The Trust is committed to preserving artefacts and journals arising from Britain’s past endeavours in Antarctica.

To that end it has been successful in a number of appeals when articles have come up for auction, as they do on a regular basis.

Among other items ‘saved for the nation’ are the boat compass used by Shackleton on his crossing from Elephant Island to South Georgia in the James Caird in April 1916.

A number of important journals and diaries have been acquired including a crucial letter of instruction from Captain Scott to Meares and the diaries of Macklin from his expeditions on the Endurance and Quest.

Several of these items have been acquired in partnership with the National Heritage Memorial Fund and donated to such institutions as the Scott Polar Research Institute, the National Maritime Museum and the Captain Cook Memorial Museum.  As the Trust is an umbrella fund-raising body it does not intend to ‘own’ artefacts but will place them in the institute or museum felt best to house them.