Act Big Live Small Grants were something we’d planned to introduce at a later stage, once the Trust was more established and our Elephant Programme was gaining traction. While Asian elephant conservation remains our core focus, upon meeting Veronica White and William Lund at the Royal Geographical Society in 2024, we felt immediately compelled to support them and their brilliant ideas.

Act Big Live Small was born from our own bicycle journey across Central and Southeast Asia, so Veronica’s plan to conduct her PhD fieldwork by bike really resonated with us. But more than that, it’s a true embodiment of everyday activism and the Act Big Live Small ethos. By travelling by bike, Veronica not only reduced her environmental footprint but also engaged directly with the communities shaping the future of farming.

William’s enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, iconic East Coast fishing smacks was contagious. His dream of rescuing a 150-year-old smack, moored in the Netherlands at the time, was far from a passing fancy. William put his money where his mouth was and purchased Jubilee, then returnedher to where she was originally built in the UK, with the goal of restoring her as a sail-powered marine research vessel.

We are continually inspired by these two young people!

Act Big Live Small grants are 100% sourced from our Endowment, which is funded entirely from our private investments and capital. No public donations solicited through our Elephant Programme are used to fund the Endowment or our Grants. We’re delighted to play a small role in supporting Veronica and William, and we’ll continue to explore new grant opportunities as we meet interesting people and hear interesting ideas. We plan on growing our endownment and establishing a formal grant application process in the future.

David & Esther Zimmer