Six Weeks To Go!

With only five weeks and six days left to go until The Great Gorilla Run I still have work to do. In the last month I have acquired my gorilla costume and begun a (small) amount of training, but it's not going to be enough! So this week I need to amp up my running/jogging/flailing about, make my gorilla into a pirate and step up the fundraising efforts! I currently have a long way to go to meet my target of £400, but thanks to the people who have already sponsored me I'm off to a flying start!

But I've decided it's time for an incentive, so if we can make it past the £100 mark then I'll post something a bit more exciting on here, in the form of a video message from your very own pirate gorilla... Still not convinced? Read on to find out about what your kindly donated cash is going to help towards.

The Gorilla Organisation in Uganda
The Gorilla Organisation currently has projects in Cameroon, Gabon, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda.

In Uganda the projects involve supporting Ugandan rangers, investing in wildlife clubs to encourage conservation awareness from a young age, farmer training, mushroom growing, beekeeping and supporting the indiginous communities living in the Mgahinga National Park, home to remaining populations of the Mountain Gorilla, by supporting the education and health facilities available to them.

Growing mushrooms provides a source of protein for local people and reduces the likelihood of harvesting wild mushrooms in the gorilla habitat which causes damage to the area. Beekeeping also generates income for people and apiculture workshops are run for people wishing to keep bees and sell honey!

Supporting the rangers is also a very important part of the Gorilla Organisation's work in Uganda. The rangers collect information on the local gorilla populations, remove dangerous traps that can cause horrific injuries to the animals and monitor their health and progress.

And these are just some examples of the work The Gorilla Organisation does in central Africa! Please donate to my fundraising appeal and help protect the last remaining gorillas. Anything you can spare to contribute to the future of these magnificent animals and their forest homes will be greatly appreciated (and it also means that I won't be dressing up as a gorilla and hauling myself around London for no reason)!

Thankyou

Click here to donate (or check my progress)!

(Image courtesy of The Gorilla Organisation)

A New Mission

Hello! First of all, thanks to those of you who have loyally followed the Monkey Mission Blog since it first appeared in 2008, your support is very much appreciated. If you've noticed a 'radio silence' recently it's because I have been lacking in interesting primate related adventures, or at least ones I'm allowed to write about! However, all of that is about to change as I present to you:

The Great Gorilla Run

On Saturday 24th September I will be running through London in a gorilla suit. I will not be alone, there will be 799 other Gorilla Runners with me. All 800 Gorilla Runners are doing so to raise funds for The Gorilla Organisation, who work internationally to help protect the last remaining wild populations of gorillas and their habitats. They do this in several ways: By undertaking research and implementing conservation measures, educating local people and the wider public, and funding development projects including microcredit schemes, bee-keeping and agricultural training.

The route is only 7 km long, but in light of the facts that:
a) I don't run
b) I will be wearing a gorilla suit and
c) I don't run
it actually seems like quite a challenge (If you have, for example, climbed Everest or run the London Marathon dressed as an otter for charity please refrain from commenting!!!)

Over the next couple of months I will use this blog to keep track of my fundraising efforts and preparation for running in a gorilla suit. I'll also be exploring the work of The Gorilla Organisation.

If you would like to sponsor me, then you can do so at: http://events.gorillas.org/gorillapirate
If not, perhaps I can persuade you over the next month or two... watch this space!

Much love,
Rach x