Hi there!

This 26th of May, days away from turning 45, I'm running my first marathon! I’m doing this to raise money for an amazing charity, working to keep vital ecosystems on Sumatra alive and well, both for the animals that live there and for the rest of us on this vulnerable planet.

SOS, the Sumatran Orangutan Society, works to keep the rainforests of Northern Sumatra healthy. These are some of the most important forests on the planet, and crucial in the fight against the climate crisis. They are also the home to our distant cousins, the Sumatran orangutans (as well as tigers, bears, rhinos and many other species), who are increasingly at risk due to deforestation, particularly related to palm oil plantations.

SOS and their partners on the ground protect orangutans, their forest and their future by:

• supporting local people to improve their income at the same time as protecting the rainforest

• rewilding damaged orangutan habitat through tree planting programmes

• delivering training in orangutan-friendly farming methods

If you can spare it, do make a donation to this important cause.