VIP book launch for Cookham-celebrated Ugandan conservationist

Borough businesses and schoolchildren supported a VIP book launch for an esteemed Ugandan wildlife vet with a special connection to Cookham in London last week.

Uganda’s first wildlife vet Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka is CEO of Conservation Through Public Health, an award-winning NGO that protects endangered gorillas.

The celebrated wildlife vet has won numerous awards for protecting gorillas and revolutionising conservation work, with a focus on the integrated health of humans and wildlife.

Her book launch supporters included businesses from the Metre Market (which pops up in Holyport and Cookham) as well as students from Furze Platt and Cox Green schools.

The event at the Uganda High Commission was organised by Media Hub founder Sarah Parfitt in Cookham and Katherine Oakes from Moneyrow Beans in Holyport.

The Ugandan foreign minister Jeje Odongo was also there, alongside Ugandan diplomat Nimisha Madhvani and members of the scientific community.

Dr Gladys shared anecdotes from her memoir ‘Walking With Gorillas’ with BBC presenter Claudia Hammond.

Her dream to write a book started to become a reality in Cookham at the Media Hub in 2019.

This also inspired Vicky Weddell from Moneyrow Beans to distribute Gorilla Conservation Coffee, which supports coffee farmers and Dr Gladys’ conservation work.