Anthony Ody: One of WWF’s earliest supporters
In the early 1960s, 11 year-old British boarding school student Anthony Ody read an article about threats to African wildlife. Two things in the piece stood out to him: for the cost of one nuclear test, great things could be done to help animals in Africa; and an organization called World Wildlife Fund had just recently been formed to help save the world’s wildlife. So Anthony wrote to British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, urging him to curb nuclear testing for the good of the animals.
But when a reply arrived from 10 Downing Street, Anthony was called to the headmaster’s office and reprimanded for taking up the Prime Minister’s time. Undaunted, Anthony encouraged each of his 80 classmates to donate a week’s pocket money – one shilling – to WWF. “We raised five pounds,” said Anthony, “which means that many boys gave more than just their one shilling, since there were 20 shillings to a pound in those days. Pretty good going, I’d say!”
This early activism was the beginning of a lifelong interest in conservation. Anthony went on to a 30-year career with the World Bank, specializing in economic development in places like Latin America, China and Africa, and becoming an early player in the Bank’s environmental activities. His work often involved collaborating with WWF staff. He says he was consistently impressed by the knowledge and value added that WWF staff brought to the table.
Anthony and his wife, Nancy, have been joint supporters of WWF since 2003. They took their first trip with WWF earlier this year, to the Gulf of California. “It was a wonderful experience,” he says. “The lectures and expeditions were first-rate, and we were so pleased to visit an island in the Gulf that WWF had helped to save. We really feel that our donations are being put to great use. We look forward to continuing our support of WWF.”
Evelyn Roberts, Member since 1992
One of the things that has always impressed me with WWF is its commitment to protecting threatened species. And if you are anything like me, you too have recognized their dedication to protecting tigers, polar bears, gorillas, and sea turtles, just to name a few.
I am a Partner in Conservation because I have been so inspired by WWF’s accomplishments over the years. Some of which I have seen first-hand when I traveled to Africa a few years back. And as a life-long animal lover, I was amazed to see gorillas and hippos in the wild and that reinforced my belief that we must protect these species so future generations can one day see these animals in person too.
WWF, better than anyone, understands that humans must and can live in harmony with nature and that coexistence is key to building lasting conservation solutions.
I take great pride in being a WWF Partner in Conservation knowing my support helps drive conservation success worldwide. I hope you do too.
