While in the marines Alan travelled the world and worked in all climates including Arctic, desert, jungle and mountains. Qualified as a diver, parachutist, paramedic and ski survival instructor Alan has spent four winters above the snow line operating in the mountains of North Norway.

EXPEDITION EXPERIENCE
1989: planned and prepared a four-man mountain cycle endurance ride from New York to Miami.

1990: planned and executed a marathon mountain cycle from Gibraltar back to the UK.

1993-95: participated in the planning and execution of the first winter crossing of Iceland on skis from the West coast to the East. Attempted six times previously by various nationalities the Island of Iceland was deemed un-crossable. Dragging sledges each weighing 240 pound the four-man team skied in arctic blizzard conditions for 47 days over 500 miles.

1997: lived in an Eskimo Hamlet for 3 months at temperatures as low as minus 45 degrees Celsius. The three-month expedition was basis for attempting to walk unsupported to the Geographical North Pole.

1998: after three years planning and training Alan attempted to walk unsupported to the Geographical North Pole. The team had to abandon the attempt after crucial safety equipment and communication equipment failed on route to the pole.

2000: planned prepared and led the first successful British unsupported walk to the Geographical North Pole from Canada. After immense setbacks the loss of two team members and extreme frostbite and hunger. The walk on the ice lasted a gruelling seventy days; near starvation and dwindling fuel supply the team covered 500 miles against the worst polar weather in twenty years. With both team members falling through the ice and going blind due to a three week blizzard they managed to raise the Union Flag on top of the world at 23:16hrs 16th May 2000.

After completion of the above walk, Alan was awarded the MBE in the Queens 2000 New Years Honours list for determination and strong leadership in such harsh conditions.

After returning from the North Pole Alan has left the Royal Marines and started to deliver inspirational and leadership talks worldwide to various levels of management.

The main area of speciality whilst talking about his experiences is inspirational leadership and team building. The talks are adapted to the theme of the audience however leading the team to the North Pole in such extreme conditions accentuates many areas of teamwork, leadership, self-discipline, mental focus and motivation.