Unique Print raises £1,000 for Born Free

Pollyanna was delighted when a print of her painting of ‘Sinbad’ the lion raised £1,000 at the auction at the Pride in Park ball on the 6th June.

The print was taken from her original canvas, which will be on display to the public for the very first time at the Born Free Exhibition from 20th June – 5th July. A giclee print was created especially for the evening, in a unique sze – the only one which will ever be produced in this format – and Pollyanna also completed an original sketch of Sinbad on the mount.

For many years, the lion in this painting, Sinbad was kept in a tiny cage in a zoo in Bacau Zoo in eastern Romania. He was born in 2001 but is just 80cm long and 125kg in weight – half the size of a normal lion. At the zoo he was kept on a bare concrete floor, gazing through the rusty wire. Born Free rescued Sinbad in July 2007.

When he arrived at Shamwari he was very nervous. He stepped out from the crate he had travelled in, treading on grass for perhaps the first time ever. Sinbad looked around in surprise, then began to explore his new home. He would never survive on his home in the wild, but will make sure he always gets the care he needs at Shamwari.Sinbad lives in an enclosure, bigger than a football pitch, full of plants and bushes to explore. He loves sunbathing or lying in the shade of the bushes gazing happily around him. Sinbad has a very sad history, but today he enjoys life in Africa.

Pollyanna was able to sketch him when she visited the Shamwari sanctuary in South Africa just a few weeks after his arrival in his new home.

A smaller size limited edition print of Sinbad has been released to commemorate the Born Free Foundation’s 25th anniversary it can be viewed and purchased securely online at Pollyanna Pickering.

The pride in the Park ball is an annual event whcih raises funds for the Born Free Foundation. Founder Virginia McKenna was once again the special guest – and spoke very movingly about marking 25 years of the Foundation’s work. The evening was co-hosted by John Altman – eastender’s Nick Cotton – pictured below during the evening with Pollyanna’s daughter and business partner Anna-Louise.