Thank you for visiting my JustGiving page and supporting the creation of a new traditional orchard at Essex Wildlife Trust’s Abbotts Hall in Great Wigborough. This beautiful orchard will be planted with local heritage fruit-tree varieties, include a peaceful walking route, and become a truly special place for people and wildlife. It is one of several new or enhanced habitats being created at Abbotts Hall to generate Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) units.

With your help, I’m aiming to raise £1,000 — and all I have to do is swim the 7.5 miles of Ullswater in Cumbria in July 2026! It will probably take me just under five hours, depending on conditions, as large lakes can get a little choppy.

I’m taking this on because I care deeply about trees and the extraordinary difference they make. They are home to thousands of species of wildlife; they help purify the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen; and spending time among trees and in nature is essential for our mental health and wellbeing. Yet despite their importance, the UK still has one of the lowest levels of tree cover in Europe, only 13%!

Our climate is in crisis, and nature desperately needs our help. Together we can all do something to leave the world a better place for future generations.

Every donation, large or small, will help create this new traditional orchard, create more habitat, and leave the world better for the generations to come.

If you can support my challenge, I would be incredibly grateful. Thank you.

Image © Andrew Locking