WWF launches its first Brave the Chill challenge

17 Dec 2021 News

WWF has launched its first cold-water challenge, which encourages fundraisers to embrace the cold to raise money for endangered habitats. 

Brave the Chill asks patrons to jump into cold water outdoors, take an ice bath or brace a cold shower in the name of the environment. The challenge will run throughout January.  

WWF suggests participants set a fundraising target of £150, and emphasises the importance of taking part in the challenge safely with guidance about how to do so on its website.

It is free to register for the challenge and each fundraiser will receive digital resources in preparation for it.

Why Brave the Chill?

The challenge aims to raise awareness of the issues facing the four million people and many animals in the Arctic who are endangered due to climate change.

Climate change is melting the ice caps in the Arctic, warming it to about three times as much as the global average, WWF reports. Therefore, the January campaign raises awareness of the endangered species as climate change destroys their habitat. 

Arctic Sea ice reflects the sun’s energy back into space, which helps keep the planet at a comfortable temperature. As ice declines, so too does the regulation of the Earth’s temperature. 

The funds raised will go towards supporting the people and species living with the effects of climate change in the Arctic.

Rod Downie, chief adviser on polar at WWF, said: “The Arctic is crucial for many reasons. Not just because it’s home to the iconic polar bear, and four million people, but also because it acts like a global thermostat, helping to regulate our planet's climate.” 

Louise Hall, bespoke events manager at WWF, said: “The Arctic might seem like a remote and intangible place to us, but in fact Scotland is the Arctic’s closest neighbour. The Arctic is in our backyard and what happens there affects us all. So, whether it’s a quick dip in the sea or open-water, a cold shower or an icy bath, braving the chill can help do you – and the planet – the world of good.”  

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