PUPILS at Belmore Primary Academy in Owen Road, Hayes, will have the chance to meet a polar explorer on Wednesday.

Belmore is one of ten schools to receive a visit from adventurer Mark Wood, after they applied for a free grit bin from Hayes-based GRITIT, as part of the company’s Safe Steps programme.

Mark Wood, GRITIT’s schools ambassador, will talk about his adventures in some of the coldest places on earth. He will demonstrate some of his polar equipment and answer questions on extreme weather and the impact of climate change.

The Safe Steps programme aims to help schools get ready for winter, keeping students and staff safe by raising awareness of the risks of extreme weather and saving valuable school funds by giving away free grit bins.

Last year, the company, in Furzeground Way, gave away £50,000 of grit bins, filled with salt, to schools.

Mark Wood said: “I have been to some of the most dangerous and unforgiving places on Earth.

“In these conditions, forward planning and being properly equipped is a matter of life and death, so I can help people understand how to prepare for the unpredictable and extreme nature of our planet.”