Charity invites bakers to go wild and ‘bake a cake to save an ape’

By Gill Hyslop

- Last updated on GMT

Get your Ape-ron on, get into the kitchen and get baking. Pic: GettyImages/GlobalP
Get your Ape-ron on, get into the kitchen and get baking. Pic: GettyImages/GlobalP

Related tags Cakes for Apes Interernational Animal Rescue orangutans home baking

A UK-based animal welfare charity is counting down to its annual Cakes for Apes fundraising campaign to encourage home bakers to ‘bake a difference’ for orangutans in Borneo.

This is the third year of the event – to be held around the world throughout April – which has garnered the support of celebs like TV and radio presenter Fearne Cotton, reality star Lucy Watson and vegan blogger Deliciously Ella.

Cakes for Apes is the brainwave of Sussex-based International Animal Rescue (IAR), which runs a rehabilitation centre for more than 100 critically endangered orangutans in Borneo.

It also carries out education and outreach programmes among the local communities to secure protection for the orangutans’ rainforest habitat.

Get your creative on

On the back of Brits’ love of baking, the campaign aims to get people into a creative spirit in the kitchen to raise desperately needed funds for IAR’s orangutan conservation project.

“We rely entirely on public donations to fund our projects – and we’re full of admiration for all the inspirational things people do to support us,”​ said Phily Kennington, IAR’s community fundraiser.

“We’ve created Cakes for Apes as an opportunity for as many people as possible to get involved. After all, we all love cake.

“Anyone who isn’t keen on baking could make a donation in exchange for some cake – or buy some cakes to sell to friends or colleagues.

“We have [also] redesigned our limited edition ‘Ape-rons’, which will be on sale in support of the campaign which runs throughout April to give as many people as possible the chance to take part.”

Get involved

According to IAC, a recent study confirmed that Borneo's orangutan population is in ‘alarming’ decline, shrinking by more than 25% in the past decade alone.

The only chance of their survival is if everyone starts to take the problem seriously.

“All three orangutan species are facing serious threats to their survival from illegal hunting and habitat loss – and their situation has become even more dire in recent months as a result of the devastating fires affecting many parts of the globe,”​ said Alan Knight, CEO, IAR.

“It would be easy to feel helpless – and hopeless - in the face of such destruction but everyone has a role to play in efforts to save this critically endangered species and protect its precious habitat.

“The work of our rescue teams wouldn’t be possible without the fundraisers who support it.”

Get your kit

Cakes for Apes

The charity has put together a digital Cakes for Apes fundraising pack,​ which includes suggestions on how to hold a successful cake sale, as well as a book of vegan cake recipes from the charity’s celeb supporters, a Cake for Apes collection box, a poster, stickers, bunting and cake labels.

Participants can also buy the limited edition ‘Ape-rons’ to use as gifts or fundraising prizes.

The money raised with help IAR continue its life-saving work rescuing orangutans from suffering, giving them all the care they need, and then releasing them back into protected national parks.

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