Tea to help preserve Scott's hut

Dominion Post

PUT THE KETTLE ON: tea sold at Tescos will raise funds to help preserve Captain Robert Scott's hut at Cape Evans in Antarctica.

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The blend of tea that fortified Captain Robert Scott in Antarctica has provided a breakthrough in New Zealand efforts to preserve his hut from destruction.

Captain Scott's Strong Blend has been revived by British supermarket chain Tescos as a fundraiser for the Christchurch-based Antarctic Heritage Trust's campaign to save Scott's hut at Cape Evans, near Scott Base.

The British Government has come under fire from Sir Edmund Hillary and others for failing to make a substantial contribution towards the $9 million needed to preserve the hut, which was named this year as one of the 100 most endangered historic sites in the world.

Trust executive director Nigel Watson said Tescos had approached it with the deal, which will see 5p from each pack of tea sold go towards the hut restoration fund.

"Given that it's Tescos, I'd expect the amount of money this will raise will be substantial," he said.

The British Government contributed to preserving the three huts used by Scott and Ernest Shackleton in March this year, the month after Hillary had lambasted its stance.

It pledged about $700,000 but stymied an exemption from the ban on lottery grants for projects off British soil.

The cause of the huts' preservation was adopted by others, including Sir David Attenborough, who said it would be a scandal for Britain not to contribute to the trust's preservation efforts.

The deal was finalised between the British branch of the trust and Tesco. The tea will go on sale in November and will feature an explanation of Scott's request for a particularly strong blend of tea, plus photographs from the expedition.

- © Fairfax NZ News