WWT's Sacha Dench receives Britannia Trophy for Flight of the Swans
Our very own ‘human swan’ was presented with the prestigious aviation award by the Duke of York HRH Prince Andrew at a special ceremony last night.
Sacha earned the award – one of the most respected honours in aviation - in recognition of her long-distance paramotor flight following the migration of endangered Bewick’s swans. She rubbed shoulders with the likes of astronaut Tim Peake who picked up the Yuri A. Gagarin gold medal for spaceflight.
This Royal Aero Club (RAeC) accolade, previously awarded to the likes of Concorde’s first supersonic flight, Sir Richard Branson and the Red Arrows, has not been received by a woman since 1967.
Sacha was nominated for the award by the British Hang gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA) for the ground-breaking ‘Flight of the Swans’ expedition, during which she flew 7,000km from the Russian arctic to the UK on a paramotor. During the adventure - spanning 11 different countries - she also became the first woman ever to cross the English Channel by paramotor.
Sacha, a WWT Conservationist said:
I was speechless when I was told I had won the Britannia Trophy. It’s an amazing accolade, particularly as it has been so long since it was awarded to a woman, and for a project that many said was impossible.
A lot of women helped, but I’m also grateful to those few men that believed a woman could do this and stuck their neck out to back me.
I learned a lot about the Bewick’s swans on my journey, and have developed a huge respect for them as aviators. That I’m receiving this award, for doing what each swan does at just 12 weeks old twice a year for their entire life, is testament to the complexity and hardship they must endure just to survive that journey, particularly in stormy autumn weather with the arctic winter on their tails.
I am delighted that Flight of the Swans has touched so many people and helped the Bewick’s swans’ plight make mainstream news. We now have many people and organisations galvanised to help across a mass of countries.
I am also more touched that fellow aviators have recognised this feat by awarding me the Britannia trophy, an award that will be invaluable in setting up future expeditions for conservation.
Dave Phipps, RAeC General Secretary, said:
We are so happy to be awarding this trophy to a truly remarkable woman. Paramotoring needs a lot nerve at the best of times and to conceive of a journey across such inhospitable terrain with huge logistical challenges - and then pull it off - is an amazing achievement. And of course, it is all enhanced by Sacha’s ability to communicate a great cause and enthuse young and old alike in the UK and around the world.
She has provided immense inspiration to others and we are very proud to count her amongst these great aviators and the ‘Flight of the Swans’ project amongst great aviation achievements.
