Sacha Dench, adventurer, conservationist, champion sportswoman, announces a new mission to unite, excite and inspire the nation to tackle the climate crisis and environment degradation. Famously known as “The Human Swan” for her paramotor journey in 2016 following the Bewick’s swan migration from the Russian arctic to the UK, she will circumnavigate Britain in a green electricity powered paramotor starting next April.
Sacha's is the first woman to receive prestigious Britannia Trophy in 50 years, a UN Ambassador for Migratory Species, winner of the Green Swan Award, alongside Sir Tim Smit of the Eden Project, and a Freediving record holder - not to mention women of the year 2017.
The immediate aim is to galvanise the entire country to take part in TWO Guinness World Record attempts for the environment!
Over this ambitious and demanding 4-5 week, 3000+ mile expedition, Sacha will fly around the whole coastline of Britain, visiting hundreds of people and environmental projects run by different communities, schools, companies, farmers and individuals. All whilst breaking records in the use of new technology.
With the support of climate scientists, farmers, water companies, councils and more, she and the team will visit and document how climate change is affecting different regions of Britain - the good and the bad.
They will gather information, photos and video footage – from the air, the ground and even underwater, which will be accessible to general media, which will highlight issues ranging from food and water security, to health, our economy, to natural disasters and ending the biodiversity crisis.
After the end of the expedition Sacha will take everything learned along the way and the input from voices from around the country to the main influencers in the country, to Westminster and to global leaders at COP26.
This map gives an indication of some of the projects that will be visited – but many more will be added before take-off next year – and suggestions are welcome.
Sacha has a very personal reason for getting involved in the climate crisis issue – earlier this year her family home was raised to the ground by the Australian bushfires which also killed millions of animals and destroyed the environment for years to come.
To get the project off to a flying start a Crowdfunder has been launched and is now live on https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/round-britain-climate-challenge
Sacha and the team at her charity, Conservation Without Borders, encourage everybody to spread the word and help raise donations to this record-breaking game-changing expedition - through social media and other channels over the 5 weeks that the crowdfunder will run.
Sacha said
“As well as investigating how climate change is affecting different regions of the country, the expedition will give us an overview of what is being done to cut carbon and preserve and restore our environment - who is doing what, where and what works and what doesn’t.
We want to find the likely and unlikely heroes for the climate. It’s also great that I can use this as a trial for electric flight, and challenge what we think is possible!”
I believe that it will capture the imagination of the young and old, rural and urban, it will focus all our minds on solutions, and I hope it will encourage everyone, in however small a way, to get involved.
Britain drove the industrial revolution – we can drive the green revolution too”
The project has the support of many well-known individuals, companies and coalitions of NGOs – ranging from The Eden Project, The Climate Coalition (members include Women’s Institute and the National Trust) to Race To Zero (members include the Fashion Charter for Climate Action, Ikea, BT), Countusin, The Green Alliance (supporters include Boots, Scottish Power, RSPB and DEFRA), Re-wilding Britain, the Scouts and The Nature Friendly Farming Network.
Adam Millward, Managing Editor of Guinness World Records said
“We are delighted to be working with Sacha on a variety of record proposals relating to a number of exciting future journeys that will see her once again take to the air in order to fly the flag for nature.
Sacha is already a part of the Guinness World Records family, having become the first woman to cross the English Channel by paramotor during her epic “Flight of the Swans” expedition in 2016. Given her tenacity and drive, we know she has her sights set on achieving more records, and there’s not many that would bet against someone like Sacha in seeing her goal through! “
Nigel Topping, High Level Climate Champion commented
“Sacha has found a new way to shift the narrative on climate and biodiversity issues with a perfect hybrid of high profile communication leading to real, on the ground action whilst making an important contribution to the global climate crisis”
Patron Dame Judi Dench added
“ I couldn’t be more enthusiastic about this – I think it is admirable & what a fantastic example at this time, when we are all so concerned about climate change, that Sacha is yet again drawing attention to its consequence.”
To find out more watch the launch video HERE
For more information on how you can support Sacha and her team on this mission around the UK, visit their crowdfunding page HERE
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