Exercise Mountain Storm

My name is Alex Bendall, and I am 16 years old. I am a member of the 216 (Redditch) Air Cadets, and I attend Alcester Grammar School Sixth Form, where I am studying A-Levels.

I am asking for support for Exercise Mountain Storm, a 6 day unsupported, remote hike in the Rocky Mountains in Canada with the Royal Air Force Air Cadets, taking place in August 2025. I am writing to ask if you would consider providing us with any sponsorship / financial aid to help us with this expedition. Your contribution does not have to be large, as any assistance would be massively appreciated.

The expedition will consist of 22 cadets from all over the UK aged 16-18, travelling out to Canada for just over 2 weeks, where we will complete our expedition near Banff. We have already been through a rigorous selection process consisting of an application, followed by a 3 day selection event, which tested our teamwork and survival skills. The expedition has in the past twice been awarded the Shackleton Trophy, which is the best overseas expedition in the UK cadet armed forces.

We each have to raise over £1500 for the trip, and as you can imagine, the funds needed for the trip to help cover costs for equipment, training, flights etc, are substantial, and I would appreciate any help you can give towards this.

Over the next 9 months, we will complete numerous training exercises in the UK to prepare us for the expedition. Once we have landed in Canada, we will undergo extra training, such as acclimatisation and bear awareness. We then head into the Nordegg Wilderness area for a 6 day, 90 km trek across the mountains, reaching a peak of over 3000 m elevation.

Each of us will be carrying over 26 kg each, including our own tents and food for the week. For each day, we will take it in turns to lead our individual groups, which will test our leadership and teamworking skills. At the end of the hike, there will be the opportunity to take part in other local activities, such as mountain biking and white water rafting, to round off the trip.

If you wish to discover more about our amazing journey, please do not hesitate to contact me, or check out the 2023 Expedition Video.