Deadline looms for inaugural Defender Awards celebrating conservation and humanitarian efforts

As the deadline approaches, non-profit charities and organisations have just days to submit their entries for the inaugural Defender Awards, with the entry portal closing on 16 June 2025.

 This international initiative aims to spotlight and support local conservation and humanitarian heroes from countries including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Japan, and South Africa.

Each of the seven winners will be awarded a substantial £100,000 bursary, accompanied by a robust Defender vehicle that will aid them in their vital, front-line work within hard-to-reach locations. In addition, winners will receive mentorship from a community of experts dedicated to fostering real change.

Entries are being welcomed across four key categories:

Defenders of the Wild: Protecting endangered and at-risk species.

Defenders of Humanity: Supporting vulnerable communities.

Defenders of the Land: Protecting and restoring the most precious and fragile places on Earth.

Defenders of the Sea: Protecting marine species and environments.

The Defender brand has long championed purposeful action, becoming a lifeline to communities worldwide since its first vehicles were deployed to assist Red Cross nurses in Kenya and Dubai in 1954. More recently, its two-decade partnership with Tusk has underscored its commitment to safeguarding endangered species and biodiversity across Africa, further highlighting the heroic endeavours of those who face seemingly impossible challenges daily.

Mark Cameron, Managing Director of Defender, voiced the significance of the awards, stating:

“We’ve launched Defender Awards to recognise and support conservation and humanitarian heroes. Our new programme represents an investment of more than £1m and will assemble an international network of experts to share knowledge and help advance change. It is international in scale but has a local focus and I urge potential entrants to make sure they’ve submitted their entry ahead of 16 June, so they can be considered for the financial support and mentorship being made available to the winners.”

Entrants can discover how to submit their entries by visiting the Defender website. After the 16th of June closure, national judges will select two entries from each of the four award categories, leading to a 56-strong international shortlist.