Spike Reid to tell of Land Rover global trip
Nov 5 2009 by Nicola Juncar, The Journal
A NORTH East graduate, who embarked on a daring expedition circumnavigating the globe in a Land Rover, is to share his exciting experiences at an event at his old university.
Spike Reid, a design for industry graduate and the former president of Northumbria’s Students’ Union, drove 22,000 miles, following the latitude line of 50° north, to find out how climate change is affecting different communities around the world.
He drove through Europe, Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia, Siberia and Canada, and will be talking about what he got up to at Northumbria University on November 18.
Spike, of Heaton, Newcastle, said: “In my lecture, I’ll be taking the audience through the seven-month long journey, starting at Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula, travelling across Europe into Northern Asia, where we drove through Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Siberia.
“After we crossed the Pacific Ocean to Canada, we drove up through the Rocky Mountains and remote Saskatchewan, before following the line of latitude to return to the UK.
“We studied the effects of climate change on all the areas we visited and in particular how it affects the lives of primary sector workers such as farmers, fishermen and forestry workers.”
Spike and two close friends, Peter Lovell and David Smith, became the first-ever winners of the Land Rover/Royal Geographical Society Go Beyond Bursary in 2008.
They used the £10,000 funding to embark on the expedition and set off on the journey in a specially adapted Land Rover.
Spike said: “I’m fascinated by travelling the world and seeing new cultures and this was a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“I am delighted to be able to share my experiences of the journey and the results of my research with the people of the North East through my lecture The Latitude Expedition.”
Spike has a passion for geography which was inspired by his mum – a former geography teacher.
He graduated from Northumbria in 2005 and was president of the Students’ Union for two years.
He is now events coordinator for the Royal Geographical Society, working to support and promote research, education, expeditions and fieldwork, as well as encouraging public engagement.
Spike’s talk will be held in Lecture Theatre 001 in the Newcastle Business School and Law School building on City Campus East from 6pm.
Admission is free and all are welcome. To book a place, email pr.events@northumbria.ac.uk
