July 2024

Paul Jackson is the Chair of Board of Trustees for the Manta Trust. Formerly, a Trustee of The Freshwater Habitats Trust, the Together Charitable Foundation, and the Association of Charitable Organisations (the umbrella body for grant-making charities), he has an extensive knowledge of the charity sector. For this month’s Cyclone feature he has given us an insight into what inspired him to get involved with the Manta Trust and use his diverse skillset to support manta ray research and conservation…

Paul scuba diving with manta rays in the Maldives

‘I became involved with the Manta Trust purely by chance. Over a number of years I had volunteered for different marine conservation charities, mostly supporting my favourite animals ie rays and sharks. I had helped the Shark Trust and Bite Back in the past and with my daughter, Orla, I raised funds for Andrea Marshall’s MMF.

As a result of this volunteering, I was invited to a special screening of Martin Clunes programme ‘Man to Mantas’ in London, hosted by Martin himself as a charity event. It was a wonderful evening and Martin spoke passionately about the manta rays in Hanifaru Bay. I met Martin after the formal part of the event and was so inspired that I decided there and then to visit Hanifaru Bay.

Paul with the Manta Trust team on the research boat in the Maldives

The next day I emailed Guy Stevens, who at the time headed the Maldivian Manta Ray Project based in Baa Atoll, to ask how I might see the manta rays in Hanifaru. Within 30 minutes Guy responded suggesting I join the manta ray research boat based at the Four Seasons. The only problem was that the Four Seasons was very expensive, so Guy suggested I stayed on the nearby resort of Reethi Beach, from where I could join the research boat each day.

Paul snorkelling with a manta ray in Hanifaru Bay

When I arrived in Baa the weather was so bad I had to wait to disembark the seaplane, as the pilot was afraid I would be blown off the jetty! This was not the welcome I was expecting so when I eventually arrived at the resort I called Guy, who laughed and assured me that the forecast was much better for the following day and that he would collect me at 10am prompt. A week of observing and snorkelling with mantas with the incredible team of scientists on the boat made up my mind. I even met Doug Allan, the famous cameraman, who was filming manta rays for the BBC. I was determined to use my skillset and network of contacts to help protect these magnificent animals.

Paul with the Manta Trust team at the Baa Atoll Manta Festival in 2019

Formerly, a Trustee of The Freshwater Habitats Trust, the Together Charitable Foundation, and the Association of Charitable Organisations (the umbrella body for grant-making charities), I have an extensive knowledge of the charity sector. In my day job, I am Group Chief Executive of the Hospital Saturday Fund, a grant-making charity founded in 1873. The profits from our trading arms, medical insurance companies, HSF Health Plan and HSF Health Plan Malta, are used to make grants to medical charities both in community care and undertaking groundbreaking research. In 2019, I was proud to be awarded the Freedom of the City of London, in recognition of my ‘outstanding contribution to the charity sector.’

In December 2011, l was appointed Chair of the Manta Trust, and registered the organisation with the Charity Commission. Since then, I have spent my free time pursuing my scuba diving hobby around the world looking for sharks and rays. To date, I have 250 dives under my belt and am looking forward to chalking up significantly more. I have spent time in Hawaii diving with scalloped hammerheads, in Australia with sand tiger sharks, in the Bahamas with lemon sharks, nurse sharks and Caribbean reef sharks, and in Cancun, snorkelling with the large numbers of mantas and whale sharks that aggregate there in the summer.

I have also returned to Hanifaru Bay on several occasions to spend time in the water with the Baa Atoll research team. In 2018, during one of these trips, I was lucky enough to observe the amazing spectacle of 200 manta rays cyclone-feeding in the Bay. This wonderful experience has made me even more passionate about supporting the Manta Trust and governing the charity as Chair of the Board of Trustees.’