Fundraising to save our seas!

Hello, we are back here at Ocean Blogspot after a few very busy weeks (or maybe months) we will be updating you with our goings on and with new articles from guest writers. This is our second article from Tori Williams from the Marin Conservation Society, who we are big fans of here at Ocean Blogspot! 


 

            As the Community Fundraiser at the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) I am really lucky to meet and work with many of our supporters. People from all walks of life are so passionate about protecting our oceans that they will take part and organise events to raise the vital funds needed for MCS to continue our work.

2012 is the first year that MCS has organised a fundraising event – the Big Sea Swim - and I have managed this project from start to finish. From speaking to suppliers, working with our Pollution team to ensure the location has a record of good water quality (the last thing I wanted was a group of sick swimmers!), coordinating volunteers, to working out budgets and informing participants. It’s been a really busy nine months and a real team effort!

The Big Sea Swim took place in Eastbourne on Saturday 30^th June and despite the blustery weather conditions 53 competitors braved the breakers. It was a little worrying getting up at 6am to see the waves breaking and the flags flying along the seafront; postponing the event would have proved challenging with this year’s summer being so unpredictable! Unfortunately we had to cancel the longer distance swim of 3km; luckily conditions improved enough, allowing all swimmers who were confident in choppy water, to take on the 1km distance. You can see the full results and photos from the day by visiting www.mcsuk.org/swim.

 

As the project manager, it was fantastic to see the event come to fruition and I really enjoyed meeting the swimmers on the day – its great putting faces to names after weeks of sending emails and speaking on the phone!

In addition to organising the Big Sea Swim, I also support all individuals and groups that choose to fundraise in aid of MCS – this involves anything from simply sending them a fundraising pack to assisting the promotion of their events via our website and social media and helping them develop the ideas that they have.

I attend the Brighton Marathon annually, which is one of my favourite events to work at and it has the perfect setting for MCS supporters – our runners have said that running along the seafront for the 26^th mile (towards their motivation for taking part) is truly inspiring!

Our amazing supporters take part in a range of challenge events such as marathons, Land’s End to John O’Groats bike rides, sponsored walks and some of the more unusual challenges include kayaking from London to Marrakesh and currently two supporters are walking from Cardiff in Wales to Cardiff in New South Wales, Australia (you can follow their three year walk here: http://borderwalk.co.uk/). 

If anyone would like to do something amazing for our seas and fundraise in aid of MCS, you can get in touch with me via fundraising@mcsuk.org