A close up of several native oysters being held by someone wearing orange gloves

1000 oyster challenge

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to raise £810 in one year to help protect our ocean. You can do this in any way you like, and you can do it alone or with the help of your friends, family, colleagues or school.
Sign up to the challenge

About oysters

Native oysters are tiny superheroes. They provide a wealth of ecosystem services, including the ability to filter pollutants and chemicals from approximaely 200 liters of water every single day. Sadly, there's a global decline of approximately 85%, which is why we're working to restore and protect oyster reefs as part of projects in the Firth of Forth and Dornoch Firth.

And this is where you can help.

200

Litres filtered each day by each oyster

About the 1000 oyster challenge

£810 could fund 1000 oysters. These 1000 oysters could then be returned to their natural habitat and could filter a whoppping 73 million litres of water in a year - that's the equivalent of 194 swimming pools (25m)!

£3240

raised so far

4000

oysters could be funded

16

people signed up to the challenge

The challenge is incredibly simple - raise £810 across a year, to enable us to buy 1000 oysters. You can raise the money in any way you like: from bake sales and sponsored walks, to a sea swim, craft challenge or personal goal you've always wanted to achieve.

Paul Holland is an ultramarathon runner, reef-keeper, and freshly minted Marine Conservation Society fundraiser. He's taking on a series of endurance events to support our work. Motivated by David Attenborough’s Ocean, Paul has committed to pushing his limits while shining a spotlight on the urgent need to protect our seas.

He said: "Every donation, no matter how small, helps the Marine Conservation Society continue their vital work protecting our blue planet.

Fundraiser Paul Holland is pictured running along a path, dressed as an octopus, to raise money for the Marine Conservation Society

Image credit: Paul Holland

So please chip in, share, and help us turn the tide — one mile, one blister, and one reef at a time.

Paul Holland, Fundraiser

Support we provide

Raising money can seem daunting, but we’ll be with you every step of the way. We'll provide you with a comprehensive welcome pack that shares tips on how to write a brilliant fundraising page, ideas of how you can raise the £810 target for the challenge, and ways you can spread the word about your fundraiser. 

We'll also provide you with all the small print information you need to know about running a successful, legal and safe fundraiser.

And that's not all. Complete the challenge and you can choose whether you'd like to receive a free Marine Conservation Society t-shirt, tote bag or bamboo medal to celebrate your achievement.

Volunteers and staff members from the DEEP project (Dornoch Environmental Enhancement Project) scatter native oysters from a boat.

Native oysters being returned to the water by our team  |  Image credit: The Glenmorangie Company

Oyster Native M 960.png

Join the 1000 oyster challenge

Are you ready to take on the 1000 oyster challenge? Your sponsorship money is invaluable; every penny raised will help take us a step closer to thriving protected ocean supporting species, people and planet.

Sign up today

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