A BUSINESSMAN is getting ready to undertake the second biggest challenge of his life, to reach the South Pole.

Dean Attwell, from Beoley-based Oakland International, is self-funding his polar expedition to ensure that all money raised will go directly to support children’s charity Molly Olly’s Wishes.

After successfully completing a North Pole challenge in 2017, Dean has been training hard with specialist endurance coaches to ensure he will be pole-ready for this next frozen challenge, which begins with a 14-hour flight to Punta Arenas.

There, together with the rest of his expedition group, he will spend two days checking kit, reviewing expedition procedure and undertaking final preparations before flying on to Antarctica.

On arrival in Antarctica Dean and the group will then move on to the Union Glacier basecamp spending a day acclimatizing before final drop off at 89 degrees south latitude and the starting point for their trek across the frozen Antarctic landscape to reach the South Pole.

Dean said: “We’ll be skiing between 6-10 hours a day at an altitude of approximately 3,100m before we finally arrive at the South Pole on the 14th January.

"Any and all donations to support this wonderful charity, no matter how small, are very much appreciated.”

Molly Olly’s Wishes co-founder and trustee Rachel Ollerenshaw said: “The team at Molly Olly’s Wishes are extremely grateful to Dean and everyone at Oakland for their support.

“This is a really tough challenge and we hope that people will dig deep to support and spur Dean on."

The charity was founded by Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw following the death of their daughter Molly Ollerenshaw who was diagnosed with a Wilms tumour in 2011.

The charity supports children from birth to 18, and their families, with additional help to ease the many burdens of living with a terminal or life-threatening illness.

For more information or to donate, click here.

Dean added: “All expedition costs are covered, so every penny donated will go directly to support the work of Molly Olly’s Wishes which does such amazing work supporting children and their families living with a life threatening or terminal illness.”