Brecon Beacons

Joe Bradley Hottest Classroom on earth challenge Selection weekend in the Brecon Beacons

Joe Bradley has been successfully shortlisted for the second stage of the Hottest Classroom on Earth challenge.  The challenge will see 8 young people from across the country take place in a 9 day trek in July across the floor of the Great Rift Valley and will be followed by a BBC film crew. This is a unique and physically challenging expedition will be guided by members of the Maasai community and supported by Alan Chambers veteran of Britain’s first unsupported expedition to the North Pole and Dr Ed Coats who rose to fame in the race to the South Pole with James Cracknel and Ben Fogle.

The second stage will see the boys spend a weekend at a training camp in the Brecon Beacons where they will be put through a very challenging yet rewarding programme. The judges will be looking for individuals who can form part of a strong cohesive team which can work together and support each other in what will be unquestionably be a life-changing experience in Tanzania.

The second stage demands that both pupil and mentor be judged as a team. The weekend began with an intense kick boxing lesson from John Danby  6th Dan expert. However, it was not an ordinary session! Shoes and socks off and jumping around a freezing muddy field were the first orders of the day. Afterwards we enjoyed a warm meal and time to get to know our colleagues around the warm fire.

Day two consisted of teams navigating their way around Pen Y Fan. All members successfully completed a hard and tiring yomp on what can only be described as a beautiful day. The pupils were supported by mentors such as Rachel Jones World champion bare knuckle kick boxing champion,  Jeremy Newton, Head Coach for the Centre of Excellence at Swindon Town and Scott Quninell ex Welsh and British lions rugby player. The next stage will be the final selection of the 8 pupils. Follow our progress!