I’m volunteering next summer to support Operation Wallacea’s conservation management research in South Africa. I’ll be working in a game reserve, helping local communities to understand the impact of elephant populations on the local ecosystem.

To raise money for the trip I’m going to do a marathon beach walk along the south coast of England collecting litter along the way. Our aim is to help tackle the huge amount of rubbish and plastic that end up in the oceans every year – one of the biggest environmental issues facing the planet today.

OpWall runs biological and conservation management research programmes in remote areas around the world. Its focus is on sustainable development, empowering communities in developing nations to build commercial enterprises which are specifically linked to biodiversity conservation.