Shereen chats to Ashley Leiman OBE
Post categories: News,ÌýPolitics,ÌýPresenters,ÌýShereen
| 12:59 UK time, Monday, 15 November 2010
One thing I love about doing this show is that it can be a strange mix, often veering from the sublime to the ridiculous.
But when my producer Della told me we'd be doing an interview this week to mark Orangutan Awareness Week, I must admit I burst out laughing. With the student riots, the G20 summit, the row over the Scottish Government's Alcohol legislation, and the over this year's , orangutans weren't exactly top of my agenda.
She'd arranged for me to speak to , the founder of the . Ashley talked so passionately about this endangered species (our closest relative) and the need to preserve its rainforest habitat that I was soon captivated. And I'm not the only one. The boss of Scottish shortbread maker was so affected by a visit to Borneo that he's pledged to stop using in his products. The rain forests are being cleared to cultivate the oil.
Ashley's got some pretty high profile people to support her cause, from to , and even in these stricken times she's confident she can raise £200,000 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Foundation. Having heard her talk I believe her.
When I came off air I got a text from a friend saying never had she heard such a smooth transition from orangutans to poppies. All human (and ape) life is here!
Listen to Shereen, Sunday 0900 on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Scotland and available to listen again on iPlayer.
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