Well here I am on my last day at Save the Rhino. It's been such an amazing year and I've really loved working at Rhino HQ and getting to know the extended rhino family.
Never again will I experience the joys of cash batching, or wrestle with eTarget's latest "fix". Never again will I spend half an hour trying to get the security shutters to close over the front door. And never again will I lose all of Henry's special pencils. It's a sad day.
Still, I'm not gone for good. I'm going to be volunteering at the Surfin' Safari in a few weeks, and I'm sure I'll still pop in from time to time and bother everyone when they're trying to do their work. So it's not really goodbye.
Lizzie
Friday, 21 September 2007
Thursday, 20 September 2007
Post #79: Thursday 20 September - Visitors from London and Zimbabwe
We had the most lovely visitors to the office today, Neil Bridgland, our former Events Manager, and Ness Buxton, longtime rhino friend, and then Duncan Purchase from Zimbabwe, back in London briefly from his conference in Oxford. It's such a treat to meet the people who are actually helping us to do our work. (Sigh. Now I'm at it. Please make it stop.)
It's been such a flurry of proposal-writing and trip-creating that I haven't had a chance to tell you about Tuesday evening, when Petra and I went along to an auction at Holt's in aid of Safari Club International Foundation and Hluhluwe Game Reserve, once of the projects Save the Rhino supports. The auctioneer rattled through over 50 lots in an hour, and succeeded in raising a terrific amount for us - just totting up the final figure and then I'll let you know. Fingers crossed it'll be enough to buy the two new motorbikes and 18 Landcruiser tyres needed by the project.
Off home now, still on Kamchatka time I think, so have been doing some funny hours this week...
Cathy
It's been such a flurry of proposal-writing and trip-creating that I haven't had a chance to tell you about Tuesday evening, when Petra and I went along to an auction at Holt's in aid of Safari Club International Foundation and Hluhluwe Game Reserve, once of the projects Save the Rhino supports. The auctioneer rattled through over 50 lots in an hour, and succeeded in raising a terrific amount for us - just totting up the final figure and then I'll let you know. Fingers crossed it'll be enough to buy the two new motorbikes and 18 Landcruiser tyres needed by the project.
Off home now, still on Kamchatka time I think, so have been doing some funny hours this week...
Cathy
Wednesday, 19 September 2007
Post #78: Wednesday 19 September - a question for you
Hello all. Our magazine is well and truly on its way now. The images are all there, all the articles are with our graphic designer, and it's looking good. And I've been doing the accounts!
In other news, I'm still working on our first ever direct marketing appeal. We've been canvassing opinion in the office and considering how we should word our appeal letter: and I'd like to open this up to you, our readers. Which charity appeals have you been impressed with? Ones that ask nicely? Or the ones that metaphorically pin you against a wall and say 'DONATE NOW, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY'?
I prefer the nicely-nicely approach, but with a hint of emergency. What do you think?
Next time, I might tell you all about our website optimisation strategy, so stay tuned.
- Henry
In other news, I'm still working on our first ever direct marketing appeal. We've been canvassing opinion in the office and considering how we should word our appeal letter: and I'd like to open this up to you, our readers. Which charity appeals have you been impressed with? Ones that ask nicely? Or the ones that metaphorically pin you against a wall and say 'DONATE NOW, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY'?
I prefer the nicely-nicely approach, but with a hint of emergency. What do you think?
Next time, I might tell you all about our website optimisation strategy, so stay tuned.
- Henry
Monday, 17 September 2007
Post #77: Monday 17 September - back from the bears
Wow, my heart is still with the rhinos but I do love bears! Kenneth (husband) and I just got back from a fabulous trip to Kamchatka in the far east of Russia, where we saw brown bears, an early pair of Steller's sea eagles, arctic hares, ground squirrels and 1,000s of reindeer. What an amazing place Kamchatka is - volcanoes, tundra, taiga, lakes, and sunsets (and sunrises) to die for.
The return to the office was sweetened with a couple of bars of yummy Russian chocolate for the team so I don't think they mind that the big bad wolf boss is back too much. And by all accounts, it's been a bit of a social whirl while I've been away...
Haven't quite got brain into gear just yet, still recovering from 12 hour time difference issues, but at least I've read everything in my inbox once, even if there are quite a few replies still needed.
Wish me a good night's sleep. Cathy
The return to the office was sweetened with a couple of bars of yummy Russian chocolate for the team so I don't think they mind that the big bad wolf boss is back too much. And by all accounts, it's been a bit of a social whirl while I've been away...
