is very useful even if the bear isn’t about. I will record location of bears, feeding observations, condition of bears, numbers of cubs and so on. Hopefuly we won’t have to get too close to do this.”
Like curious children and friends of Fozzie, BSP have long displayed an interest in bear-kind. Their ten-foot stage bear Ursine Ultra has often appeared at BSP concerts and a white bear featured on the cover of the band’s second album Open Season, in 2005.
Says BSP singer/guitarist Yan: “We’re happy to do what we can to for Gareth and his mission with the Polar Challenge race and the polar bears. Who wouldn’t want the big old bears to stick around? Best wishes to Gareth and his team. Here’s hoping they make it safely to the North Pole and establish a good working relationship with all the animals they meet on the way.” BSP will also be providing a survival tin for Gareth and his team mates which will include (amongst other things) BSP’s Own brand Kendal mint cake and Brilliantine Mortality (hair pomade which can also be eaten in extreme circumstances).
The BSP Polar Challenge T-shirts and badges can now be bought from the band’s website. All proceeds will be donated to Gareth Ellis and team’s Polar Challenge expedition. T-shirts available here. I’ve just bought one – they look very nice.
(The cost of a shirt to the UK is £17, £18 to Europe, £19 to the USA and Canada and £19.50 to the Rest of the World. Prices include postage and packaging. The first 30 orders will also receive a hand drawn polar themed illustration by BSP’s own Yan.)
More information on Gareth and his Polar Challenge plans:
www.mcware.co.uk/polar.html
Information on Polar Bears International:
www.polarbearsinternational.org
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