Lynne Chitty raises £2,500 for Animals Asia bear rescue

Lynne Chitty, a wildlife enthusiast from Petersfield, raised £2,500 for the charity Animals Asia through a walking challenge at Heath Pond. The fundraiser involved completing 137 circuits of the pond to represent the number of Moon Bears, also known as Asian Black Bears, still held in captivity.

The funds support efforts to end bear caging on bile farms in Vietnam. While the Vietnamese government recently outlawed the practice, the charity is working to re-home the remaining bears to its sanctuary in Bach Ma by the end of the year. The mission is described as a race against time due to the poor health of many captive bears.