The David Lloyd Lefini Project

It is a sad fact that due to rainforest destruction, humans are likely to cause the extinction of a quarter of all known species in the next 20 years, unless we work to protect them now. It is also responsible for 20% of our total annual CO2 emissions – so working to keep this carbon ‘in the ground’ is absolutely crucial.

The David Lloyd Lefini Project, in conjunction with Change for Climate Change, is committed to the conservation of endangered species and returning them to protected areas in the wild. This involves the management of two gorilla rescue and rehabilitation projects in the central African countries of Gabon and Congo, where over 50 gorillas have been successfully reintroduced. This is administered by The Aspinall Foundation.

The vision of The David Lloyd Lefini Project is to undertake a programme of education in these reintroduction sites; helping rainforest communities to understand the multiple benefits of conservation, build sustainable enterprise, and become permanent protectors of the forests and their animals.

How David Lloyd Leisure will help

David Lloyd Leisure is working with its members to support the project and aims to raise funds in a number of ways.  To start with David Lloyd Leisure are encouraging their members and staff to visit Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks in Kent, part of The Aspinall Foundation, to see the Western Lowland Gorillas to really understand the importance of saving this endangered species.  Members can initially donate loose change at the tills in the David Lloyd Leisure clubs which will go directly into supporting the David Lloyd Lefini Project.  In time, David Lloyd Leisure hopes to take members to the Congo to see how their involvement is helping.

David Lloyd Leisure is a family brand dedicated to nurturing and enhancing family life for today and future generations.  The David Lloyd Lefini Project sits closely with its brand philosophy. Its vision is to inspire and empower its members to get actively involved, through this project, in order to help tackle climate change together to really make a difference.

Change for Climate Change isn’t a normal charity.  It combines environmentalist passion with commercial understanding to create an initiative that will be embraced by the general public, adopted by big business and powerful enough to really make a difference.

At Change for Climate Change we believe that only when the millions of businesses + industries around the world change the way they operate, can this problem be reversed.

And we believe that since it’s us, the consumers who drive the demand for the products + services that they provide, we have the power to influence their behaviour.

We want to engage consumers around the world + unite them to create an amazing force that will drive change that won’t only positively influence the way business + industry behaves, but will benefit green causes  all around the world.

We are in the process of speaking with big and small businesses everywhere to help them make changes within their business + to enable their customers to make a difference too.  We will use this blog to keep you informed of our progress and we will be launching our website in around 3 weeks, so look out for more news from us.

The people behind Change for Climate Change

Kresse Wesling

Kresse is an environmental entrepreneur and social enterprise ambassador – she builds profitable businesses that solve environmental problems. In 2007 Kresse launched EaKo, which turns industrial waste into a diverse range of innovative products and returns 50% of profits to charity. In 2008 Kresse was named Shell’s Entrepreneurial Woman of the Future and EaKo won the HSBC Start-Up Stars Green Award and in March 2009, Kresse was named one of Britain’s 100 most entrepreneurial women.

John Elkington

John Elkington has been described by Business Week as “a dean of the corporate responsibility movement for three decades.” In 1987 he founded SustainAbility, a think tank and consultancy that works with businesses through markets in the pursuit of economic, social and environmental sustainability. He originated the term “Triple Bottom Line”. He is currently the Founding Partner & Director of Volans.

Chris Schiel

Chris is a business entrepreneur. He was Managing Director of a privately owned company with a turnover of £35 million p.a. until sale. He currently focuses on investing in, structuring, mentoring and running start up businesses. He sits on the board of five companies across the business spectrum, three which operate globally. One is located on the continent.