Big Give 2023: Urgent repairs at Port Lockroy
28/11/2023
Last year, record snowfall caused unprecedented damage to the roof at Port Lockroy. Please help us protect this unique site.
At the bottom of the globe, 10,000 miles away from our offices in the UK, on a rocky island the size of a football pitch, are three wooden buildings. It is a special place listed as Historic Site and Monument No. 61 under the Antarctic Treaty, surrounded by dramatic mountains and glacial scenery found nowhere else on Earth.
This is Port Lockroy, the world’s southernmost post office and a museum of Antarctic life, survival and discovery.
Port Lockroy is a special place (Credit: UKAHT)
From secret mission to penguin post office
The location of our beloved penguin post office has been a safe anchorage since it was first named in 1903. For this reason, in 1944 it was selected as Base A – the first continuously occupied British base in Antarctica as part of the secret wartime mission, Operation Tabarin. Over the ensuing years, Port Lockroy witnessed the birth of British Antarctic science while it operated as an atmospheric research base until 1962.
Abandoned for three decades, Port Lockroy was restored in 1996 with support from UKAHT, who then took over full management of the site in 2006. Since then, we’ve been welcoming visitors to the museum and the world’s southernmost public post office, while capturing important data on our resident gentoo colony.
Port Lockroy was established in 1944 (Credit: BAS Archives)
Record snowfall
The climate is warming, conditions are changing, and we are seeing the impact. Last year, heavy, record snowfall caused unprecedented damage to the wooden roof at Port Lockroy.
Swift repairs are now urgently needed to ensure the continuation of the museum which commemorates the life and work of our Antarctic researchers.
We now need to repair the roof but also make it structurally safe for the future. We will work with skilled heritage carpenters and use traditional materials and techniques to make repairs and preserve the buildings’ authenticity.
Port Lockroy received record snowfall last year (Credit: Clare Ballantyne/UKAHT)
The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2023
Conservation in Antarctica is like nowhere else on Earth and we rely on donations to make it all happen. You can be part of Antarctica’s story by joining the conservation efforts and pledging a donation today.
We are participating in the Big Give Christmas Challenge – a national fundraising campaign raising funds for special causes. We aim to raise £30,000 towards the conservation at Port Lockroy.
From 28 November to 5 December, all donations will be matched by funders at Big Give. This year, we are being championed by The Reed Foundation.
For example, if you donate £100, we will receive £200 at no extra cost to you.
In 2024, Port Lockroy celebrates its 80th birthday. Please help us continue to protect this unique site and share its stories with people all over the world.
To donate, please visit our Big Give campaign page from midday on 28 November to 5 December.
As ever, thank you so much for your continued support. From secret mission to penguin post office, Port Lockroy is an ever-evolving story. We can’t wait to see what the next 80 years have to say.
