Take a look at our grant Application letter 

We are Operation Wallacea and we need your help! 

We are a group of students from Thetford Academy (Thomas Paine) sixth form who are raising sponsorship money for an expedition to Indonesia through Operation Wallacea, an established charity that aims to preserve and research complex ecosystems across the world. We are planning to travel to Indonesia for two weeks in the summer of 2025 to promote sustainable practices and undertake scientific research regarding the biodiversity of the Wallacea region. In return for any support you show towards us, we are more than happy to offer presentations of our experience in Indonesia through blogs and websites, for promotional or advertising purposes.  

During the first week of the expedition, there are many opportunities to learn what has already been recorded about the Wallacea region’s wildlife and ecology through a series of lectures and field-based practicals. One of the primary objectives will be to complete numerous surveys of the area, including forest structure measurements, patch occupancy analysis and bird point counts. Additionally, there is a canopy access experience in which the participants will be able to climb through the upper level of the forest as part of a jungle skills section, to look at fauna that is not necessarily based on ground level. This results in large sets of data being recorded on the region, which directly contributes to work that is being done to look at the effects of global climate change. 

The second week of the expedition will be based at the Hoga Island marine camp which is situated in the Wakatobi Islands National Park, Indonesia’s largest marine protected area. Moreover, there will be a large focus on the reefs and aquatic life in the region as this is at the heart of the Coral Triangle, the most diverse reef in the world. Our team will have the incredible opportunity to complete a PADI Open Water diver qualification, where participants will undergo a course that allows them to scuba dive to the bottom of the reef. Dives will be recorded, and the footage taken back to the camp, so it can be rewatched in the evenings and discussed with professionals through a series of scientific talks. There will also be outreach programmes that engage with extremely remote local fishing communities to raise awareness about sustainable practices that they can take part in. This link is critical as Operation Wallacea is one of the few contacts they have.  

Due to the project being aimed at producing data for scientific research and supporting sustainable habits in the region, participants must fully fund the expedition themselves. The total cost for our team of six students to attend is just over £22 000. As Operation Wallacea has been working in this region for decades, camps and resources regarding food and hygiene are set up and consist of basic living arrangements. The expense is due to the travel costs that come with accessing an extremely remote part of the world and the fees of the qualifications that we would be able to complete. We have already worked hard together to fundraise within the local community, such as raffles, bake sales and private organised raffles at Christmas events, as well as other upcoming events we are currently planning. However, we would need to sell thousands of cupcakes to send us all to Indonesia. If you would be willing to grant what you deem a suitable contribution to be towards the cost of the expedition, our team would be more than happy to do something in return. For example, we could write a blog and take photos of the expedition for you to promote it on the company's website as proof of supporting sustainability in today’s current climate. If you have something else in mind, please let us know as we are willing to take any ideas into consideration.  

Operation Wallacea represents a crucial step towards preserving biodiversity and promoting a sustainable future. With your support, we will be able to be part of this incredible opportunity to aid with environmental conservation in one of the most ecologically diverse places in the world. We are committed to ensuring the success of the fundraising for the expedition and would be grateful for any response your company would have regarding our grant proposal. If you would like to contribute, please email us at sarahblakeystoppard18@thetfordacademy.org.uk or ring 07512 048623. 

Thank you for your time and considerations. 

Sincerely,  

Sarah Blakey, Kennedy Freeman, Taylor Mark-Conlon, Tyler Mark-Conlon, Demi Sadler and Sam Wilkinson.  

Want to help us out? Just email the address above!