Online car insurance specialist, elephant.co.uk, has donated £5000 to the Born Free Foundation to support a new wild animal enclosure at the charity’s Alicedale Sanctuary in South Africa.
The Born Free Foundation is rescuing three lions from a circus in France, who will be moving into the new enclosure in November. The two female lions (aged eight and fifteen), and a male lion (aged at least fifteen) will be flown from France to the UK, and then out to South Africa.
The arrival of the lions on 3rd November will mark the opening of the elephant.co.uk enclosure at the Alicedale Sanctuary, and will be attended by many of the charity’s supporters.
It will also be attended by three representatives from Cardiff based elephant.co.uk. Managing Director, Ceri Assiratti, will be accompanied by elephant.co.uk’s Operations Manager, Georgina O’Brien, and Rod Matthews, a call handler with the company.
Rod won his place on the trip through a competition for all elephant.co.uk staff. They had to write, in no more than 100 words, why they should be picked to attend. Rod’s winning entry said: “I can remember going to the cinema to see Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers in the film Born Free. It made me realise how important it is for us to preserve and protect our wild animals. To go to South Africa and see this work being continued would be a truly amazing experience. “
The group will travel to South Africa on the same flight as the lions, and will then help release the lions into their new home. Whilst in South Africa, the group from Cardiff will have the chance to go on game drives, as well as see the new centre and the work that the Foundation is doing in the country.
Managing Director of elephant.co.uk, Ceri Assiratti, said: “I am very proud that elephant.co.uk continues to support the Born Free Foundation. It is a wonderful opportunity to be involved in rescuing the lions and I can’t wait to see them in their new home.”
Rod Matthews, said: “I can’t believe I won! I’m so excited to be going to South Africa with the Born Free Foundation and I’m sure it will be the trip of a lifetime.”
Issue date: 01-10-06 |
