Charity Doesn’t Monkey Around When it Comes to Food

Wild Futures, a charity known as a leader in primate welfare and conservation, has shown that it has more than one string to its bow by winning a grant from the Big Lottery Fund’s Local Food Scheme of over £4,000 in recognition of its efforts in sustainability and local food production. The grant was won in support of the development of a new forest garden area, greenhouse and a series of workshops which will offer training and information to visitors to the charity’s Monkey Sanctuary site on how they too can grow their own food.

Vegetarian “Bushtucker Challenge” Accepted by Conservationist

To celebrate National Vegetarian Week, which runs this year from the 24th – 30th May 2010, Wild Futures is enlisting people to “Go Veggie” for the week and gain sponsorship for doing so. People taking up the challenge include Keith Thompson, who is based in Lilongwe Wildlife Centre in Malawi, Africa, where he works with ex-Sanctuary keeper, Andrea Donaldson, in the reintroduction of baboons and vervet monkeys into the wild as part of a programme funded by the Born Free Foundation.

The week will be a true challenge for keen fisherman, Keith, who says:

Wild Futures and Vitabiotics Offer Josh the Monkey a Healthy Future

On the 5th May 2010, a small and frightened capuchin monkey named Josh was introduced to his new home at the Wild Futures Monkey Sanctuary in Cornwall. His new enclosure overlooks the territory of the centre’s existing residents – it was the first time he had seen another capuchin in over a decade. 19 year-old Josh has had a sad start to his life, but staff at the rescue centre hope that this new chapter will be a long-overdue happy ending for the little monkey.

MEP Calls for Change in Law on Primate Welfare

On the 31st March, just days after the Wild Futures Monkey Sanctuary opened its doors to the public for the 2010 season, staff were delighted to welcome Member of European Parliament for the South West, Graham Watson, through the gates on a special visit.

Mr Watson met with Wild Futures’ Campaigns Officer, Brooke Aldrich, to express his concern about the worrying trend to keep primates as pets in the UK; something which the charity has been campaigning against now for a number of years.

Speaking on the day, he said:

New Look Sanctuary Opens Gates on 28th March

On the 28th of March 2010, the Wild Futures Monkey Sanctuary will be opening its gates to visitors for the special price of just £1 to mark the beginning of the 2010 open season for this long-established tourist attraction, which has been running since 1964.

Work has been carried out over the closed season to improve the site and provide more information and services to visitors to this working sanctuary for rescued ex-pet monkeys. Says Liz Tyson, PR and Communications Manager for the parent charity, Wild Futures:

Organisations Unite for Chilean Monkeys Hit by Earthquake

On Monday of last week, Wild Futures launched a special appeal for urgent financial support for partner organisation, Centro de Rescate de Primates Peñaflor, after the devastating earthquake that hit Chile in the early hours of Saturday morning destroyed parts of the only rescue centre for primates in the country.

Primate Welfare Charity Launches Appeal for Chilean Partner Organisation

In the wake of the devastating earthquake in the early hours of Saturday morning, UK charity, Wild Futures, has launched a campaign to support Chilean partner organisation, Centro de Rescate de Primates, Peñaflor, a rescue centre based just outside of the country’s capital, Santiago. Following the destruction of parts of the monkeys’ territory, the team must now undertake the extensive repairs necessary before the rainy season begins in around a month’s time.

The Monkey Sanctuary Gets Set to Welcome Three New Arrivals

On the 3rd of February, the Wild Futures Monkey Sanctuary will be welcoming three new arrivals to its ever-expanding group of rescued ex-pet capuchins, with final touches being put in place to ensure that the monkeys’ new home is as comfortable and enriching for these intelligent primates as possible.

Monkey Welfare Code Launched by DEFRA

On 21st January of 2010, the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Privately Kept Non-human Primates was formally launched by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to the delight of animal welfare organisations across the UK. The code will act as guidance to the application of Section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and becomes the first code of practice to protect the welfare of monkeys kept as pets in England.

John Williams and John Etheridge Join Forces for Charity Concert

On Sunday 31st of January 2010, as a joint fundraiser for Wild Futures and the Burgh House Trust, world-renowned guitarists John Williams and John Etheridge will perform a special concert at Hampstead Parish Church. Tickets are currently on sale for £20 and can be booked via Burgh House by calling 020 7431 0144.

The concert will be the second that Mr. Williams has performed in support of Wild Futures, whose flagship project, The Monkey Sanctuary, was founded by his late father, Len Williams. Says John: