Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

You can view or download the full version of the Born Free Foundation Trustees' Report + Audited Group Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2008 here >

Chairman's Introduction

It gives me great pleasure once again to write the introduction to this Trustees’ Annual Report, which sets out for our supporters and the general public what our charity has achieved in the past twelve months, and our future plans.

It has been a very eventful year, with many important developments in terms of our charitable conservation work and in realising our long-term strategy.

Our Chief Executive comments in detail on our projects and key achievements on pages 8 to 14 where he summarises our animal welfare, conservation, education, marketing, PR and administrative work.

We have introduced a new section covering the charity’s strategy and plans to highlight how we are delivering our charitable objectives.

In terms of strategy, the keynote of the year was the re-alignment of our involvement in the USA, which was foreshadowed in last year’s Report. After several months of negotiation we agreed to the merger of Born Free USA with the Animal Protection Institute, a long-established US not-for-profit corporation. The new entity will be independent but use the Born Free brand, under licence. While there is much hard work to be done – especially in the current economic climate – we are very encouraged by the shared ethos of the two organisations and the excellent personal relationships, which we plan to foster by regular exchanges which started with a joint meeting in June 2008.

It is with regret that I have to report that Mr Monty Ruben, a senior Kenyan and Trustee of the Foundation, resigned from the Board in June 2008. As a long-time friend and valued supporter of the Foundation and its principles, he will be missed. He contributed much to the cause of Born Free in Kenya.

The prospect of a potentially sizable donation was advised to us in February that would see us receiving what had previously been the assets of the Performing and Captive Animal Defence League. For much of the last century this organisation pursued aims that were in close alignment with our own charitable objects. We are therefore delighted at the prospect of being in a position to be able to see its work continue and wish to place on record our thanks to Mrs Hanchett-Stamford, who was for a long time active in the League. Further details are contained in the Financial Review on page 17.

Turning to our charitable projects, there have been many highlights to report on this year.

Our animal rescues have continued apace - to the extent that both of our rescue and education centres at Shamwari, in South Africa, are full. But we continue to explore other opportunities so we can maintain this vital aspect of our work.

However, we are deeply disappointed that the many months’ work (together with other NGOs) on the Circus Working Group have resulted in the Government going back on its original statement which had led us to believe that some wild species would be prohibited from performing in circuses. The report which, under instruction from the Government excluded consideration of both performance and training, concluded that due to a lack of ‘scientific evidence’, it was impossible to ‘prove’ that wild animals suffered in circuses. Perhaps common sense would have been enough?

Our ENDCAP project now involves 32 member organisations in 23 European countries. Led by Daniel Turner, this project, dedicated to ending the use/exploitation of wild animals in captivity, held its annual conference in Brussels. It was heartening that many MEPs attended and lent their support. In 2006, the EC launched an Action Plan for the Protection and Welfare of Animals focussing on farm and laboratory animals. Our aim is to ensure the inclusion of captive wild animals (in both zoos and entertainment). They too need our protection. They too can suffer.

In Ethiopia, while our Ethiopian Wolf Project has continued to effectively conserve the world’s rarest canid, we have started, working closely with the Wildlife Department and with support from the President, to create a Wildlife Rescue, Conservation and Education Centre on the outskirts of Addis Ababa. The Centre will provide a home for rescued and confiscated wild animals, enabling the wildlife authority to enforce existing wildlife laws. An environmental education programme will be developed as part of the Centre, and a large carnivore survey within the country is also part of the initiative.

Of course, none of our achievements would have been possible without our loyal and generous members and our many sponsors.

Finally, I would like to thank the Board of Trustees and, in particular, our staff and our excellent volunteers for their continuing hard work and dedication. Will Travers and his senior team – Alison Hood (Campaigns Director), Anne Tudor (Marketing Director), Shirley Galligan (PR Director), Stephen Chandler (Finance Manager) and Jo Wakefield (Office Manager) – provide first class leadership. But we are exceptionally fortunate that we have so many long-service employees, and that our new recruits have blended in so well.

Virginia McKenna
Chair of Trustees
9th September 2008