Thank you everyone for your incredible support of our first ever Bears Matter Month which ran from February 14th – March 14th. We are delighted with the success of our first BMM and are so pleased to report that we have gained 51 new Facebook followers, 2 new regular givers, raised £234.50 through events and our first online raffle. We have had a great response to our ABC 2013 Complimentary Registration Fee competition (winner will be announced at end March) and we launched our brand new Valentines and Mothers Day Gift Certificates and fabulous Bears Matter wristbands.

We marked International Save Bears Day on Feb 21st and have had a very positive response from a Honey maker who is interested in teaming up with us and we were so delighted to be able to share the amazing photos of the Animals Asia bears enjoying the coconuts and stereo we bought them to help with their recovery following rescue from bear farms (on Facebook and will go on website shortly).

We showcased the Valhalla Wilderness Society, Animals Asia, Libearty Bear Sanctuary, Get Bear Smart, BEAR League and the wonderful books written by Else Poulsen and Victor Watkins – Smiling Bears and Bear Sanctuary and we told you about Max and Bodo our wonderful adopted bears.

We highlighted our incredible Fostering Compassion project and dedicated February 26th to George Winton whom the Bear Foundation is set up in memory of and as a tribute to.

And last but not least, we have been following the work of the incredible Sally Maughan of the IBBR and her wonderful mom and cub – whose progress we will continue to follow in the weeks and months to come.

Thank you everyone, for making our first Bears Matter Month such a great success – you are a fabulous team of supporters. Here’s to making Bears Matter Month 2014 even bigger and better!! Bear hugs to you all. Lesley xx

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE WINTON FOUNDATION FOR THE WELFARE OF BEARS.  A year ago today we launched on 10.10.10 and what a fantastic year it has been!  Thank you to everyone for all their hard work and support and here’s to many more years of ‘Making it Bearable‘ for the bears.

Lesley

I am delighted to announce that on 27^th September 2011, The Winton Foundation for the Welfare of Bears was awarded charity status.  When we launched on 10.10.10 it was always the intention to obtain charitable status, preferably within our first year. However, being a lengthy and complicated process, I almost didn’t dare dream it could happen in time for our first birthday – but the dream has come true and I am delighted to share this news with you!

Our first birthday party on October 15^th will now become a double celebration – marking our one year anniversary and the granting of our charitable status.  This now opens up a multitude of new avenues and opportunities for us, so here’s to us going from strength to strength for our beautiful bears.

Thank you, everyone, for your continued support.

Lesley Winton

What a busy spell we’re having at the Foundation with lots of exciting things happening including the launch of our new Facebook page and some exciting additions to the website including our ‘Business Buddies’ section giving information on our Corporate contacts and our new ‘Take Action’ section where you can learn more about how to help make a difference through letter writing and petitions.

However, I must take a moment to mention a wonderful new and beautifully illustrated book, written by Victor Watkins, called ‘Bear Sanctuary’ which is now available for purchase.

Victor has worked tirelessly for the past 30 years in the field of animal welfare and in 1992 set up WSPA’s ‘Libearty’ campaign, the world’s first international campaign to protect bears in the wild and captivity from cruelty.  Thanks to Victor’s efforts, in the early 90s, the first bear sanctuaries were built allowing many countries to eradicate the cruel practice of ‘dancing bears’ allowing bears rescued from this fate to live out the rest of their days in peace, in purpose-built forested sanctuaries.

Most recently, Victor has supported the creation of the Romanian bear sanctuary which features in his book and the subsequent rescue of captive bears in Romania. His book gives an incredible insight into the lives of bears both before and after rescue and the threats facing these magnificent animals. As well as the Romanian sanctuary, the book looks at sanctuaries in Turkey, Greece, Thailand and China.

The book is a must for all bear lovers. ‘Bear Sanctuary’ is now available in paperback at www.bearsanctuary.com and also as a downloadable Kindle e-book (available from the Amazon Kindle Store). An iBook version (for iPad and iPhone) is now also available from the Apple iTunes Store.

A donation from the sale of this book will be used to help rescue and care for bears in the Romanian bear sanctuary and elsewhere around the world where bears are under threat in the wild or suffering from cruelty in captivity.

Please take a minute to visit the Bear Sanctuary website and learn more about bear sanctuaries around the world.

Just before the next newsletter comes out, I’d like to write a little something about the recent talk on bear farming given in Edinburgh by Jill Robinson MBE, CEO of Animals Asia, and Dr Heather Beacon at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, last Wednesday the 22^nd June.

The talk documented their work to rescue bears from the brutal bear farming industry and was heartbreaking as you can imagine.  However, the work this organisation is doing to tackle this horrendous trade, is equally inspiring.

We learned about the thousands of bears who are still held captive in farms across Asia in conditions that can only be described as torture chambers for bears, but we also saw wonderful slides of released bears, now living happy and healthy lives in Animals Asia’s Chengdu sanctuary.

One picture in the presentation that brought sadness and hope in equal measure was a picture of three deceased bears lined up in a row on the grass in the sunshine.  These bears hadn’t made it and despite the veterinary teams best efforts, they couldn’t save them.  However, the warmth and compassion of the Chinese sanctuary staff shone through as they lovingly placed these bears on the grass, so just once they would have grass underfoot and sun on their backs.

However, by far, it was Oliver’s story that moved me the most and although I have been aware of the brutality of the bear farming industry for years, I think this poor bear symbolises it more than anything.

Rescued in April 2010, after 30 years trapped in a cage suffering the torture of bile extraction and being confined in a painful, heavy metal jacket Oliver, a brown bear and his strength of spirit, is an inspiration to all.

When the Animals Asia team found him, they were faced with a sad, distressed and physically damaged bear.  He was unresponsive and in constant pain.  He became known, affectionately as their ‘Broken Bear’.

After release from his cage, came the journey from the farm back to the sanctuary.  During this journey, Oliver’s condition deteriorated further due to the bear farm owner having ripped the catheter that had been embedded for years, out of Oliver’s abdomen.

Under the most dreadful of conditions, the Animals Asia veterinary team had no option but to perform emergency surgery in the back of the truck where Oliver underwent a four hour life saving operation to remove his damaged gall bladder.  Thankfully, there was an immediate improvement in Oliver’s condition – perhaps this poor, sorry bear’s luck was changing at last.

Oliver’s joy at being released from his cage was plain for all to see and he loves his new home at Animals Asia’s Chengdu Sanctuary.  Considering he spent 30 years – normally the lifespan of these bears in a cage, he is now a curious, inventive and active bear!  Despite his stunted legs, he loves playing in the water and with all the sanctuary toys.  He is stimulated and happy… and free.

Please visit Animals Asia’s website  to learn more about their incredible work to end bear farming and click here to see Oliver in his new surroundings.

The Winton Foundation for the Welfare of Bears is currently assisting with the funding of Animals Asia’s ‘Bear Enrichment Programme’ – a vital project which provides toys and play structures that stimulate the bears and help them exhibit natural behaviour.  Please help us continue to support this immensely important aspect of the bears recovery after rescue from bile farms.

Jasper relaxing in his hammock - do you think he's comfortable enough?!

The Foundation has funded a Fire Hose Hammock like this one, along with a log wall.