Community Turns Out in Wave of Support for Aescleah and Her Walk for Hector’s Team
WWF Media release 5 March 2009
They say every journey starts with the first step. But for 15 year old Aescleah Hawkins, the first steps of her journey yesterday – a 42 km walk for Hector’s dolphins – also began with a memorable send off from 265 cheering school students, well wishers from the local community, Christchurch’s Mayor Bob Parker, and even a dancing supporter wearing a dolphin costume.
Christchurch’s Heathcote Valley School hosted the event as Aescleah and a team of 12 started their three-day walk from Lyttleton to Akaroa this morning, to raise funds and awareness for WWF’s campaign to protect Hector’s dolphins.
The children presented the walkers with nearly $300 raised through a mufti day, reading out dolphin poems, waving them off on their journey with cut outs of dolphins and holding up a sign they had painted.
“Looking after what we have is really important,” said Greg Lewis, Principal of Heathcote Valley School, speaking at the launch event this morning. “Community is about people and it’s about our environment too. Hector’s dolphins are part of our community and it’s up to us to look after them,”
True locals, Hector’s dolphins live only in New Zealand, and are often seen in Lyttleton Harbour and around Banks Peninsula. But due to human actions, they are now amongst the rarest marine dolphins in the world. When Aescleah discovered that a species so close to home was at risk of extinction, she immediately wanted to help, and so contacted WWF with the idea of doing the walk for Hector’s through the dolphins’ habitat:
“I’m really looking forward to the walk and the support from everyone has been amazing,” she said at today’s launch event. “I hope that from this more people see that we can make a difference, and we have to do something now, because Hector’s dolphins really need our help to survive.”
As today’s celebratory send off showed, what began as one girl’s decision to make a personal stand to protect Hector’s dolphins, has drawn the support of the local community, who have been quick to embrace the cause.
Mayor Bob Parker, a former student of Heathcote Valley School, said: “Anything we can do to raise awareness about the plight of the Hector’s dolphin is fantastic. Good on Aescleah, it’s wonderful to see someone so passionate about this cause, and making a strong stand. It shows individuals can make a difference.”
Since Mayor Bob Parker’s days at Heathcote Valley School, much has changed for Hector’s dolphins – their numbers have plummeted from around 29,000 to an estimated 7000 today. WWF ranks their rapid decline a ‘national conservation emergency’ and has campaigned for over 10 years for the species to be protected. Through the Walk for Hector’s, Aescleah hopes more people will become aware of the dolphins’ plight and more will be done to help protect these rare and special animals.
“I am personally blown away by the amazing commitment from Aescleah and her team of walkers to the cause, and by the stunning community support for protecting Hector’s dolphins,” said WWF’s Executive Director, Chris Howe. “Our thanks go out to everyone involved in the walk for Hector’s, from the students of Heathcote Valley School to walkers themselves and everyone who has donated to the cause. The level of support shows New Zealand communities are passionate about Hector’s dolphins, they want them protected, and they’re getting out there and doing something about it. We wish them well for their walk.”
You can donate to the walk for Hector’s at www.givealittle.co.nz/hectors.
All funds raised by the Walk for Hector’s go to WWF’s campaign to protect Hector’s dolphins.
For more information about Walk for Hector’s events, go to wwf.org.nz/hectors
To make a donation to Aescleah and her team’s Walk for Hector’s go to: www.givealittle.co.nz/hectors
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