Every partner within the WCA has equal opportunities and a united voice within the WCA, that means that whether you have been a partner for a month or over 5 years, you can be a part of our working groups, bring in new ideas and cooperate with ongoing projects.
Here we share the experiences of Simon McPherson who has been a partner just over a year, but has been very active within the WCA in that period.
“I’ve always had an interest in animals from a young age, and got interested in wildlife conservation when I was studying it at college. This then led me to do some volunteer work for conservation projects in the UK and internationally, including the WCA and I decided to study Marine Ecology and Conservation at university. I am now at a stage where I want to pursue a career where I can dedicate my time and efforts towards wildlife conservation.
“What’s so unique about the WCA is that every Partner owns every part of the organisation, and we all work together to help run it.”
Simon McPherson, Individual WCA Partner
I’ve always believed in supporting small organisations who are still trying to find their feet but can make a big impact on wildlife conservation. I first heard about the WCA when I attended WhaleFest a few years ago. I got inspired about their work and got in touch to see if I could assist in any way. I have been a WCA partner for over a year and have attended their Responsible Whale Watching Guide course and been involved with the Responsible Whale Watching and the Communications Group. Currently I am involved with the Brighton Dolphin Project (BDP), the WCA’s local initiative which aims to improve awareness about the importance of marine conservation along the coastline of Sussex.
What’s so unique about the WCA is that every Partner owns every part of the organisation, and we all work together to help run it. It’s very rare you meet an organisation who cares so deeply about building relationships where everyone can play their part in running this institution. It is great to see how far the WCA has come in the 6 years it has been running.
The biggest achievement of the WCA in my opinion, was the news that Virgin Holidays had agreed to stop selling tickets to attractions that have captive cetaceans. It is really amazing to see that people are finally waking up to the reality that the best way to see these incredible animals is in their natural habitat. There is still a long way to go with creating responsibly led whale watching businesses, but I am more than happy to do my part for the cause.
For the future, I would like for the BDP to become a long term sustainable project that has a real emphasis on engaging the community about caring for their local marine environment, whilst also showcasing the actions people can take to lead a lifestyle that will have a greater appreciation of our seas. We have set ourselves a goal for 2025: to Reconnect Sussex with its Dolphins.
It’s amazing to see what can be done when we all come together as a community, and feel like you are being part of the world’s largest partnership of advocates, experts, and passionate experts working to protect whales, dolphins, and porpoises worldwide.”
WCA Partners, like Simon, make the WCA what it is today. We thank Simon for his tremendous hard work for the WCA and the Brighton Dolphin Project.
