Raising vital funds for WWF

Thirty two miles. Two demanding days of trekking. Raising vital funds for WWF.

The 24th May wasn’t just another ordinary working day for Zelda Bentham, our Group Head of Sustainability. Instead of getting up, making a cup of tea and switching on her laptop, she headed off on a six hour journey north to Scotland. 

Zelda has taken part in a gruelling two-day trek in support of the WWF’s inaugural Chairman’s challenge, working to build a better future where people and nature can thrive.

The opportunity for Zelda to join the WWF's challenge Cape Wrath Trek is part of Aviva’s and WWF-UK three-year partnership. Together we’re focusing on making a positive impact on climate change across three programme themes: climate resilience, realigning the finance sector to a 1.5 degree pathway and, engaging millions of people across the U.K. and Canada to understand the power of individual choices and action for the planet.

Zelda joined a group of twenty five other trekkers from business and public life, who were brought together by Dave Lewis, WWF’s Chair.

Following a further two hour drive north west from Inverness to base camp at Kinlochbervie, and checking into the single person tents, Zelda and the group got to travel via small boats to Handa Island to spot puffins, guillemots, skuas, Razorbills, Sea Eagles and Great Northern Divers. This all giving the group insight on the impact of climate change and overfishing on the flora and fauna - lower sand eel stocks causing ripples of impact through the whole food chain.

Day one of the trek involved sixteen miles, around the slopes of Foinaven (a 911m high mountain) in the footsteps of red deer. The weather conditions were wet and windy with the occasional hailstorm and far from ideal with Zelda adding: “I feel like I’ve just been through a 22km washing machine cycle”.

On day two they took a ferry to Cape Wrath lighthouse followed by six hours of trekking.  Weather conditions were better, but winds had still been up to 40 mph. The views were awesome - the beautiful Scottish beaches and sea stacks in the distance helped keep everyone going.

This is an amazing effort Zelda, utilising the volunteering hours that Aviva gives to their employees every year  - well done to you and the team.