Sylvester Alan (Great Britain)

Sylvester Alan

Alan Sylvester was one of the team members and expedition leader of the RAF 'Southern Reach' expedition which has attempted the trek Hercules Inlet - South Pole during autral summer season 2006-07. They had to be rescued by ALE logistic being at only 190 km from the Pole.

Al was brought up in Grimsby, NE Lincolnshire, attending Old Clee Primary School, followed by Havelock Secondary School in his adolescent years, within a strong family unit. His first mountaineering came within the 11th Grimsby Scout group where he also participated in the Duke Of Edinburgh Awards scheme, achieving his Queen Scout Award.

In 1983, Al joined the RAF as a Telecommunications operator but within a year of his first posting at RAF Prestwick, he volunteered to join the Mountain Rescue Service, as the Wireless Operator at RAF Stafford. The 19 years in the Mountain Rescue Service saw Al serving at Stafford twice, Leeming twice and Kinloss four times. This includes qualifying as a Team Leader in 1994, following which he led the teams at Leeming and then the ultimate at Kinloss.

Utilising the experience gained with the Mountain Rescue Service, he has successfully climbed Mt Aconcagua and led expeditions to Mt Witney, Mt Kenya and numerous 4000 metre Alpine peaks, as well as attending various smaller expeditions around the world, visiting areas including the Himalayas, Iceland and Greece.

Al lives in Faringdon with his partner Clare and is currently stationed at RAF High Wycombe working within Communications Security. He has been working on Southern Reach over the past 2 years and works tirelessly to raise the profile and much needed funds to take his team to Antarctica to attempt this challenge of a lifetime.