A BISHOP’S Waltham father-of-two is continuing to fundraise for a solo expedition to the South Pole to raise awareness about depression.

John Dennis has spent the last year preparing for the trip, and has just returned from a full-scale expedition in Norway where he spent 16 days covering 175 miles in freezing conditions.

He said he had to spend 33 hours bedded in a tent due to horrendous winds. “Though tent bound, it was awesome experience for the main event as Antarctica is constantly windy, so I’ll have to deal with it,” he said.

In January the 40-year-old completed a two week course on personal safety on ice and how to layer up for the cold.

A month later he held a quiz night in Bishop’s Waltham, raising £3,400.

The expedition and charity share a name, Dare 2 Express, and the goal to help people rebuild their lives after mental illness. It’s a cause close to Mr Dennis’s heart, after he was diagnosed with depression in 2013.

He is hoping to raise a total of £50,000 and said he is on track for the 45-day expedition starting in November.

There will be a fundraiser at the Hilton Hotel at the Ageas Bowl in West End on October 9.

For more information go online at expedition-d2e.org.