SUE AND VICTORIA RICHES
TWO FRIGID WOMEN...
Journey to the North Pole by Sue and Victoria Riches
In 1997 Sue and Victoria were part of a world record breaking expedition as members of the first all women's expedition to the North Pole. The team skied into the Guinness Book of Records on May 26th 1997 and have since been voted Women of the Year. Sue and Victoria have written a book about their experiences entitled 'Frigid Women'.
'..they are wonderful role models, their enthusiasm, energy, and zest for life cannot fail to inspire and motivate an audience. The women on my development programmes came away believing that with the right mental approach you can meet any challenge, and seize any opportunity'
'I felt as if I was being transported to the North Pole and actually walking on that ever moving ice'
'After listening to your talk I felt I had totally underestimated the courage and tenacity needed'
'Everyone was enthralled by all you had to say…I am sure you fired the imagination of many in the audience'
'You answered all our questions and more, thank you for a wonderfully amusing evening'
'A fascinating insight into how the Relay was organised and then achieved! Your team's stamina and determination was a revelation'
'This story is a fantastic celebration of adventure, courage, friendship, and love. Enjoy it all you would be adventurers….and dream on!'
-Dawn French
A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
Sue and Victoria Riches
Sue was born in January 1946. Following school and a year in Paris doing a bilingual secretarial course she worked in London for six months as a very inefficient secretary! Soon after Sue got married to Jeremy, a solicitor in Wolverhampton and Bridgnorth and had three children, Victoria, born 1970, Philip, born 1973 and Edward, born 1975. Sue started up a catering business in the early '80s and catered for weddings, 21st's, and business lunches for nearly 20 years. However, she decided to change her career having had breast cancer and a mastectomy, so did a TEFL course and started teaching English to Foreign business men both at Berlitz, and at home; two weeks of lessons, gastronomic food and culture, (which of course includes visiting local pubs!). Sue is now book writing, lecturing, and thinking of what to do next.
Victoria was born in 1970. She was head girl at her school and was the first girl there to achieve the Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award. After school, she went off to Canada for one year to teach followed by a degree in Politics and History from Newcastle University. Various careers have since followed; Trainee Manager at Marks and Spencer (how to stack bananas to make them sell profitably while simultaneously learning which men's socks were the most popular!). Next came three years as a recruitment consultant in London and then as a direct result of the Arctic trip, she decided to train as a teacher. Victoria now holds down two jobs; one as a primary school teacher in Oxfordshire and the other as a freelance HR consultant. When not teaching she spends her time competing in the London Marathon and London Triathlon, skiing and climbing as well as fund raising for her next arctic trip...