HELP KEEP THE SOLENT WILD AND WONDERFUL
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust have recently launched a very special campaign all about showing our sea The Solent some love to help them look after our amazing marine wildlife. The trust have an opportunity right now to unlock vital funds to safeguard the Solent and they need your help!
Every £1 they raise gives them the chance to unlock an incredible extra £9.85 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, which will allow the trust to work with local people and partners to keep the Solent special.
…Every £1 they raise gives them the chance to unlock an incredible extra £9.85 from the Heritage Lottery Fund…
We’re also really pleased to share the film Strong Island Media have made with the trust to promote this campaign, featuring Portsmouth paratriathlete and Team GB member Lauren Steadman and local scuba diver, photographer & filmmaker David Jones from Triton Scuba. The film includes underwater footage by David from dive sites in The Solent.
Our strip of sea is one of the liveliest in the UK and is enjoyed by millions of people every year…
What’s so special about the Solent?
Our strip of sea is one of the liveliest in the UK and is enjoyed by millions of people every year. People come here to sail, surf, canoe, fish, dive, kayak, paddleboard, swim and so much more. The Solent supports important fisheries, supplying restaurants and consumers with fresh local mackerel, sea bass and cockles. Thousands live and work alongside the Solent, but hardly anyone knows much about what’s under the surface, such as famous ship wrecks and archaeological treasures, but there’s also amazing sea life too.
Many people think our local sea is almost entirely devoid of life, but that’s so far from the truth. Did you know that just out there are incredible underwater landscapes – seagrass meadows, chalk reefs and rocky sponge gardens, which are home to seahorses and sea bass, seals, colourful anemones, sea squirts and cuttlefish.
What will be done with the money?
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Trust love the Solent and want others to love and care for it too. They know that if people are really going to start standing up for the Solent, first they need to really appreciate what’s at stake. With your money and the funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the trust will get many more people involved in doing things to support the sea:
- Create ‘citizen science’ projects, working with local volunteers to collect data about what’s on our shores and in our seas. This is a really important part of helping push for greater government protections for the Solent.
- Work with the fishing industry, restaurants and consumers to promote local sustainable seafood.
- Build a team of ‘marine champions’ – an army of volunteers who can help protect the Solent and pass on their passion to others.
- Make sure that as many people as possible get to know about the spectacular secrets of the Solent. Our hidden treasures will be brought to the surface through street art, photography and film.
With your money and the funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the trust will get many more people involved in doing things to support the sea…
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust are running a crowdfunding campaign asking people to donate their money to be able to then unlock the huge extra funding…
How can you get involved?
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust are running a crowdfunding campaign asking people to donate their money to be able to then unlock the huge extra funding, every pound you donate means the trust can access a huge £9.85 on top, so a small donation makes an epic difference on what can be achieved. Simply visit the website HERE and get involved.
By getting involved you can get a series of different rewards for your pledges, including the chance to get a boat trip on the Solent with nature expert Tim Ferrero, shoreline safari, your name in the sand and more.
We’ve also donated a very special Photo Walkshop for people that pledge £100, who will receive an invite to an exclusive shoreline photography masterclass with professional photographer Paul Gonella from Strong Island.
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