Manta Trust Fundraiser
In June, the Dive Worldwide team took part in Manta Trust’s virtual fitness challenge, ‘Cross the Oceans’. Find out more about our pledge and progress throughout the challenge.
Since 2021, Manta Trust has been virtually crossing the seven seas to raise vital funds for manta ray conservation – they’ve travelled over 21,582km and raised £32,773 to date! This year they took on the Pacific – 5,000km from the Revillagigedo Archipelago to Hawaii, with the aim of raising £10,000 to help protect these gentle ocean giants.
To help the trust achieve this goal, we gathered a great team and pledged to walk, run, cycle and swim 2,000km over the course of June, and raise £1,000 for this worthy cause.
Each week we shared updates of our progress in this blog, on Instagram and Facebook, and in our What’s Bubbling e-news!
A note from head honcho Phil North:
"The Manta Trust plays a crucial role in the research and conservation of manta rays. An animal, as divers, we all revere. We are so pleased to be able to support this vital cause and join the Cross the Oceans challenge. Help us clock up the miles for manta rays by donating anything you can spare!"
Our Challenge Progression
We got off to a flying start in week 1, with the team busy clocking kilometres during all hours of the day, even as early as before commuting to the office! We didn't have the best weather for the start of the challenge, but many have persevered through the wind and rain to get those kms in the bag. After week 1 we conquered 1190.38km, with three teammates clocking over 100km!
Week 2 saw us swap our raincoats for sunhats as we moved past the halfway point with a new total of 1,627km. Moving into the final weeks of the challenge, the team continued to work hard fundraising and adding kilometres to our running total.
The sun was out every day during week 3, and we battled the heat walking, running, cycling and swimming. Those who swam their kilometres definitely had the right idea, as we reached 30+ degrees some days! At this point we had achieved 75% of our fundraising goal, and conquered a dizzying 2,156km over 260 hours, smashing through our initial kilometre target!
Week 4 was our final push to the finish line. The team did really well to keep adding to their personal kilometre goals, sharing their progress, and getting some more donations!
So, did we hit our fundraising goal? Keep scrolling to find out ...
Updates from the team across the challenge:
Digital Content Manager Katie H had better weather in Montenegro early on in the month, as she got some kilometres under her belt hiking Crvena Greda, Durmitor National Park!
Some team members have been joined by their four-legged friends on their quest to reach their personal goals. Product Manager Joanna C took on dog sitting duties to get the extra steps in, and Dive Sales Consultant Cath B wore her dog Kali out!
Philippa A spent time enjoying her local river as she added on kilometres to our total!
"Being a diver land locked in Cambridgeshire is a challenge in itself, but there’s nothing like just being out on the water by whatever means! Here, I’ve been enjoying paddling the River Cambs, making some headway towards our team goal in support of the Manta Trust."
The team also embarked on some group excursions to clock up the kilometres. Emily, Katie A, Beth and Katie H from the marketing team enjoyed a group walk along a local canal one weekend, taking in the local wildlife as they walked along the towpath.
Our resident runners added the kilometres around their local area! Phil N enjoyed his runs along the South Downs Way, while Joanna C and her partner soaked up the sun running around Grafham Water!
Shem T and Emily P took the challenge by storm, clocking 1,000km between them! As part of his cycling challenge, Shem cycled 75km of the South Downs Way, starting at the King Alfred statue in Winchester at 4:20am!
"I joined the Manta Challenge charity because I’m passionate about marine conservation and absolutely love manta rays. Diving with these “angels of the sea” for the first time was an unforgettable experience—their size and graceful movements blew me away. Mantas are so important for keeping our oceans healthy, but sadly they face big threats like habitat destruction and overfishing.
Supporting the Manta Challenge gives me a chance to help protect these amazing creatures, spread awareness, and ensure future generations get to experience their beauty too. My time in the ocean with mantas has only made me more determined to help." - Shem T
As a reward for achieving the most kilometres, Shem and Emily each received a fantastic Team Manta T-shirt.
The Results
We smashed it!
In total, we collectively travelled 2,600km and raised £1,145.90, surpassing our original targets!
A huge thank you to everyone who sponsored us, and to our team for getting those kilometres in and helping to raise awareness about manta rays! All funds raised provide vital support in protecting these incredible gentle giants.
If you’d like to support the Dive Worldwide team and help manta ray conservation, please consider making a donation to help us reach our fundraising goal. Thank you!
