A month of fun and frenzied activity in aid of International Animal Rescue’s (IAR) Orangutan Action Month has shown how dedicated and determined the charity’s supporters are. During the month of May IAR volunteers have found a range of imaginative and even daring ways to raise money for to help build its new orangutan conservation centre in West Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo.
World traveller Jessica Carroll, currently residing in Brisbane, braved a skydive from 12,000 feet in Maidstone, Kent, raising nearly $600 US dollars. She was joined by IAR’s very own Jo Sim who also raised nearly £650, between them raising more than £1,000. Other skydivers during May were Sophie Cran from Bristol and Bo Marcus Win from Cambridge.
Wildlife enthusiast Deborah Tessier from Sevenoaks in Kent raffled cuddly giant orangutan Oswald to raise funds for the centre and the money is still pouring in…!
It was first time ever for Cal Landes from Essex when he took part in the London SuperHero Run in Regent’s Park raising £100 - his first ever 10K race and a fantastic achievement!
Holly Hackney from Shoreham-by-Sea took part in a fundraising collection at Sainsburys on Lewes Road, Brighton, raising close to a fabulous total of £100. Other collectors who have been generous with their time this month include Joanna Thomas and Clare Carter from Horsham who similarly raised a fantastic £100.
More fabulous fundraisers are Sue Silk from Cambridge who held a fundraising stand at the Little Paxton Scarecrow Festival raising £106; Dorothy Goode from Thorpe Bay who held an open garden fundraiser with tea and cake; and Mr and Mrs Berman from Gloucestershire who raised funds with a car-boot sale.
Alan Knight OBE, Chief Executive of International Animal Rescue, said: “We are immensely grateful to each and every one of our volunteers who have given up their time to raise money during Orangutan Action Month. We rely entirely on public donations to fund our projects and run our rescue centres, so we are hugely indebted to everyone who supports us. A huge thank you on behalf of IAR and the orangutans.”
Although Orangutan Action Month is officially at an end, the charity is hoping as many people as possible will continue to find ‘fun ways to fundraise’ in the months ahead so that IAR can get on with the building of its new conservation centre as quickly as possible and start moving the rescued orangutans into their spacious new home by the end of the year.