In competitive situations, it’s good to have an edge on your rivals. Steve Clewley has just that: as with Charlie, the Arctic was familiar territory for him having trained there several times in his twenty year career with the Army.

“I’ve always had the determination to improve myself,” Steve explains, “and physical challenges in particular hold a certain appeal.

“Sometimes finding the motivation and courage to keep going can be difficult, especially in this line of work. I’ve been witness to some appalling incidents over the years and they take their toll on a person’s psyche.”

Steve was awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Bravery after an horrific accident in Afghanistan in March 2002, when a missile blew up as it was being prepared for disposal. Five soldiers were killed and another eight seriously injured yet Steve, who was standing just 15 metres away, miraculously escaped injury.

His work in Afghanistan also earned him the MBE for his work on ‘light role’ bomb disposal: this means carrying everything on one’s back and still being able to carry out safe, effective ordnance disposal.

“Those kinds of situations are tough, but if they’re in your line of work, then you have to get used to them. You have to take a professional approach, remain reliable and, most importantly of all, continue to act as part of a team.

“It’ll be the same when we’re out on the ocean – there’s no room for individual egos there. The team is king.”

From his experience as a team member in Commando Joe's record-breaking expedition to the Magnetic North Pole, Steve knows that one of the hardest things about these challenges is the lack of communication with his family. Married with three children, one of his reasons for taking part in the 2005 Scott Dunn Polar Challenge was the assistance provided by the Meningitis Trust when his son Jordan, now seven years old, contracted the disease at the age of two. He spent two weeks in intensive care.

“The support provided by the Meningitis Trust was incredible,” says Steve, “because they understood, more than anyone else, what was going through our minds and how we were feeling. I promised myself that when the opportunity arose, I would do something for them in return.

“I’ll feel proud to tell Jordan and my other two kids that I went to the North Pole because of him! And even more so if I end up rowing the Atlantic too!"