Aviva and Protection industry partner firms unite for Skiddaw Forest Challenge

Taking place on 30 September and 1 October, more than 150 industry professionals will unite to support one of the country's most ambitious nature restoration projects through the Skiddaw Forest Challenge.

The two-day event will see colleagues from Aviva's Protection business joined by leading partner firms to raise vital funds for Cumbria Wildlife Trust while making a direct contribution to the restoration of the Skiddaw Forest landscape in the Lake District.

Delivered in partnership with Cumbria Wildlife Trust, the challenge has been developed to support Aviva's wider commitment to restoring Britain's rare temperate rainforests through its £38 million partnership with The Wildlife Trusts.

Aviva's partnership with The Wildlife Trusts supports a programme to restore and reconnect fragments of temperate rainforest across the British Isles. The development of Skiddaw Forest near Keswick is a 100-year vision. Skiddaw is one of the programme’s largest acquisitions to date having gained £5 million of funding from Aviva with £1.25m of additional support from charitable funders and members of the public. It will see the restoration work across 3,000 acres of habitat, including the creation of 620 acres of temperate rainforest.

Participating teams of five will spend the first day sowing seeds in a purpose-built nursery alongside conservation specialists, helping to create the next generation of native trees for future planting across the landscape.

The following day teams will take on a demanding 15-mile hike, planting seeds along the route before summiting Skiddaw, one of England’s highest mountains. Participants will also have the opportunity to conquer three additional Wainwright peaks.

Participating firms include iPipeline, MAB, Swiss Re, Pacific Life Re, James Leighton FS, LifeSearch, Connells, theidol.com, Reassured, ABI, Partner Re, NMG, SCOR, RGA and St James Place. Square Health is also supporting the initiative through fundraising.

Aviva is also supporting two teams made up from local groups and organisations to ensure local communities are involved and engaged.

Throughout the event, teams will build relationships with industry peers, collaborate to overcome the challenge and contribute to a project that will leave a lasting legacy for future generations. Each team's planting area will be recorded using a unique what3words® location, allowing participants to track its growth and expand the area at future events.

Alongside the physical challenge, every team is aiming to raise at least £2,500 to support Cumbria Wildlife Trust's ongoing conservation work. Funds raised will help restore habitats, increase biodiversity and accelerate nature recovery across the Skiddaw Forest landscape.

All suppliers and contractors have been recruited from the local area to ensure that the local economy and community also benefit from the event.

By combining fundraising, volunteering, environmental action and outdoor challenge, the Skiddaw Forest Challenge demonstrates how businesses can work together to create meaningful environmental impact while strengthening relationships across the protection industry.

Daren Boys, Protection Portfolio Distribution Director at Aviva said: "The Skiddaw Forest Sustainability Challenge is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when businesses, colleagues and partners come together behind a shared purpose. Protection is all about helping people build resilience for the future, and this challenge extends that thinking to the environment. Together we're helping to restore an important landscape, support local biodiversity and leave a lasting legacy for generations to come."

James Jolly, Business Relationships at Cumbria Wildlife Trust said: “The land purchase of Skiddaw is just the start of the 100-year partnership to undertake this restoration at landscape scale.  It’s been brilliant to work with the team at Aviva to look at other ways to increase funding for the project, and further build on the support for the restoration work.  The Skiddaw Forest Challenge has also been about supporting the local community and businesses, bringing more people into the sphere of influence.  When we all pull together amazing things can happen.  We can always do more, but projects like this really can have an amazing effect and showcase what is possible, spreading the net to bring yet more people and organisations on board to stand up for nature and fight climate breakdown.”

To support any of the partner organisations or industry bodies taking part, visit their crowdfunding pages.

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