‘An inspiration!’ Princess Anne to be awarded after 50 years of wildlife charity work
PRINCESS ANNE is to be honoured by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust after decades of "commitment to the charity".
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Durrell will gift Anne with a tortoise sculpture from their art trail event which will open in 2023. The Princess Royal is being awarded after 50 years of service to the wildlife conservation charity.
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The charity plans to mark the monumental milestone by gifting the Princess Royal with a tortoise sculpture from the charity’s Tortoise Takeover art trail event next summer.
A small selection of local artists has been chosen to submit design ideas for the sculpture with the overall theme to express Princess Anne's commitment to the charity.
The final design will be chosen in 2023 and will join 50 tortoises on the art trail next July and August.
Once the event is over, the charity will gift the sculpture to Princess Anne.
Dr Lesley Dickiem, the Chief Executive Officer of Durrell, said Princess Anne’s dedication to the charity was “an inspiration”.
She said: “Her Royal Highness’s knowledge, passion and belief in our mission to save species from extinction is an inspiration to the Durrell team and our loyal supporters.
“We feel the tortoise is symbolic of the longevity of HRH’s support of the Trust, and as tortoises represent good luck, wisdom and the creation of the Earth in many cultures, there is even further resonance for HRH’s patronage.”
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Princess Anne joined Durell as a royal patron in 1972 after she was approached by the charity’s founder when the royal was only 22 years old.
The royal is known for visiting the charity’s headquarters regularly at Jersey Zoo on the isle of Jersey in the English Channel.
She has visited many of the international organisation's overseas projects in Belize, Mauritius, Brazil and Madagascar.
The Queen’s daughter also makes visits to Durrell's Conservation Academy, which trains conservation workers.
Over 3,500 students have graduated from the Academy, who then go on to train people in their own countries.
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Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust was founded in 1959 by conservationist Gerald Durrell to save endangered animals from extinction.
The organisation's other aims are to restore ecosystems which have been destroyed and reconnect people to nature.
On their website, their mission statement is: “At Jersey Zoo, we blur the barriers between animals and people by creating a more immersive experience that offers a window into the wild.
“Together with our partners, we use our conservation knowledge, and the skills of our staff and trainees, to manage breeding programmes, provide technical expertise, and conduct research that informs conservation action to protect species in the wild.”
