Man on a mission to save the world

"IF no one did anything to help, the world would be in a lot of trouble - I feel as though I can't stand by and watch."

These are the words of Bournemouth-based campaigner Adam Murry, whose projects around the world are aimed at protecting people and animals from harm.

His Murry Foundation is involved in several simultaneous campaigns as wide-ranging as the opening of a new orphanage in Africa, a tiger sanctuary in Nepal and a determined effort to create a voluntary ban on the controversial delicacy Foie Gras in local restaurants.

The foundation is a not for profit, non salary-taking organisation leaving many wondering what motivates Adam to travel the world working tirelessly for a variety of causes.

"There are very few people that do anything to help the world but those that do make quite a big difference," he said.

"I think a lot of people are living in a bubble and are tied up with their material lives - they don't see what is happening in the world and how people are affected.

"Everybody believes someone else will do something about it, that someone else will donate money. I can't stand by and watch children die."

Locally, Adam has been involved in an attempt to ban Foie Gras from restaurants and has so far received support from a number of big names, including The Print Room on Richmond Hill, Bournemouth.

Foie Gras, which means fatty liver, is produced by violently force-feeding ducks and geese which are left in agony before they suffer a premature death.

Traditionally found on the menu of most top restaurants, Adam hopes he can influence others to remove it.

"In an age of enlightenment and tolerance it seems unimaginable that such tortuous and barbaric activities are allowed to continue" he said. "These poor animals suffer terribly all for the sake of putting luxury on our plates. I am appealing to all restaurant owners to take Foie Gras off the menu."

In Gravelotte in southern Africa, work is under way to turn a hotel into an orphanage, thanks to the Murry Foundation.

The Foundation provides help to orphaned children in a number of locations by building education centres and funding rural, sustainable development.

It is hoped that the investment in children will provide hope and education to communities that have received little or no help in the past.

One of the latest projects underway to help underprivileged children is the Murry Foundation Sports Academy, planned for a site near the orphanage in Gravelotte.

It will focus on soccer and boxing with the aim of giving hope and happiness to young people in poverty.

The project has the support of the South African sports minister and a number of sporting celebrities.

"It is an interesting time because we have a lot of projects coming together at the same time," added Adam.

More details of the projects are available by calling the Murry Foundation on 01202 768950 or go online to themurry foundation.com

• South Africa Recently completed a deal to purchase land to accommodate over 4,500 animals, which include lions, leopards, zebras, giraffes and elephants. This land has also helped double the size of the San Wild Sanctuary. As with all land acquisitions, this will be left in trust for the animals; a hotel to be converted into a children's orphanage and boarding school, will provide care for over 150 children.
  
  

Aid for Aids
Providing ongoing funding for an Aids orphanage called the Holy Mission in South Africa. The orphanage has over 90 children. A new computer skills centre funded by the Murry Foundation has been built.

Lory Park
The Foundation is in the last stages of completing a large animal hospital at the Lory Park animal sanctuary in Johannesburg, South Africa, desperately needed in order to treat rescued animals.

Free Me
Free Me currently treats 6000 animal and wildlife cases a year and include injured birds, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians. The Murry Foundation has proposed to fund and build a new rehabilitation facility on a large piece of vacant farmland, outside Johannesburg to which Free Me can relocate from premises currently owned by Johannesburg City Parks. This will be the largest wildlife rehabilitation and release sanctuary in South Africa.

Anti-poaching Rangers School
Setting up a new anti poaching ranger school, this will be the first of its kind and will educate rangers and potential rangers as to the dangers they will be faced with every day besides learning about protocols associated with their tasks.

Foster programme
A fostering programme for children in the foundation's care. The programme is set up to enable families to pay £500 per year to foster the children in the orphanage. The children remain there to complete their schooling but couples and families can visit them, send gifts and call them whenever they want.

Congo
Plans for a gorilla sanctuary in Goma.

Rwanda
Shadow minister for culture, media and sport Tobias Ellwood, partly funded by the foundation has transformed a small community near Kigali, devastated by the 1994 genocide. The team of UK politicians have updated classrooms, built a playground and community area, improved accommodation and installed proper sanitation and a new kitchen as part of a wider initiative in the country.

Thailand
A project to build a children's nursery school next to the foundation's elephant sanctuary, for the hill tribe children who have no schooling facilities or recreational facilities. This project is in its early planning stages.

Nepal
Currently building an orphan village in Nepal which, when completed, will house 1,000 children; a tiger and wildlife rehabilitation and release sanctuary, the first of its kind in the world.

China
The Murry Foundation has recently joined with the China Animal Association, in the fight against cruelty to cats and dogs. Currently there are no domestic animal welfare laws in China. A team has recently returned from China.

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