Dear John,

Born Free is 40 years’ old… I hardly know how to begin. This all means so much to me. To recall where and when Bill, Will, and I started – and where we are today, thanks to you.

With your help, Born Free has been devoted to individual animals in need for 40 years. Wherever possible, we rescue animals from lives of misery and exploitation, and give them a life worth living. Our work is far from done, and now, more than ever, I need to ask for your help.

To me, each individual animal matters deeply. That’s why wild animal rescues lie at the heart of our work and touch the human soul. Through helping each individual, we draw attention to the plight of hundreds of others, in the hope that, just maybe, we can help some of them too.

Now, as we turn 40, I think back at our very first lion rescue, Raffi and Anthea, as well as Rikki the cross-eyed leopard. The memory is deeply moving – even today. It took five years of relentless campaigning to get them out of that wretched roof top cage in Tenerife and, eventually, to our sanctuary in South Africa.

They were the first of our rescued lions to experience a new life under the African sun. Not entirely free – too many years in that rusty cage had put paid to that – but as close to freedom as we could offer. I was unashamedly emotional when Anthea and Raffi stepped at last onto the African soil. I knew they had finally come home.

Fast forward to today, and I am delighted to let you know that the 58th and 59th lions to be rehomed by Born Free have finally arrived at their ancestral homeland.

Tsar and Jamil (pictured above) were rescued from war-torn Ukraine and evacuated through Poland to our wonderful friends at Natuurhulpcentrum in Belgium, where they have been waiting, patiently, for their moment to arrive. And now the young brothers are safely at their forever home, where they will experience as wild a life as possible, free from human exploitation and abuse, lavished with expert, loving care.

They are the lucky ones. As we dedicate the next 40 years to continuing our mission to speak out for wild animals everywhere, we can only imagine the stories of abuse and neglect we are yet to hear about the lions we still need to rescue and care for, because we never give up, we never give in. But we cannot do it without your support. Faced with mounting costs and growing needs, my request is simple: will you help us?

In my mind’s eye I can see each and every one of the amazing, courageous animals we have had the good fortune to give a second chance to, over the past four decades. Their stories give me and everyone at Born Free the strength to continue, and I never forget the people who helped make it possible. You, our kind and generous supporters, to whom we owe so much.

In this turbulent world of conflict, exploitation and abuse, please will you consider giving to our special 40th anniversary appeal and helping more animals in need? Animals like Raffi, Anthea and Rikki, as well as the newest members of our pride, Tsar and Jamil, animals who deserve a life worth living.

On behalf of the animals, who have no voice, thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

With best wishes,

Dame Virginia McKenna
Co-Founder and Trustee

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