Personal message

My name is Matthew, an environmental lawyer with a heart for adventure and animal welfare. I was inspired to follow Woodrock Animal Rescue's mantra 'Action not Words' and wanted to make a difference to rescue animals lives.

In April 2013, I trekked from Resolute Bay in Canada to the Magnetic North Pole. We overcame blizzards, polar bears and temperatures as low as -70 degrees Celsius (with the wind chill). For more information on this expedition, please see more here and here.

In April/May of 2016 I will be undertaking another one of the famous Arctic expeditions: a coast to coast crossing of Greenland. This 540km trek is extremely challenging. I will have to negotiate crevasses in the glacier, where it reaches an altitude of 2500m above sea level. This trip will be unsupported which means that we will be pulling all of our supplies and kit behind us in sleds, weighing around 80kg each (my Facebook page is here). Upon completing this expedition, I will be the first South African to have achieved both of these milestones.

This expedition is raising money and awareness for Woodrock Animal Rescue so that they can build a clinic at their facility in the Hennops River Valley, 20 minutes north of Fourways, Johannesburg. When I welcomed a miniature schnauzer into my family, I was exposed to the Schnauzer Friends South Africa community. In 2015, they shut down a large schnauzer puppy farm in Mpumalanga with over 300 breeding schnuazers being medically treated, sterilized and rehomed into loving homes . Woodrock stepped up to the challenge and assisted the Schnauzer Friends South Africa rescue team with advice and infrastructure, even when their own shelter was overflowing.

Woodrock desperately needs a medical clinic on their premises. I was amazed to find out that Woodrock staff drive the animals needing medical attention to vets in Johannesburg (an hour and a half round trip), which is traumatic for the animals, expensive, and often wastes precious times when there is an emergency. Having a medical clinic on their premises will enable Woodrock to medically treat and sterilize many rescue animals that come into its care. In addition the clinic will assist Woodrock with its flagship township outreach programme to assist the surrounding communities to care for and sterilize their pets. A clinic at Woodrock will change the lives of many rescue animals going forward.  

For more infomation, please see here.

OFFLINE DONATIONS:

LISA BURNELL R30 000 11 Feb 2016 "I cannot describe in words how proud I am of you Matthew. You are my role model and my hero. Mom would be so amazed at what you have achieved and I know she is smiling down from heaven. She loved you so much and she would be so so proud of what you are doing for the animals at Woodrock. So on behalf of my late mom, Carol Burnell and myself I donate this money with all my heart to your cause..... With tears of joy, not sadness, in my eyes. Love you Matthew x x x!"

WENDY POULTON R10 000 11 Jan 2016 "My nephew Matthew is such an inspiration to us all with his fearless approach to life. He is also kind and generous and like everyone in our family, unashamedly dog mad! What a great combination to become the first South African to walk to the magnetic north pole and across Greenland, whilst helping animals who bring us such joy!"

CROSSFIT EX ANIMO R17000 2 April 2016 "As part of adventurer Matthew Burnells fundraising for his Operation Greenland Woodrock Clinic Dream expedition taking place mid April 2016, his friends and fellow fitness fanatics at Crossfit Ex Animo hosted a charity workout and exhibition in aid of Woodrock's clinic Dream. More than 80 crossfitters sweated their way to R17000! A big thank you to all the participants and sponsors in helping us get one step closer to realizing the dream. You guys are amazing and our rescue animals are all chattering away in their kennels about how awesome you guys are! 

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