Yasmin and Amber raising funds for Quintessentially Foundation and Elephant Family

In advance of their 5 day rickshaw race in early November through Madhya Pradesh in India as part of Travels to My Elephant, an effort inspired by the work of the late Mark Shand to help call attention to the plight of endangered Asian elephants and support their conservation, Yasmin and Amber have established a Virgin Money Giving page to raise money for Quintessentially Foundation and Elephant Family.

From this March: Yasmin and Amber with actress Joanna Lumley pose alongside one of the rickshaws that will be raced as a part of Travels To My Elephant

Amber, who set up the page, writes that funds raised will go to helping save endangered Asian elephants, a cause close to both of their hearts. She adds that those who donate will be added to an email list to receive fun pictures and videos of them from the roads of India.

Elephant Family, the organization founded by conservationist Mark Shand, is dedicated to saving the Asian elephant, whose numbers have plummeted by more than 90% in the past century, from extinction.  Quintessentially Foundation aims to improve the education, health, and welfare of disadvantaged people worldwide.  Your donation will help support both of these important causes.

So far, £267.50 has been raised with a goal of £10,000.  Donations will be accepted through November 1st.

Visit Yasmin and Amber’s Virgin Money Giving page to donate.

Travels To My Elephant

This November, Yasmin and her daughter Amber will be taking part in Travels To My Elephant, an 8-day race of 30 rickshaws across Madhya Pradesh in India to help protect the Asian elephant from extinction.

Yasmin and Amber stand before one of the rickshaws with actress Joanna Lumley

There are currently less than 35,000 Asian elephants in the wild, a decrease in population of 90% over the past century, with the loss of forests and the illegal ivory trade further dwindling their numbers.

The charity event, which aims to raise a total of 1 million pounds, is being organized in memory of Mark Shand, the late founder of Elephant Family and a friend of Yasmin’s.  It was announced in a reception hosted at Clarence House by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, who was Shand’s sister.

Yasmin told the Daily Mail: “Mark was a dear friend whose work was so important. It would be a crime not to carry it on. I’m very into my cars but racing a rickshaw is going to be something else. I am going to be the driver and Amber will be the navigator. We get on brilliantly but I think being cooped up in a rickshaw for eight days together it going to be explosive. Luckily the engine is loud so I won’t be able to hear her – although I might be tempted to take some gaffer tape too. I really want people to support us in any way they can. It is the mad sort of challenge Mark would thoroughly have approved of and it’s wonderful for the prince and duchess to lend their support.”

This is not her first attempt to help raise money for Elephant Family, as she supported the charity as one of many celebrity pledge drivers to participate in last year’s BCG Annual Global Charity Day.

Also participating in the race will be actress Susan Sarandon and Quintessentially Foundation principal Ben Elliot.

Find out more about Travels To My Elephant and Elephant Family by clicking on these links.