Ricky Gervais

• COMEDIAN and hero for animals Ricky Gervais has just tweeted an appeal to save the Wild Futures Monkey Sanctuary.

What’s his association with this little primate charity tucked away down a leafy lane near Looe?

In April 2008 it was reported that a tiny capuchin monkey had been rescued by the RSPCA from a house opposite where Ricky then lived, although he didn’t know it at the time.

Little Joey had been bought legally in a market in Surinam and brought to Hampstead where he spent nine years incarcerated in a tiny cage with no exercise and a poor diet, resulting in his spine becoming deformed.

Luckily for this poor little chap he was taken down to the sanctuary where he was properly cared, for living with his own species for last decade of his life, being euthanised a couple of years ago because of his painful spine.

I went down to see Joey and adopted him, sending an annual donation to pay for his upkeep. I learnt from the staff there that there are some 6,000 primates currently kept as pets in the UK, leading sad and solitary lives in totally unsuitable premises such as Joey endured.

All animal charities are struggling to survive in this financial crisis, including Wild Futures Monkey Sanctuary, so please help Ricky to help them.

Go to their website and give generously. Email fundraising@wildfutures.org or call 01503 262 532.

ANGELA HUMPHERY, NW3