Hello, my name is Cecily Henderson, I am 16, a weekly boarder at St Swithuns School in Winchester, and like any other teenager, I enjoy sport, shopping, going out and having fun with friends.

However in 11 months time I am doing something which my friends consider “wierd”. I am going to Svalbard in the Arctic Circle with an organisation called the British Schools Exploring Society (BSES).

Svalbard is the name for the archipelago and I am going to the largest island called Spitzbergen, which is approximately 1,000km from the North Pole.

I am not going to Svalbard just for the beautiful scenery and an experience of a life time, although I will get both, I am going because of a serious matter, global warming. Svalbard is one part of the Arctic Circle which is severely affected by climate change, as seen by the dramatic melting of the polar ice caps which affects the sensitive eco systems and decline of the polar bear.

Global Warming is a much thought- and talked-about subject and the effects are not fully known. Some geographers think that all the changes seen across the world are part of a natural cycle. Others think that it is a more serious matter; however, it affects us all, as seen recently with the floods across the UK.

Young people are going to have to be responsible for the future of our planet, and I want to go out there to see first hand what is going on and tell people back at home about my findings. According to an MIT study, there's been a 100% increase in the intensity and duration of hurricanes and tropical storms since the 1970s, and the main contributor is an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide emissions to our atmosphere, thus increasing the Earth's surface temperature, and warmer weather.

Between 1800 and 2000 the levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide increased by 31%, from 280 parts per million to 367 parts per million, and scientists predict that these levels will continue to rise until in 2100 it could be as much as 970 parts per million. These alarming figures are only a few of the contributors to the melting of the polar ice caps, and sea levels which have already risen by 6 inches in 100 years.

I feel very privileged to be selected as one of 60, 16-23 year olds to go on this expedition and I am going to get everything I can out of it. BSES has been going to Svalbard for over 20 years and the broader Arctic for 50.

I will be going back to the same glacier as in previous years to measure how much it has moved, if at all, so that we can track the rate at which it is receding. We can then put tangible figures behind the effects of global warming.

At the end of this expedition we will be able to say that a) the temperature in Svalbard has risen by X degrees over the past 20 years, b) glaciers A, B and C have all receded by X, and c) the population of polar bears has decreased by X amount as a result. This makes it quite easy for people to understand the impact of climate change.

In order to take these scientific measurements, I will be doing very demanding physical activities, such as ice climbing, cross-country skiing and cross country trekking. This is a challenge for me, particularly as six weeks ago I had my anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed after a skiing accident and a full recovery takes about 10 months.

I also have to fund myself to go on this expedition which costs £3,400. I then have a 12-page kit list on top. I have organised a local raffle in Barnes in London where I live, and local businesses have been very supportive with great prizes from a £100 voucher to any Antony Worrall Thompson restaurant to a pedicure. I have also organised the ‘Arctic Meltdown Disco’ for 11-13 year olds at The Putney Leisure Centre, on Saturday 27th October from 7:30-10:15.

Whilst I was recovering from my knee operation I made jewellery to sell at school. Hopefully all of this will be a success!

If you want to contact me for more information about the expedition, to buy a raffle or disco ticket, or to make a monetary or equipment donation, please e.mail: cecily.henderson@hotmail.co.uk, or phone: 0208 876 2009, or 0791 082 6111