Northampton youngster sells toys to save rainforest
A young eco-warrior is selling dozens of her toys to raise money for a wildlife appeal aiming to preserve trees in a rainforest in Indonesia.
Nine-year-old Ellisia Dell-Sanders of Whitehills, in Northampton, is a member of the RSPB's Wildlife Explorers and has decided to donate as much money as she can to a campaign to save the Sumatran rainforest and its animals.
Ellisia, who recently turned vegetarian, stood outside her house for two hours on Saturday morning with her three friends – Tierney Blaney, aged eight, Zoe Eaves, aged nine and Milly Wood, aged nine – and managed to raise 75, with more cash expected from a school collection.
Her father Chris said: "She really is a little eco-warrior. The toy sale was completely her idea.
"It is not just about how much money she raises but also about raising the profile of the campaign.
"I've always been a bit of an environmentalist so it must be in the genes."
Ellisia, who is hoping to be a vet when she is older, is raising money to maintain an area of the rainforest which the Indonesian Government has given to the RSPB and two of its partners, Burung Indonesia and BirdLife International, on a 100-year lease to look after.
The area known as Harapan, meaning 'hope', is home to an array of birds and wildlife, including the rhinoceros hornbill, the Sumatran tiger, one of the world's rarest mammals, and the sun bear, the world's smallest bear.
Andy Simpson, the RSPB's Head of Youth and Education, said: "Harapan Rainforest is a forest under threat, and if we don't act now, this rainforest and its amazing wildlife will be gone in a few years.
"We want to plant more trees and give the rainforest animals somewhere to live again.
"The money raised through the appeal will go towards buying trees grown by local villagers, helping both people and wildlife.
"It costs 20 to plant 40 trees for rainforest animals so any money raised, from 20 pence to 20 pounds, will help save these amazing animals," he added.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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