A life-size inflatable humpback whale, dubbed Hope, was brought to the school on 13 June, offering students a new perspective on marine conservation and the role of whales in sustaining our oceans.

At 13 metres long and 8 metres wide, Hope is an accurate representation of a real humpback whale. Students were offered the chance to explore the whale’s interior to better understand its anatomy and the threats it faces, including scars from fishing gear entanglement and plastic waste. The interactive experience aimed to create a lasting impression on the pupils, many of whom may never have seen a whale in the wild.

Govan High School, one of Deloitte’s partners through its 5 Million Futures Programme, was among the first in Scotland to host the inflatable whale. Deloitte’s programme supports individuals in overcoming education and employment obstacles, collaborating with schools and charities to build better futures across the UK.

The firm has also been a partner of the WDC since 2021, contributing to the ambitious ‘Green Whale’ initiative which positions whales as crucial allies in the fight against climate change.

Additional support from Deloitte includes a travel grant facilitating student visits to WDC’s Scottish Dolphin Centre in Moray over the next year, as well as the donation of WDC-recommended books and a year-long whale adoption package to Govan High School.

Angela Mitchell, senior partner for Deloitte in Scotland, said: “We have been working with WDC to help scale up its ambitions for protecting whales and dolphins around the world, and it’s been really valuable to have them share their knowledge with one of our partner schools.

“This climate partnership forms another part of our efforts to break down barriers to ensure everyone has equal access to education, employability and skills. It also supports our WorldClimate ambition to become Net Zero across our operations by 2030 and drive responsible climate choices within our firm and beyond.”

Scott McHendry, principal teacher of Positive Destinations, Govan High School, said: “We’re really proud to be the first high school in Scotland to host Hope. Her visit has given our pupils the opportunity to learn more about the importance of whales in protecting our planet and made for a fun and interactive session.

“I’d also like to thank Deloitte for their generous donation which will help our students learn even more about the fantastic work WDC does to protect our whales and dolphins.”

Lorna Hall, WDC education co-ordinator, said: “We really enjoyed taking our life-sized inflatable whale to Govan High School and were pleased to see the students so enthusiastic about the work we do.

“WDC is building a global network of scientists, conservationists, economists, and businesses, all united in our ambitions to save the whale as an intelligent being, and our climate ally.

“Having Deloitte on board has been a huge step forward for us and, thanks to their 5 Million Futures Programme, we can work with schools and charities across the country to educate about the hugely important role whales play in helping the ocean absorb carbon and mitigate the threat of climate and ecological breakdown.”

Hope the whale will visit St Machar Academy in Aberdeen later in the summer, giving more students the opportunity to learn about WDC’s conservation efforts.