Act Big Live Small Grants were something we’d planned to introduce at a later stage, once Act Big Live Small is more established with an ongoing and sustainable initiative supporting Asian elephant conservation. While this remains our core focus, when we met Veronica White and William Lund at the Royal Geographical Society in 2024 and learned about their projects, we immediately felt compelled to support them in some way.

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 Nordlys, then returned her 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!

These grants were made from our personal funds, entirely separate from the money we also donate and raise for Asian elephant conservation, and we’re delighted to play a small role in supporting Veronica and William. We look forward to establishing a formal grant fund and application process in the future.

David & Esther Zimmer.

Image credit: Rohit Tandon via Unsplash.