To Friends, Family and Strangers

Having my youth filled with Disney's finest, 'The Lion King' and my adolescence and adult life with endless David Attenborough documentaries I have always been fascinated with wildlife. It is only in recent months that my eyes have really been opened regarding animals in captivity. I am guilty of visiting Sea World at the age of 10, I still remember how mesmerised I was by the whole experience. However since watching the 'Blackfish' documentary I am so ashamed that I ever went, it highlighted how animals, not just Orca's, should not be in captivity for entertainment.

It's so easy to turn a blind eye, or convince yourself that what's going on is actually okay. Ric O'Barry's quote is to the point:  'A dolphin's smile is the greatest deception. It creates the illusion that they're always happy.' Simply google, Arturo the Polar Bear and its heart breaking.

Born Free turned 30 last year, it’s a wonderful charity that is able to help all wildlife. It has a variety of campaigns in helping wildlife and preventing harm. When telling family that I plan to run in an Orca costume, they asked why I wasn’t running as a Lion (they first asked if I was insane). Blackfish is the documentary that inspired me. But that’s not just it, I find it so tragic to see through social media people paying thousands of pounds to shoot dead such magnificent creatures. Not to mention the ever growing amount of Elephants that are slaughtered annually for their Ivory, and as of 2015 the Western Black Rhino is declared as extinct.

So what started as a slightly tipsy conversation at a bar to run a Half Marathon with only 4 weeks to train for lead to me committing myself to 5 runs for the Born Free Foundation. But looking back now I am sure there have been more. It started with the Henley Trail Half Marathon, shortly followed by the Blenheim Palace 10k, Back to the Trenches, Deal Half Marathon, The Washington D.C Rock N Roll Half Marathon and the Reading Half Marathon. 

I promised I would dress as an Orca, and when the London Marathon was on the cards...what better opportunity? So my Auntie and Uncle got to work to design me the most incredible costume! Now this is certainly not going to be easy but the purpose is to raise awareness, and with this 8 foot long costume I am sure I can do just that! I have named the costume 'Lolita' after the Orca that is currently kept in Miami Seaquarium, there is a lot of media attention surrounding Lolita and just this year she was put on an 'endangered species list.' making her one step closer to being free. 

So thank you very much for visiting my page, wish me luck as I am going to need it. Please visit http://www.bornfree.org.uk for more information on the wonderful work this charity does.

Thank you

Beanie

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