'wing walking' (noun): acrobatic stunts performed on the wings of an airborne aircraft as a public entertainment.

That's what I am doing ..... in order to raise funds for Care for Wild, the world’s largest rhino sanctuary, based in South Africa. Care for Wild rescues, rehabilitates, and protects orphaned and injured rhinos, while also working closely with surrounding communities to address the root causes of poaching.

You probably know I spent most of my 20s and 30s in Africa. The first place I lived - in 1999, in the Northern Province of South Africa, had a family of white rhino. They were magnificent creatures and were the pride of the farm. On my third day there, I was driving on the farm for the first time, rounded a corner and came face to face with the male rhino .... looking straight at us, about 30m away. For a second or two both parties just looked at each other. Then the rhino charged. 'Go, go, go' shouted Ben, the farm employee who lived and worked on the farm forever.

I've never reversed so fast in my life and we got far enough away. It was my first true experience of Africa!

Sadly, all four rhinos were killed and had their horns chainsawed off in 2016.

When I visited the farm in 2017, they told me of the complex criminal operation that involved the farm being staked out for months prior, holes and decoy holes being made in the fences, the anti-poaching helicopter being intentionally diverted away when the poaching was taking place and a series of getaway and decoy vehicles in place to flee with the horns.

Care for Wild’s work even goes far beyond wildlife protection. By investing in education, employment, and community projects, they help ensure young people are given opportunities that don’t place them in harm’s way or draw them into poaching networks.

Why wing walking? Because protecting rhinos demands bold action. Balancing on a moving aircraft thousands of feet above the ground is a powerful reminder of how fragile these animals’ futures are, and how much courage it takes to defend them.

Every donation, no matter the size, helps Care for Wild continue their vital work on the ground. From veterinary care and security to education and community outreach, your support directly protects rhinos and the people who live alongside them.

Please support our wing walkers, share this page, and help us keep rhinos where they belong: alive, protected, and wild.

Thank you for helping us make a difference.

100% of the donations will go to the charity, none of it is being used to pay for the wing walking.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.