Usk man honoured with Antarctic medal (From South Wales Argus)

Usk man honoured with Antarctic medal

10:50am Thursday 3rd January 2013 in News

A MONMOUTHSHIRE man who works in the Antarctic is being honoured with a Polar Medal.

Tudor Morgan, 41, of Kingcoed, near Usk, who runs the world’s most southerly shop, described the award in the 2013 New Year’s Honours list as the “icing on the cake”.

He was awarded the medal for outstanding achievement and service to the United Kingdom in the field of Polar Research and Heritage in recognition of his 18- year career in the Antarctic.

Mr Morgan works as a project consultant for the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, which conserves and safeguards the fewremaining historic buildings left in Antarctica. He runs the trust with wife Rachel from their home, but spends much of the year in the Antarctic.

Mr Morgan made his first trip to the Antarctic in 1994 as a field assistant with the British Antarctic Survey, guiding scientists across ice fields and leading expedition parties.

He said: “I grew up with stories of Scott and Shackleton and always dreamed of going south.

“I spent two and a half years at the Rothera research station, which included two winters, one of which was as Winter Base Commander.”

Much of the Trust’s work is funded by a small shop, which Mr Morgan manages, at Port Lockroy on the Antarctic Peninsula, which is visited by 15,500 cruise ship visitors each year.

MrMorgan said it will be a great honour to receive the award at Buckingham Palace in the summer.