Our Ambassadors

Dee is the only woman to have sailed solo, non-stop around the world in both directions. She has done so a total of six times, and become one of the most successful and recognised British offshore sailors. Awarded an MBE in recognition of her solo circumnavigation against the prevailing winds and currents, Dee set a world record by becoming the first woman to complete this ‘wrong’ way round voyage in 2006.

Dee went on to compete in the 2008/9 Vendée Globe – a race around the world, non-stop and alone, crossing the finish line in sixth place out of 30 competitors. Having seen the impact on our Ocean’s Health first hand, Dee is now a prominent ocean advocate.

"Over the last two decades during six circumnavigations, I have seen the detrimental impact we are having on our ocean’s health. Time is running out for us to reverse the damage, protect our seas and ultimately ourselves. NOC provides vital services that support science, technology development and innovation.

Having been involved with scientific data gathering in the topic of microplastics with my team Turn the Tide on Plastic in The Ocean Race, I know that scientific evidence and data is essential for the development of policies and ocean governance. NOC play a key role in the long-term sustainability of our oceans and the survival of our planet.

I am very proud to be supporting this organisation and look forward to working together as we meet the challenges that lie ahead."

Dr Helen Czerski is a physicist and oceanographer with a passion for science, sport, books, creativity, hot chocolate and investigating the interesting things in life. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College London and her research focus is the physics of breaking waves and bubbles at the ocean surface. She is also a writer and broadcaster, and was awarded the Institute of Physics Gold Medal in 2018 for her work on physics communication. Her 2020 Royal Institution Christmas Lecture was on the topic of the ocean.

"We often talk about living on a blue planet, but we rarely really look at that blue, and almost never acknowledge that it’s the most critical part of our planetary life support system. The ocean does things – it moves in beautiful and intricate ways, it transports heat, nutrients and life around the planet, and it makes Earth habitable.

I’m delighted to support NOC in its critical work to create, synthesise and share knowledge about Earth’s ocean. Understanding our ocean is both incredibly satisfying and enriching, and also necessary for good stewardship of our planet. We should be proud of being citizens of an ocean world."

Lizzie is a Paddleboarder and Ocean Advocate based on the South Coast, UK. With so much time being spent on the water and exploring the coastline, Lizzie has seen first-hand the damaging effects that plastic pollution is having on both the environment and wildlife.

With her adventures, not only does she hope to inspire and encourage more people to get outside and experience all the benefits our blue spaces have to offer but to also raise awareness for the plastics crisis we’re currently facing, the importance of a healthy ocean and ways that we can live more sustainably.

"It’s in our nature to only want to protect the things we can understand and sometimes when we talk about the ocean, it can be so science heavy and unrelatable that people shy away from it. The work and research carried out by the incredible teams here, plays such a vital role in our understanding of the ocean and this is why I’m so honoured at this opportunity to be working with NOC to help make these topics of conversation more relatable to a wider audience. I’m fully stoked for the year ahead!"

James Ketchell is a record-breaking aviator, adventurer, motivational speaker.

On 1st February 2014, James became the first and only person to have rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, successfully summited Mount Everest and cycled 18,000 miles around the world, in what the media dubbed ‘The Ultimate Triathlon’. More recently in 2019 he flew his open cockpit gyroplane over 24,000 nautical miles around the world, in 175 days setting a Guinness World Record. The mission was to inspire a million young people to pursue their own goals and dreams.

It was an inauspicious start for James; in 2008 he was recovering from a serious motorcycle accident that had left him with broken legs and a severely broken and dislocated ankle. The prognosis was that he would likely suffer a permanent walking impairment and would certainly not be able to continue the active physical lifestyle he had so enjoyed.

Not all James adventures have been easy! He survived two mid ocean rescues and on one he found himself clinging to a rope ladder on the side of a 100,000-tonne oil tanker as he climbed to safety in storm force winds in the Indian Ocean. No stranger to overcoming adversity and dealing with obstacles, James is an accomplished presenter and regularly speaks at events and conferences around the world including, US, India, Europe and the Middle East.

"I am delighted to support NOC and to share the incredible work they are doing with young people around the world. I have been fortunate enough to have spent many hundreds of days in the ocean and witness the incredible wildlife and oceanic wonders our planet has to offer. My next round the world project is an incredible opportunity to highlight the importance of understanding and protecting our oceans."