Dear <<First Name>>

This time last year, I sent out an email titled, 'A Lion Story', which described an ongoing situation at Soysambu Conservancy and the arrival of two lionesses and cubs, who settled as the first resident pride since the mid 1900's.  At the time, we had no way of protecting the 5000 plus head of cattle in the area, as well as the communities within Soysambu and their livestock.  The lions feasted, and tensions rose between the Conservancy, who were charged with the responsibility of protecting the lions, and the ranchers, who were losing valuable livestock on a weekly basis.  I appealed for help from you and my extensive community of followers and collectors, with the offer of some wonderful opportunities to own artwork by Simon Gudgeon, Andrew Denman, Julie Chapman and myself, with proceeds going to the efforts to protect the lions and livestock.

The boma program was born, and the fundraising structure became one of tangible goals.  $2500 for a boma (cattle enclosure), which could hold 200 head of cattle at a cost saving of between $500 and 1500 per head.  30 bomas became the ultimate goal for the ranchers to be satisfied that this would almost entirely prevent livestock predation (40 would be perfect). In the grand scheme of conservation fundraising projects in Africa, it didn't seem like a big ask.  Millions of dollars are raised elsewhere for elephant, rhino and lion conservation projects.  But as individuals involved with Soysambu Conservancy, we were left scratching our heads about where on earth to start.

With a hectic schedule of shows and commitments, I was particularly reluctant to commit too much of my time or my work to fundraising.  But I always, ALWAYS have my radar on for any opportunities that can channel interest and funds to the cause I'm closest to and feel most passionately about.  Along came the quickdraw.  As many of you who have followed my facebook posts will know, an experiment back in March last year - a live facebook broadcast of me completing a painting with simultaneous auction - produced astonishing results. I was able to offer a limited amount of my time for a proportionally substantial amount of return, and all of a sudden, funds were rolling in for the project.  Not only that, but I was engaging an audience with my work, and more importantly, the project.  Since then I have forged relationships with individuals who are now deeply invested in a project and a place which they had no knowledge of previously.  I'm hoping that all of them at some point will be able to come to Soysambu to see what their investment has achieved.  It is truly remarkable.

At the same time, two knights in shining armour came riding onto Soysambu.  I had been talking to my close friends Jamie Kirkaldy and Hannah Davies for a long time about this project, and as folks who had visited and experienced the magic of Soysambu previously, they wanted to roll up their sleeves and help.  Taking everyone by surprise, they both went into a full gallop over a period of two weeks, and before any of us could say "moo", the first bomas were built, and Jamie had set up a workshop, team and structure for the rest to follow.  Without them, we would be considerably further behind in this process than where we are now, and we're colossally grateful to them.

So far, I've raised over $11,000 for the project through quick draws, which has at least been matched by other good folks who have rallied together, and hopefully we have motivated many people to get involved.  There is no better way to raise funds than to have direct results to show for your efforts, and with the wonders of modern communication, donors have been able to see the fruits of our labor from all over the world, in real time.  It seems like a big chunk of the funds needed, but we still have a very long way to go, and I have much grander goals for the future.  We have always wanted to make Soysambu a secure sanctuary for rhinos, and this will require a considerably larger effort.  We've already started working on fencing, and anything is possible with the good will and investment of individuals who understand the importance of places like Soysambu for the survival of the world's most familiar and beloved creatures.  For now, we are focused on the immediate challenge of securing a future for lions.  Here is a short video which encapsulates what it's all about: