Neil Laughton

Great Sussex Bath Race, 28th July 2013

medropedro — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:01:32 +0000

On Sunday 28th July, twenty of the country’s most successful companies including British Airways, Bentley Motors and Virgin Atlantic will enter a team to participate in a unique, eccentric and challenging bathtub raft-racing tournament.

They will be competing for the magnificent winners trophy of the Great Sussex Bath Race. The event is being organised to raise much needed funds for two amazing Sussex charities, Chestnut Tree House and LifeCentre.

Please visit www.greatsussexbathrace.co.uk to make your kind donation and register who you think will win the tournament. Those sponsoring the winning team online using their full name will be entered into our special prize draw. Please give generously!

Voice of America

rosie.doyle — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:43:59 +0000

As an expert on leadership, Neil was recently invited to speak on the radio station ‘Voice of America’ on Chris Cooper’s show, Be More. Achieve More. which provides inspiration for people who would like to grow businesses that authentically add value to others. Great leadership is a key ingredient for business and organizational success and Neil discusses the skills needed for this success calling on his adventurous expeditions all over the world, his time serving in the Royal Marines and 21 SAS, and his personal business success.

Listen again here

Neil Laughton Launches New Airline – Brighton City Airways

rosie.doyle — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 12:12:51 +0000

On November 29th, 2012 Neil Laughton and friend Jonathan Candelon, MD of Flying Time Aviation launched their new airline – Brighton City Airways with first flights due to depart on March 6th, flying to Paris Pontoise from Brighton Shoreham Airport.

Jonathan and Neil met when Neil approached Flying Time Aviation four years ago, asking for lessons to help him fly the world’s first road legal flying car’. They became friends, agreeing that a partnership to introduce a desirable European route from the south coast would make good business and benefit Sussex.

Neil said “This has long-term benefits for the local community too as there are many businesses in Sussex who can use this service on a regular basis and holiday makers or Paris day trippers can also make the most of travelling to and from Shoreham’s charming airport, where parking is easy and check in to take off takes just minutes.”

Some of the special features of the airline include 15 minute check-in, no hidden fees, VIP lounge and service, easy local parking and the flight, which is in a 19-seat Let 410 commuter aircraft, takes one hour to reach Paris. Pontoise Airport is also very conveniently close to La Defense Business District of Paris, which is just 22 miles away.

Flights to Paris in the spring can be booked straight away with a £20 deposit and the rest of payment is only required two weeks before the flight date, with the opportunity to change names on the tickets then for no charge. Passengers are advised to book early to benefit from the best prices.

Tickets are on sale now in time for Christmas presents! Book here www.brightoncityairways.com

Cockleshell Heroes Talk, December 6th 2012

rosie.doyle — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:15:26 +0000

Earlier this year, Neil and a team made up of Adam Rattray, David Fox-Pitt, Mark Beaumont, Jimmy Wallace and Andy Hastings retraced the famous Cockleshell Heroes expedition 70 years on.

Dropped off at the exact point where HMS Tuna surfaced in 1942, the men then paddled, mostly at night, using borrowed Kleppers from 21 SAS first into, and then up the Gironde covering a distance of around 50km per day. Having made it to Bordeaux, the team then walked the 160km from Blaye to Ruffec, ending up at the Hotel La Toque Blanche, exactly where the two Cockleshell Heroes who survived, Major ‘Blondie’ Hasler and Marine Sparks, were picked up by the Resistance and spirited to Spain.

On December 6th, Neil and team gave a talk about their expedition at the Handel Street Cadet Centre to an audience of enthralled history/military enthusiasts raising money for the Stroke Association and Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund. With delicious ginger and pineapple whisky cocktails from Chivas, the evening was a great success raising circa £700 for the charities.

The Telegraph Adventure Interview

rosie.doyle — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:55:14 +0000

Recognised for his incredible adventurous feats, Neil talked to Jolyon Attwooll at The Telegraph about cheating death on Everest, piloting the first ever flying car and reflects on a life filled with adventure.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activityandadventure/9739926/Neil-Laughton-the-adventure-interview.html

Mt. Blanc

rosie.doyle — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 11:38:48 +0000

Last week Neil climbed the highest mountain in the Alps, Mont Blanc, at 15,782ft. Here are a few images and a video of the expedition.

Cockleshell Heroes Memorial Expedition

rosie.doyle — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 14:48:38 +0000

In August of this year, Neil Laughton participated in an expedition to commemorate Operation Frankton, a commando raid on shipping in the German occupied French port of Bordeaux in the Bay of Biscay in 1942 during the Second World War. The raid was carried out by a small unit of Royal Marines who paddled by night to Bordeaux, attacking the docked cargo ships with limpet mines and then escaping overland to Spain. Twelve men were selected for the raid but only two survived. Six were executed by the Germans while two died from hypothermia. Winston Churchill believed the mission shortened the Second World War by six months whilst Admiral Louis Mountbatten, the commanded of Combined Operations, deemed the raid “the most courageous and imaginative of all the raids ever carried out by the men of Combined Operations.”

Neil and five other adventurers were dropped-off on the 8th August at the exact point where HMS Tuna surfaced in 1942, they then paddled, mostly at night, using borrowed Kleppers from 21 SAS first into, and then up the Gironde covering a distance of 50km per day. Having made it to Bordeaux, the team walked the 160km or so from Blaye to Ruffec over three or four days, ending up at the Hotel La Toque Blanche, exactly where the two ‘Cockleshell Heroes’ who survived, Major ‘Blondie’ Hasler and Marine Sparks, were picked up by the Resistance and spirited to Spain.

The British adventurers who took part in the ‘Cockleshell Heroes’ retrace expedition are Adam Rattray, Neil Laughton, David Fox-Pitt , Mark Beaumont, Jimmy Wallace and Andy Hastings. The team were raising money for The Stroke Association and the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund. To help with fundraising for this project please visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/Thecockleshellchallenge2012

Mayfair Magazine – South Pole Cricket Challenge

rosie.doyle — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 14:37:17 +0000

Back in January 2012, Neil led a group of Britons to victory in a commemorative cricket match on the South Pole. Marking the 100th anniversary of Captain Scott’s arrival to the Pole, the British won by two wickets in a game played in temperatures as low as -35°C. Neil hoped that the game would have pleased Captain Scott and commented “With the British outcome, at least he is looking down hopefully and this will put a smile on his face.”

Mayfair – Polar Cricket | 1.2MB

BA High Life

medropedro — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 08:46:24 +0000

BA High Life asked a range of experts including Neil Laughton, as well as other adventurers and action heroes, travel writers and explorers known for scouring the globe in search of adrenaline to share their top tips about where to get that ‘natural high’. Neil’s ‘natural high’ appears on page 3, where he discusses his memorial cricket at the South Pole earlier on in 2012.

BA High Life – Natural High | 4MB

Neil completes South Downs Ironman Challenge!

medropedro — Wed, 09 May 2012 19:05:16 +0000

Neil Laughton and Rory Payne complete the inaugural South Downs Ironman Challenge – 2.4m swim, 112m bike ride over the South Downs from Winchester to Eastbourne followed by a 26 mile run back to Devil’s Dyke over a long weekend in April 2012.