Dame Virginia McKenna Co-Signs Limited Edition Prints
Anna-Louise recently spent a lovely day visiting Dame Virgina McKennna at her home in Surrey. Virginia is a wildlife campaigner, actress and author, well known for starring as conservationist Joy Adamson in the 1966 film Born Free with her late husband Bill Travers MBE.
Deeply immersed in animal conservation and welfare issues, Virginia co-founded Born Free in 1984 alongside her husband Bill and eldest son Will Travers OBE. The couple had been moved by the plight of Pole Pole, the elephant who appeared alongside them in the film An Elephant Called Slowly and was gifted to London Zoo by the Kenyan government following filming. Today, Virginia is still actively involved with Born Free and serves as a Trustee. Virginia was awarded an OBE in 2004 for her contribution to the arts and animal welfare, and a DBE in 2023 for her contribution to wild animal welfare and compassionate conservation.
Pollyanna and Anna-Louise first met Virginia following Pollyanna’s journey to paint Born Free’s rescued tigers in Southern India in 1990. They immediately bonded over their deep love for wildlife, and became close friends. Pollyanna went on to enjoy a close association with the charity whose values and aims were so close to her heart, and she acted as their patron for many years.
During the visit, Virginia and Anna-Louise co-signed the first ten of each of a series of three limited edition prints which will be exclusively launched at the forthcoming Born Free Exhibition in Pollyanna’s gallery. “We decided that it would be the perfect combination to mark the 40th Anniversary of Born Free” Anna-Louise commented. “Pollyanna’s lifelike and compassionate paintings of big cats in their natural habitat, Virginia’s signature representing the Born Free Foundation and mine representing The Pollyanna Pickering Foundation as these pictures will raise funds for both organisations”
The signed pictures will be available exclusively at the Born Free Exhibition to be staged June 22nd – 30th in Pollyanna’s private gallery in Derbyshire. Click here for full details