Actress Virginia McKenna

Virginia McKenna and her late husband Bill Travers were the stars of the epic film Born Free, out of which the Born Free Foundation charity was established in 1984 to make sure animals in captivity and in the wild are saved and cared for. The film, shown in the House of Commons privately this week, was sponsored by MPs Zac Goldsmith, Paul Scully and Bob Blackman and attracted a large audience. Afterwards there was a panel discussion chaired by Blue Sky Network’s Chairman, Nic Careem, who organised this event, discussing the welfare of animals in captivity and in the wild. Virginia McKenna told Radio Jackie how the film inspired her love of animals out of which the Foundation was born.