Pair to tackle 4000km across New Zealand for new climate-resilient classrooms in Vanuatu

A former Kiwi representative cyclist has teamed up with an Australian adventurer and environmental supporter to ski, cycle, hike, and sail 4000 kilometres across Aotearoa New Zealand to raise crucial funds for Vanuatu’s first climate-resilient classrooms.

Laurence Mote and Huw Kingston will embark on a 90-day journey, dubbed 'Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa’.

Kingston, a climate advocate and long-standing Save the Children Ambassador, and his long-time friend and fellow adventurer will take on the 4000km journey from the tip of the North Island, beginning 25 June, to the bottom of the South, skiing at all 24 ski fields in the country - many of which are increasingly impacted by climate change.

Mote, who is legally blind and still recovering from a severe brain injury from a bee sting in 2013, knows this adventure will be challenging.

Yet, both men are determined to complete the journey while raising funds for an important cause: creating Vanuatu's first climate-resilient classrooms.

Vanuatu has been in a perpetual state of recovery since a devastating 73-magnitude earthquake struck the capital, Port Vila, more than three months ago.

It killed 14 people and impacted an estimated 80,000 lives across the country, according to the government.

The quake flattened buildings, crushed cars, and turned homes into rubble. Even the newly-completed $31 million presidential palace, built by the Chinese government, has become a cracked symbol of the mounting problems facing one of the world’s most vulnerable and disaster-prone countries

Port Vila's CBD remains a ghost town as a conga line of condemned buildings across the city waits to be demolished.

Huw Kingston, left, and Lawrence Mote will embark on a 90-day expedition to raise funds for children in Vanuatu. Photo/Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa

The devastating earthquake, one of the country’s worst, followed three destructive cyclones that ripped through the country in 2023.

The special classrooms aim to ensure that children in Vanuatu can continue their education despite the challenges posed by climate emergencies.

"Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa is a celebration of wild places and the communities who love them, but it’s also a call to action," Kingston says.

"The Pacific Islands are our neighbours, and they’re already living through the worst impacts of climate change. This journey is about doing something - step by step - to help.

Child-friendly spaces like this one in Kokoriko Manples has been set up across Port Vila to create a safe haven for children to recover and find joy. Photos/Save The Children

"In these strange times globally, it is important not to forget to help those most vulnerable."

The classrooms they support will be built with sustainable materials, designed to maximise natural light and ventilation, and powered by renewable energy for lights and fans.

Kingston and Mote aim to raise over NZ$75,000 to kickstart this exciting project, providing much-needed solutions for the families most affected by the climate crisis.

Kingston, 61, has a rich history of undertaking adventurous fundraising challenges. In 2022, he completed a 700km trek across the Australian Alps, raising more than NZ$75,000 for an Indigenous literacy programme, Our Yarning.

Laurence Mote training for Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa. Photo/Viv Mote

"Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa is bigger, tougher, and even more adventurous than my first Alpine Odyssey, and along the way, I’ll be learning a lot about Aotearoa New Zealand," Kingston says.

"Laurence, who is Kāi Tahu, intends to teach me waiata, karakia and more about Māori culture along the way."

Mote, now 50, admits that he's unsure about the challenges ahead but is excited to ski for over 20 days. He sees this as a unique opportunity to combine his love for skiing and biking while exploring the breathtaking landscapes of New Zealand in the winter.

"Three months should just be long enough for me to teach him to pronounce place names in Te Reo Māori," Mote says.

Huw Kingston cranking some telemark turns at Thredbo, Australia. Photo/Mark Watson

Heather Campbell, the CEO of Save the Children New Zealand, is "incredibly proud to partner with Huw and Laurence on this inspiring journey.

"As the climate crisis escalates, our Pacific neighbours are disproportionately affected - and children are always the most vulnerable.

"Every dollar raised through Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa will help build climate-resilient communities that protect children’s futures."

Those who want to support the journey can find more information and donate through their website. There’s even a quirky option for fans to buy a day at one of the ski resorts where they’ll be adventuring.

Watch Port Vila resident Michael Thompson's video as he captures the aftermath of the earthquake shortly after it struck the capital on 17 December 2024.