The well-known author and film maker Matt Dickinson was in school on Monday 27 October giving an inspirational talk to S1 – S3 pupils about his ascent of Everest and how pupils should themselves aspire to be the best they can be.

Dickinson is famous for climbing Mount Everest’s notorious North Face in 1996 with Alan Hinkes, beating hurricane force winds and temperatures of minus 70 degrees Celsius. The film producer was on Everest to film Brian Blessed as he made a third attempt of the summit.  Ironically, Dickinson set out not to climb the world’s highest peak, but just to film it. His task was to record as much of the expedition as he physically could before handing over equipment to a professional climber who was to film on to the summit. Matt Dickinson’s drive and determination however meant that he went on to become the first British film-maker to film on the summit of Everest and return alive.

His film Summit Fever has been seen by more than twenty million people worldwide. He also wrote the  book ‘The Death Zone’ about the same expedition. Recently Matt has started writing fiction for teenage readers. His latest novel “The Everest Files” is an adventure story set on Everest.

The inspiring talk was well received by staff and pupils.  He spoke openly about the Everest expedition showing breath-taking pictures taken on the ascent. Pupils were most amused to hear that he ate 300 toffee crisp bars on the Everest trek to keep up vital sugars levels! He also joked about the Everest weight loss plan losing a kilo a week on the mountain.

The talk also touched on the human tragedy of Everest and of the bodies of climbers who died trying to achieve their dream.

Female explorers were also a focus of his talk. He was keen too to emphasise that it was not just “men in beards” that climbed mountains. The talk ended with a short film capturing Alan Hinkes as he reached the summit of Everest.

His film Summit Fever has been seen by more than twenty million people worldwide. He also wrote the  book ‘The Death Zone’ about the same expedition. Recently Matt has started writing fiction for teenage readers. His latest novel “The Everest Files” is an adventure story set on Everest.