Publication Date: 22-05-2025 09:00
Bellway sponsors marine mammal medic’s Caribbean open water swim in aid of new seal rescue centre for Felixstowe
Bellway Essex donated £500 to sponsor a volunteer marine mammal medic who tackled an open water swim in the Caribbean to help fund a new seal rescue centre for Felixstowe.
The housebuilder, which is building new homes at Kingsfleet Park in Trimley St Martin near Felixstowe, made the contribution to support Nicola Naunton, who swam the 4.1km channel between St Kitts and Nevis to raise funds for a new marine mammal rescue centre for the Suffolk branch of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue charity (BDMLR).Nicola, a 55-year-old insurance company claims manager from Felixstowe, has worked with the charity, which is based in Trimley St Martin, for two years.
She said: “The BDMLR mostly deals with seal pups, usually common and grey seals, who have got into difficulty on beaches in Suffolk. We have a helpline that the public uses to report seals in trouble, which is when we spring into action.
“The charity is self-funded and is run by volunteers. In Suffolk, we operate out of a converted horse box in Trimley St Martin, but have launched an appeal to try to raise £25,000 for a new cabin, so we can look after seals that need rest and recuperation.
“This very generous donation from Bellway Essex is wonderful because it will help us tremendously on our way to our target total.”The current rescue unit is capable of holding two seal pups at any one time, but conditions are cramped. Last year the BDMLR cared for 60 pups which was a record for the group, and as the need for the unit increases, so does the need for a bigger space. The group is now working on a new cabin to be set up where they can have more space for volunteers, who currently have to change in the car park, equipment and more enrichment opportunities for the pups in our care.Nicola completed the swim in the Caribbean on Saturday 29 March, alongside about 400 other swimmers.
She said: “On the day I arrived in St Kitts there was a post on Facebook saying there were two tiger sharks spotted off the beach where the swim was due to set off from. I tried to put that to the back of my mind and was glad I didn’t hear the Jaws music pop up inside my head.
“On the swim day, the sea was rough and I took a wrong turning and nearly swam to the wrong beach, which meant that I swam about 6km in total. It took me two hours and 11 minutes and was tough going but I am glad I finished.”
British Divers Marine Life Rescue was formed in 1988, when a group of divers got together to help the rescue effort in response to a mass death of common seals in the Wash area of East Anglia due to phocine distemper virus.
Although seal rescue has remained a key component of the charity’s work, it has become progressively more involved in the response to stranded and entangled cetaceans – whales, dolphins and porpoises.
The BDMLR charity, which was called out more than 3,000 times in 2024, trains over 1,000 volunteer marine mammal medics annually and has over 25 whale refloatation pontoons located at strategic points throughout the UK, waiting to help stranded whales and dolphins. Medics are trained to provide them with the basic knowledge, skills and expertise to enable them to respond to a callout and act on behalf of the animal’s best interests.
A spokesperson for the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Nicola for taking on this huge challenge to raise vital funds for our new rescue and triage unit in Suffolk, in what turned out to be very difficult conditions. We are very proud of her determination to complete the swim even with the extra distance she swam having been taken off-course by the currents & wind.
“Nicola has been a keen volunteer with BDMLR for the past two years and has been on hand for beach rescues as well as volunteering in our current rescue unit, where we triage and care for seal pups awaiting onward transport to a rehabilitation centre. Nicola is always willing to get stuck in with a cheerful smile and she is a real asset to our team!
“Bellway’s generous donation will go towards the target of £25,000 needed to fund the new unit.”
Emma Hawkins, Sales Manager at Bellway Essex, said: “When Nicola approached us for a sponsorship donation we were glad to be able to help. It sounds like she had an eventful swim in the Caribbean and I don’t envy her having to get in the water where tiger sharks and bull sharks are seen.
“It is great to know that our £500 helped Nicola hit her personal £1,000 target and will assist in the journey to try to raise £25,000 for a new rescue centre for Felixstowe. This new base will enable the charity to be better equipped to help marine mammals that get into difficulty on the Suffolk coast.”
To donate to the JustGiving fund for the new cabin in Suffolk, visit Suffolk Seal Rescue Unit - JustGiving
Further details about Bellway’s Kingsfleet Park development can be found at https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/essex/kingsfleet-park.
