I have entered the fundraising flotilla supporting The Alde & Ore Estuary Trust. The route is just under 5 miles in open water. Your support will help to improve the flood defences around the estuary.

First built in the late Middle Ages, the river walls were last rebuilt after the 1953 floods. The increase in sea levels, extreme weather events, and the natural deterioration of the walls highlights the urgent need to upgrade our defences against a catastrophic flood.

Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the estuary, rich in flora and fauna, is home to spoonbills, water voles, avocets and other protected species.

Within the flood cells are local communities and businesses, over 1000 buildings, more than 100km of public and permissive paths, 3335 hectares of farmland, and freshwater aquifers servicing a further 7800 acres.

Each winter the Alde and Ore experiences storm surges. Your support can reduce the risk of flooding, and preserve this estuary for future generations.