Save Wild Tigers Charity Gala @ Mandarin Oriental

Lindsey
By Lindsey Last edited 156 months ago
Save Wild Tigers Charity Gala @ Mandarin Oriental

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The ideal sponsor
The ideal sponsor
Ronni Ancona and Alastair McGowan gird themselves for dinner with us
Ronni Ancona and Alastair McGowan gird themselves for dinner with us
An exquisite Balinese dancer enthrals
An exquisite Balinese dancer enthrals
Dancers and drummers stir up excitement for the auction
Dancers and drummers stir up excitement for the auction
Joanna Lumley tugs at our heartstrings before Nicholas Parsons tugs at our pursestrings
Joanna Lumley tugs at our heartstrings before Nicholas Parsons tugs at our pursestrings
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Tiger striped goodie bags for all
Tiger striped goodie bags for all

We don't often get to go out posh so were chuffed to be guests of Kit Digital for the Save Wild Tigers gala fundraiser, organised by the Clinton Partnership for the Born Free Foundation, Environmental Investigation Agency and WildAid.

The photo of us doing a thumbs up next to Bill Oddie didn't make the cut for these pics but we did eat dinner just a few tables away from the even-more-lovely-in-real-life Joanna Lumley. The expert cajoling of Nicholas Parsons nearly made us put up our hand to bid thousands we didn't have in a mega watt auction. Great company at our table included Ronni Ancona and Alastair McGowan sat, alas, directly across the rather wide table which stymied our intention of posing the killer question: have you ever been sick on the tube?

Five star dinner and entertainment aside, the key message of the evening was the clock is ticking. There are only 3200 tigers left in the wild. In less than a decade the species could be extinct. Whilst there are no wild tigers in London two of the three charities behind Save Wild Tigers coordinate their tireless work here: the Environmental Investigation Agency stalks the plains of Islington's Upper Street and WildAid lurks in Clerkenwell's urban jungle. The Born Free Foundation, still run by the wonderful Virginia McKenna, lies down the train tracks in the wilds of West Sussex but their strong celebrity support gives them a firm foot in London.

You don't need to wing it into a glitzy gala to help save wild tigers. WildAid, EIA and the Born Free Foundation all need your support.

Photos courtesy of WildAid. We were a grateful guest of Kit Digital. Find out more at www.savewildtigers.org

Last Updated 07 March 2011