Haven't quite got brain into gear just yet, still recovering from 12 hour time difference issues, but at least I've read everything in my inbox once, even if there are quite a few replies still needed.
Wish me a good night's sleep. Cathy
Friday, 14 September 2007
Post #76: Friday 14 September - No more visitors
No more visitors today, but lots of little things going on. It is that time to sort out all the loose ends that have gone on all week, and chase up people who haven't yet got back to us.
A nice highlight of today was an order for a load of poo planters as gifts for wedding guests. Bit more exciting than those sugared almonds that no one eats, and pretty unique. If you would like a more eco-friendly and rhino themed wedding (and lets be honest, who wouldn't), then I still have some left in stock: just give me a call...
Also got another membership application through the post today. Only £3 a month, the price of a sandwich, and you can get all the exciting goodies and intangible benefits of being an official member of the Save the Rhino team. All the cool people are doing it now. And I expect to see that certificate framed when I next come home Dad...
H x
A nice highlight of today was an order for a load of poo planters as gifts for wedding guests. Bit more exciting than those sugared almonds that no one eats, and pretty unique. If you would like a more eco-friendly and rhino themed wedding (and lets be honest, who wouldn't), then I still have some left in stock: just give me a call...
Also got another membership application through the post today. Only £3 a month, the price of a sandwich, and you can get all the exciting goodies and intangible benefits of being an official member of the Save the Rhino team. All the cool people are doing it now. And I expect to see that certificate framed when I next come home Dad...
H x
Wednesday, 12 September 2007
Post #75: Wednesday 12 September - Vistors from theatre land
We had a most lovely visitor to the office today, Paul Handley from the Royal Court Theatre in London's Sloane Square! It's such a treat to meet the people who are actually doing the work in the field...(of theatre).
Paul and co are putting on a production of Eugene Ionesco's Rhinoceros and they're interested in using our costume. Of course they had to see what they look like on, so I volunteered to model one for them. I quite enjoy being in the rhino costume, but every time I wear one my respect for our marathon runners grows. It was actually getting a bit painful after 10 minutes, so five hours plus is truley heroic!
Coincidentally, an early 90s production of Rhinoceros is responsible for our infamous London Marathon rhino costumes, which we were donated after the show ended. Our costumes were designed by Gerald Scarf and made by the Jim Henson Creature Workshop, and they've held up pretty well given that they were originally designed for just half an hour on stage! They will need replacing at some stage though, and we're currently looking around for companies or individuals who'd like to sponsor a new rhino costume or two for us. If you know anyone or might be interested, please email petra@savetherhino.org.
All from me today, apart from to say that we'd really love you all to come to our boat party in October, Surfin' Safari. Find out more about it and order tickets here.
Lizzie
Paul and co are putting on a production of Eugene Ionesco's Rhinoceros and they're interested in using our costume. Of course they had to see what they look like on, so I volunteered to model one for them. I quite enjoy being in the rhino costume, but every time I wear one my respect for our marathon runners grows. It was actually getting a bit painful after 10 minutes, so five hours plus is truley heroic!
Coincidentally, an early 90s production of Rhinoceros is responsible for our infamous London Marathon rhino costumes, which we were donated after the show ended. Our costumes were designed by Gerald Scarf and made by the Jim Henson Creature Workshop, and they've held up pretty well given that they were originally designed for just half an hour on stage! They will need replacing at some stage though, and we're currently looking around for companies or individuals who'd like to sponsor a new rhino costume or two for us. If you know anyone or might be interested, please email petra@savetherhino.org.
All from me today, apart from to say that we'd really love you all to come to our boat party in October, Surfin' Safari. Find out more about it and order tickets here.
Lizzie
Tuesday, 11 September 2007
Post #74: Tuesday 11 September - Visitors from Zimbabwe
We had a most lovely visitor to the office today, Mr Duncan Purchase from Matusadona National Park, Zimbabwe! It's such a treat to meet the people who are actually doing the work in the field...It was great to meet Duncan at last, since through the technology of Skype I've got to know him and the project he works on quite well (see the 'What We Do' section above for more details). As Petra just said, it's great to meet people from the projects because it really brings things to life - we hear about the measures the projects are taking to really protect the rhino where it's found in the wild, and makes all the work sitting in the office in London seem really worthwhile.
