So following the disappointment of not getting into uni to do a conservation degree I decided I will plod along on the journey, just taking a different route.
The inspiration for getting into conservation was my volunteering trip to N/a’an ku se, a 50th birthday present to my self, the information I read about it said it would change my life & it did.
I didn’t do much about things on my return apart from starting this site, initially it was to share my volunteering experiences, but given I can only do one or two a year it seemed a waste, so started sharing conservation stories.
I attended The Ape Alliance annual meeting, hosted by Ian Redmond OBE at Bristol University a couple of months later, I came about it by chance, popped up on Facebook just a few days before it was happening, to be honest on the night it didn’t make much of an impact on me, though I fell in love with Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue & Protection & Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme.
Over the days that followed though, the cogs started grinding, I decided I want to make a difference to the world, just like Jimmy & Jenny, Ian Singleton & Ian Redmond. I decided to go to university to do a foundation degree & got turned down, which made me sad, but I thought ‘sod it’ I will persevere.
In this time I was also trying to decide when & where to volunteer next, but just couldn’t decide between a couple of projects.
I follow & donate monthly to Bornfree Foundation, they advertised Richard Peirce’s ‘Cuddle Me ~ Kill Me’, purchased my signed copy & made my hours spent on buses go much quicker. At the beginning of the book, Richard introduced Obi & Oliver, by way of two young women ‘conned’ into volunteering to raise ‘orphan’ cubs, when they realised that these tiny innocent lives were being bred for one of two futures ~ the ‘trophy hunt’ or the Asian bone trade, they decided to get their own property & rescue Obi & Oliver amongst other big cats, they are Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary & I am off to volunteer with them in November, I just decided it was where I needed to go !!
I have also decided to host a conservation event at The Watershed, Bristol. I have often had ideas for different things & business’s over the years, but never had the nerve to follow through, having been a single parent for many years, there was no money & I would lose the nerve, I thought I would be the same with this event, I have no contacts in the conservation world, HOWEVER, I emailed to see if I would be able to show Blood Lions, & from that initial email, I have gotten myself in a position where I have got to follow through lol.
Pippa at Blood Lions has said she will provide me with the film, Sarah of CACH UK, whom Pippa copied into her email, has been WONDERFULLY supportive, & it’s only 24 hours in!!
This event has the possibility to be pretty special, & has already surpassed my wildest dreams with the things that could potentially be happening!!
SO
and carry on regardless !!
The Wildlife Volunteer 