American Friends of UKAHT

American Friends of UKAHT Based in the US?

American Friends of UKAHT is a unique community of people who share an interest in Antarctica and care for its special places.

Support from our friends through our CAF America Friends Fund enables us to repair and conserve historic buildings, continue our penguin study and share Antarctica’s wildlife and stories with schools and communities. 

A special relationship for Antarctica

For over 200 years, the US and the UK have played a pivotal role in Antarctica’s story, right back to the discovery of the continent in the 1820s. The countries are long-term collaborators on the protection of the continent, from scientific research to logistics support. Today, our historic buildings in Antarctica, from Port Lockroy to Damoy Hut, never fail to receive the warmest of greetings from our American visitors.

Stonington Island

Stonington Island, named after the birthplace of US explorer Nathaniel Palmer, is home to two extraordinary historic bases situated just 250 yards apart - American East Base (1939-41, 1947-48), and British Base E (1946-1975). Expedition teams from the US and UK often shared formal dinners and joined forces on a dramatic crevasse rescue. As a charity, we work with the US Parks Department to monitor and help maintain the American East Base.

A US female first

Stonington also saw the first women overwinter in Antarctica. Americans Edith ‘Jackie’ Ronne – whose husband Finn Ronne was the base leader – and Jennie Darlington spent the 1947-48 winter at Stonington on the way to becoming the first women in history to spend a year in Antarctica. Darlington found comfort in the homeliness of Base E, ‘water was boiling for tea, and cake and hot scones sent wonderful odours from the Esse stove in the small kitchen off the main room.’ The Ronne Ice Shelf would later be named in honour of Edith.

Protecting Endurance

As a charity, we lead on the conservation management of Shackleton’s Endurance, one of the most important wrecks in world history. We call on an international community to help us protect Endurance for the future, through knowledge sharing, advocacy and philanthropy.

Join our American family

If you’d like to know more about our American Friends community, you can get in touch by emailing Camilla Johns, Head of Development, or sign up for our US newsletter below.

Email Camilla CAF America Gift Form

Subscribe to our US newsletter

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Make a donation via CAF America

CAF America has 501(c)(3) status, increasing the tax efficiency of your gift. You can also make your donation in US dollars. 

To make a gift online, visit our dedicated CAF America Friends Fund page.  

Gifts can also be made by check:  

  • Step 1: Download and complete a CAF America Gift Form.
  • Step 2: Attach the gift form with your check and mail to: 

Charities Aid Foundation of America 
225 Reinekers Lane, Suite 375 
Alexandria, VA 22314 

How your gift helps 

Our supporters across the world have contributed to a wide range of programmes and projects including: 

  • Wildlife monitoring 
  • Historic building conservation 
  • School and community programmes  
  • Antarctic policy and protection 

Donations and gifts made by our US family of supporters have provided essential support to enable the care and preservation of historic sites in Antarctica and for our work to help share the magic of this continent with others.