I am very excited to announce that I have become an Ocean Ambassador for the Marine Conservation Society. Oceans and marine life have always been a huge part of my life. I grew up learning to swim in Egypt as a child and learning about the wonders of what lies beneath the sea. I remember travelling to the Red Sea at the weekends with my family and jumping off a boat into the water, with nothing beneath me but the big blue. It kickstarted a love of swimming that led me to Paralympic glory, but also a passion for ocean protection and conservation. I became a member of the Shark Trust when I was a teenager and avidly BBC documentaries from Sir David Attenborough and others, anything that covered oceans and seas. In fact, had I felt confident in my skills in the sciences, I was desperate to study marine biology, but other skills in languages meant I went in a different path! However, there is an opportunity now for me to support conservation efforts and education and I hope to support and add value to this global and important topic. I look forward to getting stuck in, learning and understanding about our seas in the UK and to expand and collaborate with others globally.
Global awareness around climate change, plastic pollution and over-fishing has increased over the past two years, supported by the incredible Blue Planet series amongst others. There is still more to be done however and I will do all I can to protect a precious environment that I am passionate about.
