Dunton Bassett: The Fuchs Foundation, which is based in the village, is sending four science teachers to the Arctic Circle in May.

They will travel across Greenland with three teams of dogs, carrying their shelter, food and fuel. En route they will be carrying out science projects which will include comparing huskies with domesticated dogs, assessing whether an igloo is the ultimate carbon-neutral house, and testing the psychological and physiological input necessary for the journey.

Since their selection in February 2008 the teachers – who come from Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire and Newcastle on Tyne, have been working enthusiastically at fund-raising and involving their students in the scientific preparations for the journey.

They have spent two weeks in Norway, training by climbing to over 1,700m with gigantic and heavy rucksacks.

"The aim of the charity – which was initially formed to mark my father-in-law's retirement as the first Director of the British Antarctic Survey – is to enable good teachers to inspire their students," explained trustee Ann Fuchs.

"'As more lives are touched by the excitement of the first-hand experience of doing science in the Polar Regions, these teachers will inspire students to find different ways to access knowledge which will equip them to compete in a world beset by environmental problems and give them the ability to seek out solutions in their future careers."

This will be the second expedition supported by the Fuchs Foundation. The first was in December 2007 to the Antarctic. To view their experiences and teaching resources, log on to

www.fuchsfoundation.org.