“I never imagined where that spontaneous moment would end up taking me,” said a mum-of-two who will soon become an arctic explorer.

Rebecca MacInnes, the director of Suffolk-based NOMAD Sea Kayaking, was very frustrated seeing piles of rubbish on beach land along the Orwell and shared a video. 

She never imagined the video would lead her to winning an international competition - beating more than 14,000 applicants. 

Ipswich Star: Rebecca at Beach Clean by Kayak on the Orwell estuary, SuppliedRebecca at Beach Clean by Kayak on the Orwell estuary, Supplied (Image: Supplied)

The director, who is from Charsfield, near Woodbridge, has been chosen to represent the UK in a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Fjallraven Polar 2023.

The 50-year-old starts her expedition on March 30 and will be travelling by dog sled across 300km of Scandinavia’s Arctic tundra, working with a team of six dogs, sleeping outdoors, in the wild with snow and temperatures expected to get down to –30.

She said: “We spend a lot of our time along the Suffolk and Essex coast running trips, courses and beach cleans.

Ipswich Star: Rebecca with her fiancé Kurt and daughters Holly, 17, and Ellie, 21, Family archivesRebecca with her fiancé Kurt and daughters Holly, 17, and Ellie, 21, Family archives (Image: Family archives)

“On this particular day, we landed our group and were met with a beach so full of rubbish that I was ashamed.

“When I started recording, I didn’t hold back, which isn’t like me at all!

“I shared my rant and didn't think any more of it as we got on with clearing the shoreline, but to my surprise we had a lot of supportive comments with many people sharing my irritation.

“I never imagined where that spontaneous moment would end up taking me.”

Rebecca won her place to become a member of 2023’s 20 strong team chosen from 14,460 applicants from all over the world.

Ipswich Star: Becky & Mac, SuppliedBecky & Mac, Supplied (Image: Supplied)

She said: “I think honesty and standing up for what you believe in is unusual nowadays. I think that is a shame.

“It seems that people are scared to say what needs to be said, and that the panel at Fjallraven liked the truth and integrity of the video, even though I was nervous to share it.”

Ipswich Star: Rebecca with her daughters Ellie and Holly, Family archivesRebecca with her daughters Ellie and Holly, Family archives (Image: Family archives)

NOMAD Sea Kayaking and NOMAD Community Projects do a huge amount of work beach cleaning and educating people about our precious environment alongside Suffolk’s Coast and Heaths AONB.