Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

On 22nd June 2009, I was doubly delighted to visit the North Walsham Infant School, in my home county, Norfolk; to not only receive a considerable amount of money to assist us with our conservation activities in Kenya, but also to have the opportunity to meet the inspirational people responsible for raising these much-needed funds!

I arrived at the school on Monday morning, as preparations for a special hippo-themed assembly were underway. Pupils, as well as children from neighbouring schools, were arriving excitedly, and quickly filling up the main hall. With some help from my wife and Mum, we carefully paraded Henrietta the hippo into the hall to a rapturous welcome.

This 1.5m-long sculpture, decorated in vibrant poppies by a local artist, was returning to North Walsham for the first time since being displayed in the town as part of a Hippo Hunt. This free treasure trail proved a massive hit with local families and sponsoring companies, with the sculptures eventually being auctioned off to raise funds for local charities – and Born Free!

Despite having become accustomed to huge, brightly-coloured hippos populating every corner of their small market town over the past few weeks, the children’s excitement was palpable. Several of them enthusiastically pointed out the bits that they had painted on the other hippo in the hall - destined to remain permanently at the school.

As a hush at last descended, the school’s Head, and “Hippo Hunt” instigator, Clare Fletcher presented me, on behalf of Born Free, with a cheque for £7,000. She later explained to me that what had originally started as a plan to display 10 to 20 small statuettes around the town had quickly snowballed into 50 near life-size sculptures, raising almost £30,000 in total for good causes. I went on to explain to the hundred or so 5 to 7 year-olds gathered, and journalists from the Eastern Daily Press, Town and Country newspaper and a local radio interview with BBC Radio Norfolk, how that money would be spent in Kenya to protect endangered species. Indeed, some of it has already helped, very appropriately, to save starving hippos in Mzima Springs.

It is always a real pleasure going out to schools to underline the need to conserve endangered species and respect their welfare needs. Having studied hippos for the past few months, many of the children I met on Monday were already very well-informed – no doubt conservationists of the future. They, and the rest of North Walsham, can feel proud to already be making a difference in helping Born Free keep wildlife in the wild.