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Banana Tree and Orangutan Appeal UK.

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Banana Tree Celebrates Fruitful Partnership with Orangutan Appeal UK

Popular Indochinese restaurant announces significant fundraising milestone at a celebration lunch.

18/06/2015

Celebrating business partnership

On Tuesday 16th June, big-hearted Southeast Asian restaurant group, Banana Tree and Orangutan Appeal UK hosted an exclusive lunch time event to celebrate the successes of the organisations’ fruitful partnership at their popular Soho restaurant.

Banana Tree and Orangutan Appeal UK.

VIPs, local businesses, politicians and friends of both organisations were invited to attend the celebration lunch between 12.30 - 14.30 and the event aimed to entertain and inform attendees of the great work both organisations have been doing over the last few years. Special guests included Jeffrey Ong, double Olympian from Malaysia and a former Malaysian Sportsman of the Year, Khairul Nizam, Malaysian Trade Commissioner and Bill Oddie OBE, Conservationist and Broadcaster. Guan Chua, Chef on Nigela Lawson’s Taste TV show and blogger of Theboywhoatetheworld.com, May Chong, Supper club chef and Malaysian food blogger of eatcookexplore.com and Uju, food blogger of babesabouttown.com, also attended the event.

The awareness event was a great success and attendees enjoyed a presentation from special guest Sue Sheward MBE, Founder of the Orangutan Appeal UK detailing their work at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Borneo, and their involvement in the rescue of orphaned baby orangutans. Sue also introduced the appeal’s newest ambassador artist and environmentalist Jacha Potgieter who revealed a fantastic piece of artwork, which was donated to Orangutan Appeal UK. As well as this, a raffle took place and the prize of an orangutan adoption was won by Cleo Webster, of responsible travel company The Great Projects.

  • Banana Tree and Orangutan Appeal UK.
    Banana Tree and Orangutan Appeal UK.

Banana Tree have been working closely with the Orangutan Appeal UK since 2012 and are honoured to have donated over £25,000 over the last 3 years. One of the most successful initiatives undertaken by the restaurant group has been the donation of 25p from every order of their delicious Crispy Chicken in Mango and Sweet Lime Sauce dish to the charity, supported by a share of the kids menu also being offered to help this important cause.

Banana Tree’s support for the charitable group is a natural allegiance due to Founder, William Chow’s Malaysian roots and the restaurants’ culinary connections to the wider South East Asia region, the endangered orangutan’s last global stronghold.

Susan Sheward MBE, Founder of Orangutan Appeal UK said: "I'm very proud to partake in the upcoming event to celebrate the amazing support that Banana Tree have given to the Orangutan Appeal UK."

Commenting ahead of the event Banana Tree CEO, William Chow, commented “It has been such a privilege for us at Banana Tree to be able to play a small part in the work of the Orangutan Appeal UK and Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary in Borneo. Orangutans face extinction as rainforests in Malaysia and Indonesia shrink and every effort to protect and rehabilitate them into the wild is so important!”

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