Introduction from Lynne Kentish, Director of the Lynx Educational Trust for Animal Welfare

The aim of the Lynx Educational Trust for Animal Welfare is to inspire and educate future generations about the importance and uniqueness of the extraordinary creatures with whom we share our beautiful planet.

I was one of the founders of the Lynx Educational Trust for Animal Welfare. The Trust, a registered charity was set up by the founders of Lynx, the organisation that successfully changed UK public opinion towards fur in the 1980's through high profile advertising campaigns supported by top photographers and models such as David Bailey, Linda McCartney and Yasmin LeBon. Celebrity supporters included Elton John, George Michael, Paul McCartney and Stephen Fry. Lynx ran alternative fur fashion shows that were televised by the BBC Clothes Show and a high percentage of the population bought and wore Lynx's famous designer t-shirts as a mark of their support for the campaign.

Surveys conducted by national opinion polls, 'teen' magazines and the thousands of letters that Lynx receives every year show animal and environmental welfare to be one of young people's top concerns and priorities. The Trust has developed and prioritised an educational programme on animal and conservation issues, including providing speakers, but primarily presenting them through specially commissioned theatrical pieces, accompanied by detailed teachers packs, designed to inspire the imagination and directly engage people’s interest and involvement, particularly young people.

We perceive there to be an urgent need for a balanced package of material to include project work,  presented in a way that will excite the young people's already high interest in the subjects, and thereby encourage them to make full use of it. It has become increasingly clear that positive change in the way we treat animals and look after the environment can come about by fostering the natural interest in both that young people have. If we can make them more confident in their beliefs then they will be much more likely to do something about them when they become voters, legislators and decision makers in their own right.

Many teachers have expressed their frustration at the lack of information on these subjects and have welcomed warmly our approach which examine the issues but then also provides backup information through the teachers packs to enable them to be tackled further in the classrooms.

Lynx is a registered charity, number 327625. We do not receive funding and so we have to raise money through public donations and our own efforts. To this end we have devised Play In A Day to not only raise our profile in schools but also so that any profits can go towards our ambitious projects to help educate future generations about the importance and uniqueness of the creatures with whom we share our beautiful planet.

Best wishes

Lynne Kentish