A daring cave diver who helped to rescue Thailand’s Wild Boars football team is among the inspirational speakers heading to a North East adventure festival this spring.
Jason Mallinson will share the real story behind the unprecedented rescue of the 12 young footballers and their coach when Durham Adventure Festival returns from Friday, 26 April to Sunday, 28 April.
Jason, whose exploits have led him to set distance and depth records in caves all over the world, carried four of the trapped boys to safety after Thailand’s Tham Luang cave flooded last July.
Festival-goers will hear about this and other daring rescue missions when Jason speaks and answers question at the Gala Theatre in Durham on the Saturday at 3pm. Tickets cost £12.50.
Aimed at encouraging people to explore the outdoors and embark on their own adventures, the festival features compelling talks, an action-packed film programme and opportunities for people of all ages to try new activities.
Last week, organisers Durham County Council announced that legendary mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington was headlining the event at 5.30pm on the Saturday, and now the full line-up has been revealed on the festival website.
One athlete sure to captivate the crowds is world champion boulderer Shauna Coxsey, who has just embarked on the toughest year of her career to date. Hear all about Shauna’s quest to learn two new elements of the sport ahead of climbing’s three-pronged debut at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. The talk takes place on the Sunday at 8pm and tickets cost £14.
From a fearless athlete, to a daredevil explorer, with 2011 European Adventurer of the Year winner Ed Stafford. A former British Army captain, Ed holds the Guinness World Record for being the first person to walk the Amazon River. He also inspired millions of people by filming and blogging throughout his epic two-and-a-half year journey all over the world.
The Discovery Channel presenter, who is married to fellow adventurer Laura Bingham, will speak at the Gala on the Saturday at 8pm. Tickets cost £20.
The event is presented in partnership with Kendal Mountain Festival and is part of the 2019 Year of Culture campaign, #Durham19. The inaugural event in 2018 attracted thousands of people to County Durham and this year is shaping up to be even bigger and better.
Once again, Millennium Place and the Gala Gallery will be transformed into a base camp, complete with a free climbing wall and demonstrations by the 3Sixty bike display team. There will also be free speaker sessions, pop-up bookshops, food and drink offers and a chance to speak to outdoor experts from Montane and Cotswold.
Robin Byers, manager of the Gala Theatre, said: “This festival is all about showcasing the very best in adventure, exploration and endurance to encourage more people to explore the outdoors.
“A key to the success of the event is welcoming speakers who are leaders in their field, alongside ordinary people, who have done extraordinary things.
“With the great outdoors as popular as ever, it feels like we’ve tapped into something special. So we hope we can inspire people to come along and share the adventure.”
Other speakers appearing at the festival include Scottish endurance cyclist Jenny Graham, adventurer Laura Bingham, mountain runner Jenny Tough, explorer Ash Bhardwaj, and climber and mountaineer Leo Houlding.
To view the full programme and to book tickets, visit www.durhamadventurefestival.co.uk or call the Gala box office on 03000 266600.
Organised by Visit County Durham with Durham County Council and other partners, the 2019 Year of Culture campaign showcases the enriching programme of arts and sporting activities taking place this year. To find out more, visit www.durham.gov.uk/durham19
