On 21st April 2016 I begin a walk from the west of Ireland to the Wash in Norfolk to raise money and awareness for the curlew, one of the most charismatic yet threatened birds in Britain. In June 2014 the common curlew (Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata) was uplisted to the status of Near Threatened with extinction on the global Red List, due to the rapid declines it has experienced, especially in the British Isles. Urgent action is needed to help halt and reverse these trends.

Curlews are known particularly for their haunting, evocative call, which embodies wild places. You can see them along coasts and estuaries during the winter and come spring they breed on moorland, mountain slopes and meadows. The UK is of global importance for the species, being home to 25% of the world population. We have a profound responsibility to conserve this lovely bird.

Curlews were once so common it was taken for granted they would always grace our meadows and wilderness, but in Ireland, they have declined by over 90%, in Wales by 80% and an average of 50% throughout England and Scotland over the last 20 years. They are threatened by many things such as changes in land use, draining of wetlands and farming practices - especially on their breeding grounds.

I am doing this alone, unpaid, as I am passionate about saving these birds