Events
Check out the Events Calendar to see what’s happening! We’re up to all kinds of things this year from organising dog shows, music gigs, attending shows and giving presentations. We’d love to see you at any of the events – please come and introduce yourselves….
The whole idea of the calendar is to help publicise and promote your events held all over the country, so don’t forget to send us the details, so we can pop them up on the calendar. Tell us the date, time, venue and what the event called and is all about……. and don’t forget to let us know how it went afterwards…
Send us approximately 200-250 words describing what happened, who was involved, how much fun you had (!) and how much was raised. If you can send us a couple of photographs, that would be great too and we’ll put it all up on the G4G blog, for everyone to read.
Apart from helping to advertise your event, it may give ideas to others! Even if it’s an ongoing activity, like collecting mobiles and ink cartridges for recycling, please still let us know and it will go on the Events Calendar.
Tell us about your events!
linda@g4g.co.uk
Hope 4 Gorillas
This is surely a once in a lifetime opportunity to see some of the worlds top conservationist talking on their hopes and fears for the great apes in the challenging decade ahead. There are still a few tickets left and you can book on line by following this link Book here
‘Gorilla Gala’ success!
By all accounts, a wonderful time was had by all attending the Gorilla Gala on May 8th in Bournemouth. Around 150 guests enjoyed the African drumming (and joined in..) and the very exotic music of Kasai Masai. Mungo Jerry rounded off the evenings’ entertainment at around 1am.
An auction, silent auction and raffle attracted lots of interest, whilst Ian Redmond gave a compelling after dinner address on gorillas and their crucial role in keeping the tropical forests alive.
Eddie Colwill received the ‘Fund Raiser of the Year Award 2009’ from Ian. This was a complete surprise to Eddie, who had raised over £1,200 from climbing Helvellyn with his dad.
The evening went far too quickly and there will just have to be a Gorilla Gala Mark II in the future to carry on where this one ended…..!!
A total of around £2,000 was raised on the night and many good contacts made. G4G is working to provide the educational and veterinary facilities needed at the mountain gorilla orphan facility – the Senkwekwe Centre. Built within Virunga National Park, eastern DR Congo, this unique first ever orphan facility will present such opportunities for local communities and school children to see and learn about their exceptional and irreplaceable natural heritage.
Huge thanks to everyone who volunteered their services, to Ian Redmond, the bands, the hotel staff and, most importantly, the guests who threw themselves into the African spirit of the event right from the start!
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Senkwekwe Week
Friday 16th – Sunday 25th July 2010
Actually, Senkwekwe Week runs to 10 days! The idea of Senkwekwe Week is to rejoice in the wonder of the fabulous mountain gorillas of Virunga National Park and the work of the rangers by squeezing in lots awareness and fund raising events during those 10 days.
Whilst events take place throughout the year, this is a poignant time, as several members of the Rugendo gorilla family were ‘executed’ on July 22nd, 2007, including the silverback Senkwekwe. Orphans Ndakasi and Ndeze both survived attacks on their families in 2007 and it’s with their futures in mind that G4G will promote Senkwekwe Week each year.
It is not intended to be a solemn 10 days by any means, in fact the opposite.
As a means of marking that tragic anniversary each year, the aim is to both celebrate the amazing mountain gorillas of Virunga National Park and raise the profile of the incredible work done by the dedicated rangers there.
Fund raising target for Senkwekwe Week: £5,000
Take a look at ‘Ways to help’ for ideas or if you have inspiration already – choose one of these 10 days and go for it! If you need any help or information contact linda@g4g.co.uk
Don’t forget to contact your local newspaper and send them a short piece on your event afterwards plus a photo or two! Let us know too for the calendar and the blog!
£5,000 is equivalent to paying the salary of 5 rangers for 4 years, or providing 37 complete briquette making kits (employing over 200 people) or providing 50 rangers with a complete set of uniform and boots……
G4G is hoping to soon finalise a ‘Gorilla Gig’ - with local bands playing over two days and promoting Senkwekwe Week through the media, by highlighting the work of the Virunga rangers with stories and photographs.
Let’s fill the Events Calendar with sponsored activities or events to raise the target of £5,000 during the 10 days of Senkwekwe Week!
The Senkwekwe Centre
“New orphan mountain gorilla facility to open soon” – this is such wonderful news.
Working in partnership with ICCN (Congolese Wildlife Authority), Virunga National Park team, the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, SoDeRu (a French charity focusing on construction works in DRC), the Murry Foundation in Bournemouth and private donors, G4G can announce that the first ever purpose built facility for orphan mountain gorillas in DR Congo, will be finished by the end of November.
It is being constructed at Rumangabo, HQ of Virunga National Park.
The Senkwekwe Centre is named after the silverback who was shot dead in July 2007, along with other members of the Rugendo gorilla family. One of his daughters, Ndeze, was orphaned that day and she will join Ndakasi, also orphaned in June of the same year, in the new facility.
The Senkwekwe Centre will provide 24/7 care for the two youngsters.
It is sited in natural mountain gorilla habitat and their experienced ranger carers and the mountain gorilla vets will tend to all their physical and psychological development needs.
The Senkwekwe Centre will be a base for the MGVP vets in DR Congo and, in another ‘first’, offer opportunities for awareness raising and education for local communities and schools in the area.
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Andre feeding Ndakasi |
Ndakasi |
Ndeze soon after rescue |
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Playtime |
Ndeze with toy |
Ndakasi at breakfast |
£30,000 is needed to complete the facility in its entirety.
G4G hopes the Gala evening will go some way to securing those funds. G4G remains equally determined to continue assisting all the rangers in the Mikeno gorilla sector by supplying Hilux trucks, uniforms, briquette presses and other essential equipment.
With consistent support, the rangers of Virunga can go about their daily work of protecting the unique wildlife of Virunga National Park, and, in particular, the last remaining 200 mountain gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Thank you for your interest and support.