Otherwise, there are some cool things in the pipeline here - this week I'm going to see people at 23red, a creative design agency, to discuss the direct marketing appeal, and I've just sent the copy for our magazine to Jim at the graphic designer's. We've finally completed reorganising our membership records. And I'm doing some accounting too. It's all go.
Back soon - Henry
Otherwise, there are some cool things in the pipeline here - this week I'm going to see people at 23red, a creative design agency, to discuss the direct marketing appeal, and I've just sent the copy for our magazine to Jim at the graphic designer's. We've finally completed reorganising our membership records. And I'm doing some accounting too. It's all go.
Back soon - Henry
Saturday, 8 September 2007
Post #74: Friday 7 September - Visitors from Kenya
We had a most lovely visitor to the office today, Mr Richard Bonham from the Chyulu Hills! It's such a treat to meet the people who are actually doing the work in the field; and to hear the good and bad news; and to chat about future developments and initiatives. When you're fundraising for a project somewhere in the bush in Kenya, it’s really useful to hear the stories first-hand, and it works wonders for your motivation.
I can’t wait for Duncan Purchase’s visit next week, he is here from the Zambezi Society so we'll hear all about the rhino in Zimbabwe, and get to put a face to a name. Think Mr French here will be especially pleased, him and Duncan work closely together, so over to him....
From a very motivated Petra
I can’t wait for Duncan Purchase’s visit next week, he is here from the Zambezi Society so we'll hear all about the rhino in Zimbabwe, and get to put a face to a name. Think Mr French here will be especially pleased, him and Duncan work closely together, so over to him....
From a very motivated Petra
Wednesday, 5 September 2007
Post #73: Wednesday 5 September - Surfing Rhinos
Lizzie here again. I'm still here even though Hannah's started, as it seemed a good idea to have a bit of a handover for a few weeks. Plus, we need someone to keep all our events ticking over until Fiona starts.
The main event I'm working on at the moment is our boat party, the Surfin Safari, which is going to be fab. We've hired the tallest boat on the river, the Dutch Master, and we're going to pack it full of free drinks, music (courtesy of the Bikini Beach Band and our friends from White Rhino in Brighton), games, rhino costumes and yet more drinks. Click here to find out more and to download a ticket order form. We'd love you all to come.
Lizzie
The main event I'm working on at the moment is our boat party, the Surfin Safari, which is going to be fab. We've hired the tallest boat on the river, the Dutch Master, and we're going to pack it full of free drinks, music (courtesy of the Bikini Beach Band and our friends from White Rhino in Brighton), games, rhino costumes and yet more drinks. Click here to find out more and to download a ticket order form. We'd love you all to come.
Lizzie
Tuesday, 4 September 2007
Post #72: Monday 3 September - Dawning of a new era...?
It's a bit of an odd time at Save the Rhino at the moment. Cathy is on holiday, Zoe has left, Lizzie is heading off to more academic pursuits in a couple of weeks...and I'm in. I'm Hannah, the new Michael Hearn Intern, so will be acting as the new Lizzie. And it seems I'm going to have a hard act to follow.
Today is my first day in the Save the Rhino office, meeting everyone and finding out what this is all about. It is a pretty busy organisation for such a small office, so I am going to have my work cut out trying to get on top of everything. Fortunately, it is such a good cause that it will be worth all the effort in the end.
I'm being kept busy already, receiving applications for the London Marathon. A good effort from a lot of keen people who are crazy enough to want to run a ridiculous distance dressed as a rhino in order to raise pots of cash. Let's hope the rhinos appreciate it. If you want to join them, then we still have plenty of places left but you might want to get in early so you can start all that training; just email me and I can send you an application form.
Other than that, everyone in here is very helpful, I'm allowed my own stapler, and people have been making tea for me all day. I suspect this final one isn't going to last...
H x
Today is my first day in the Save the Rhino office, meeting everyone and finding out what this is all about. It is a pretty busy organisation for such a small office, so I am going to have my work cut out trying to get on top of everything. Fortunately, it is such a good cause that it will be worth all the effort in the end.
I'm being kept busy already, receiving applications for the London Marathon. A good effort from a lot of keen people who are crazy enough to want to run a ridiculous distance dressed as a rhino in order to raise pots of cash. Let's hope the rhinos appreciate it. If you want to join them, then we still have plenty of places left but you might want to get in early so you can start all that training; just email me and I can send you an application form.
Other than that, everyone in here is very helpful, I'm allowed my own stapler, and people have been making tea for me all day. I suspect this final one isn't going to last...
H x
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