Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

Wild in Art

Wild in art logo

Wild in Art is dedicated to the promotion of art through the use of its unique animal sculptures as three dimensional artist’s canvas. Through the creative use of its animal sculptures, Wild in Art believes that it can raise awareness of the challenges facing much of the world’s animal species.

Through its Wild in the Community and Wild in Education projects, Wild in Art provides art education resources that engage with young people in an imaginative and fun way; helping them gain an understanding of art and appreciation of the animal world.

Wild in Art specialises in working in partnership with cities, towns and villages in the creation, promotion and management of mass public appeal art events. Born Free Foundation receives a substantial donation from the sale of the 3D animal sculptures after these events.

Rhino and lion ceramic miniatures

ceramic rhino
ceramic lion

These ceramic miniatures have been created by Wild in Art, who work with Born Free to host large-scale public art events across the UK and internationally!

They are £24.99 each and for each one sold, Wild in Art will donate £5 to Born Free (up to a maximum of £15 per order)

To place an order, click here for rhinos and here for lions and enter the code " BFF " in the "Coupon or Discount" box.

Pride in Bournemouth

Auction raises over £75,000

Having delighted thousands of visitors to Bournemouth during the summer, the Pride in Bournemouth lions said farewell as they made their final public appearance at the star-studded lion auction on 18th September.

Over 1,000 people filled the Pavilion Theatre in Bournemouth the see the lions auctioned to raise funds for Born Free and Julia’s House.  Born Free patron Martin Clunes hosted the event with celebrity TV auctioneer James Lewis leading the auction to encourage the highest bids from the audience.

Virginia McKenna explained how the money raised would be used to help Born Free’s work including the rescue and care of individual lions from miserable, captive conditions plus the conservation of lions in the wild.

Born Free is working with Kenyan communities to reduce the decline in lion population by building predator proof Bomas (strong, large enclosures) to keep the locals livestock safe at night.  Through protecting valuable livestock, retaliatory lion killings can be prevented. 

Also, Born Free is developing a Wildlife Rescue, Conservation and Education Centre near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia which provides lifetime care for lions as well as other wild animals rescued from illegal trade and deplorable captive conditions.

It was wonderful to see so many loyal Born Free supporters at the event as well as introduce new members to our family.

NEWPORT SUPERDRAGONS

Newport SuperDragons, the latest Wild in Art public art event was launched at the Newport’s Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre on January 21st. This Summer, Newport will play host to 50 five-foot dragons that will be placed along a trail around the city. Local businesses are being encouraged to sponsor a dragon, which will be painted by a local artist. The dragons will be auctioned after the event, with proceeds being split between Born Free Foundation and a local Newport charity. Find out more about Newport SuperDragons, or to sponsor a dragon here www.newportsuperdragons.co.uk

PRIDE OF NORTHAMPTON

For a 10 week period in Summer 2010, Northampton’s streets, parks, open spaces and shopping centres will be joined by a pride of 5ft lions. Pride of Northampton will be the town’s most high profile event, engaging local artists, community groups and schools and attracting regional and national visitors to the town centre. Pride of Northampton was launched on Tuesday 15th September. A significant amount of money raised through the auction of the lions in September 2010 will be donated to the Born Free Foundation and to a local Northampton charity, the Cynthia Spencer Hospice. Read about the event here www.prideofnorthampton.com

PRIDE OF KENYA

Kenya’s biggest wildlife public art exhibition in September 2009 was the ultimate urban safari, with 50 life-size decorated male lion sculptures ‘prowling’ around Nairobi!  This massive, free, public art display turned the city wild and encouraged citizens and visitors to Nairobi to support the protection of Kenya’s magnificent wild lions! 

Kenya is one of the last remaining lion strongholds but reports reveal that illegal killings and other factors have contributed to a fall in numbers with as few as 2,000 lions remaining across the country.  

To coincide with Born Free Foundation’s 25th Anniversary, Pride of Kenya culminated in a spectacular dinner and auction on 4th November, attended by Born Free founder Virginia McKenna OBE and Born Free CEO, Will Travers, where each lion was auctioned to the highest bidder.  The funds raised from the auction have been dedicated to lion conservation in Kenya and Born Free Foundation’s work. www.prideofkenya.co.ke

NORTH WALSHAM HIPPO HUNT

On 22nd June 2009, Clare Fletcher from the North Walsham Infant School presented the Born Free Foundation with a cheque for £7,000. Claire explained that what had originally started as a plan to display 10 to 20 small hippo statuettes around the town had quickly snowballed into 50 near life-size sculptures, raising almost £30,000 in total for good causes. The money donated to the Born Free Foundation money  will be spent in Kenya to protect endangered species. Indeed, some of it has already helped, very appropriately, to save starving hippos in Mzima Springs. http://www.hippohunt.co.uk/http://www.hippohunt.co.uk/

GO ELEPHANTS

In 2008, the streets of Norwich were brought alive with over 50 fibreglass elephants, painted and decorated by local artists, schools and businesses. Wild in Art united the local community with an eye catching display of urban art, and highlighted the plight of elephants in the wild. A staggering sum of almost £68,000 was raised through the auction of these magnificent elephants, which helped Born Free contribute towards wild elephant conservation. Find out more at this link www.goelephants.co.uk

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Born Free Foundation
3 Grove House, Foundry Lane
, Horsham, RH13 5PL, UK - Charity Reg. No. 1070906 ... twitterfacebookyoutuberssenews