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The Pursuit of a Brighter Future: Pelorus Inaugural Charity Dinner
On the 2nd of November 2023, Superyachts.com had the pleasure of attending the Pelorus Foundation's inaugural charity dinner dedicated to the pursuit of a brighter future for our planet. The event not only highlighted the incredible work that the foundation is doing, but served as a hub for the sharing of knowledge and experiences to assist in encouraging positive environmental change.
The stunning Natural History Museum in London served as the perfect location for Pelorus Foundation's inaugral charity dinner, as guests found themselves surrounded by the natural wonders that the foundation strives to protect. The Pelorus Foundation contributes actively to conservation, education and community engagement in the regions that they explore.
As sustainability and the protection of marine life is becoming ever-more prominent within the superyacht industry, the foundation highlights the important ways in which we can actively assist in protecting the ocean environment. The foundation's yachting conservation initiative provides an advancement of ocean access, marine research and global knowledge to ensure that the ocean environment is being protected, something which is reflected in the superyacht world through the advancement in hybrid technologies and the development of vessels such as REV OCEAN which act as research and expedition yachts as well as charter vessels.
The evening began with guests viewing the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition: a breathtaking collection of photographs showcasing nature in its most authentic forms and beautifully setting the scene for what the evening would entail. Guests then moved into the iconic Earth Hall situated underneath the museum’s famed metallic globe where Pelorus Foundation’s co-founder Geordie Mackay-Lewis made a welcome speech.
Monty Halls, a former Royal Marines Officer and qualified marine biologist, made the captivating keynote speech. From taking the first ever underwater photograph of a rare crocodile species in Belize to discovering a sunken city off the coast of Tamil Nadu in India, his exceptional achievements from his global expeditions were showcased. Halls shared his latest project Generation Sea Change, in which he sailed across the south coast of the UK with his children, exploring community-based marine conservation projects and innovators.
The evening had a number of special guests, including host Di Stewart and auctioneer Tom Best. An incredible amount of money was raised through the silent and live auctions for the Pelorus Foundation's life-saving efforts, of which will support a number of current projects that the foundation is overseeing.
The foundation is currently working to safeguard Namibia’s pangolins, the world’s most trafficked mammal, from poaching for lucrative and illegal trade. 2023 has seen the rehabilitation of 19 pangolins back into the wild after successfully being rescued from poachers. Pelorus Foundation is also helping to empower African Field Rangers with specialised training to defend them against poachers; to date, over 200 rangers working in some of the most challenging environments have been trained. Lastly, the foundation is preserving Kenya’s marine biodiversity, shielding endangered sea turtles and reviving coral life through innovative ocean gardening. A key achievement of this year has been the signing of a new community agreement for the ongoing safeguarding of the local marine protected area.
The event was a testament to a shared commitment to safeguard the wonders of our world for years to come: a powerful display of the importance of protecting our planet. It was a highly successful evening which saw valuable funds raised for an admirable cause and the sharing of knowledge to encourage everyone to take part in celebrating and safeguarding the environment.