Wild Futures’ Director Rachel Hevesi Shortlisted for National Outstanding Individual Achievement Award

Rachel Hevesi, Director of the charity Wild Futures has been shortlisted for an outstanding individual achievement award from the national publication the Charity Times.

The Charity Times Awards, in its thirteenth year, is a celebration of best practice in the UK charity and not-for-profit sector. Rachel Hevesi is travelling to London today to attend the black tie awards ceremony tonight at the Lancaster Hotel. Shortlisted alongside five male leaders in third sector, the overall winner will be announced tonight.

The awards are to recognise charities for excellence and professionalism.

Rachel Hevesi was nominated earlier this year due to the significant impact she has had on the charitable sector, more specifically in the conservation and animal welfare arena over the past 28 years.

Rachel first entered the sector in 1984 by starting as a volunteer at The Monkey Sanctuary. A couple of weeks helping out at the Cornish primate rescue centre inspired several repeat visits and eventually the opportunity of a job which then turned into a 28 year commitment.

The founder of the Sanctuary, Len Williams, had challenged the mores of animal keeping, designing innovative enclosures and prioritising social behaviour opportunities. He treated each monkey as an individual in a social group and recognised the importance of educating people about welfare and conservation issues. When Len died and the monkey care team gradually disbanded, Rachel was left with the challenge of the survival of the Sanctuary and its primate residents. Len’s widow agreed to give Rachel two years to create a new team and establish a future for the Sanctuary, a challenge that she met successfully.

Through investing her life’s savings and with the support of a team of dedicated and passionate people, Rachel initially set up a cooperative that bought the Sanctuary, which then later became a registered charity.

Throughout her time working for the charity Rachel has travelled abroad, shared knowledge to facilitate primate rehabilitation projects, advised and educated on every level, from student to government in Brazil, Peru and Colombia.

One of Rachel’s biggest achievements has been to persuade the Chilean Government of the need for a primate sanctuary in their country and to write guidelines and advise on legislation. This has resulted in real changes to animal welfare. Thanks to Rachel’s influence and through the work of that Sanctuary, the primate pet trade has now all but ended in Chile.

As the work of the Sanctuary in Cornwall grew over the years, Rachel spearheaded a rebrand project in 2009, leading to the charity being renamed from The Monkey Sanctuary Trust to Wild Futures. The new name and brand reflects its wider work.

Wild Futures supports welfare and conservation projects around the world, projects where their own finances do not allow for large scale funding. Wild Futures then seed fund for innovative community projects which often helps attract more money from other sources. Staff from Wild Futures offer and share their skills whether it is in education, practical primate husbandry, enclosure design or building.

Rachel continues to work hard in ensuring that the charity’s flagship project, The Monkey Sanctuary is able to rescue and re-home more monkeys. She continues to share knowledge that she has accumulated over the years and thanks to Rachel many of the Monkey Sanctuary staff and volunteers have gone onto be major players in the world of primate conservation and welfare.

Rachel is the author of two children’s books, one of which is used in Spanish speaking countries as an educational and fundraising tool. Rachel has also contributed to and had her work featured in several specialist publications and on television.

On being shortlisted for the awards, Rachel Hevesi states: “It is an honour for Wild Futures to be recognised in this way – because it cannot be about individual achievement but all the wonderful people who have seen that primates, our closest living relatives, so desperately need our help: That their future is our future. So, thank you to everyone who has been part of the Wild Futures team over the years, this is for you too.”