Remembering Jane Goodall locally

THE death of primatologist Jane Goodall sparked an outpouring of tributes around the globe, including for a Bellarine resident.

For Cherished Pets founder Alicia Kennedy, the loss of Ms Goodall is more personal – sharing a friendship with her for the past 25 years.

The pair’s relationship started in China, when Ms Kennedy became involved with the Jane Goodall Institute in 2002, meeting with her on a visit to Beijing.

“I organised to meet with her to start talking to her about establishing a chapter of the Jane Goodall Institute in Australia,” Ms Kennedy said.

“When we returned to Wallington in 2005, I then hosted her first visit to Australia in 2006, organised her first tour and that became the beginning of a chapter of the Jane Goodall Institute in Australia.”

Ms Kennedy is one of the founding directors of the institute, where her and Ms Goodall developed a close relationship.

When Ms Kennedy started Cherished Pets, it was with Ms Goodall’s blessing, who was a continuing supporter of the charity.

The Cherished Pets founder last saw Ms Goodall in Melbourne last year, saying her death had come as a real shock.

“Even though she was 91, she was physically fit, and I just honestly believed she would keep going until she was 100.

“To see the impact that it’s had [her death] on so many people and to see social media flooded with messages of hope, because she was all about hope, has fueled me with some energy to keep doing the work we do at Cherished Pets in her honour.”

Inspired by the loss and understanding grief is an individual journey, Ms Kennedy created a memory book for people to leave their own messages and tributes.

“When we were still in that shock of her dying, I wanted to create a little altar in her memory with some flowers and a candle, I’ve got a little wooden plaque with one of her quotes,” she said

“I did it as part of my own healing and responding to the news of her death and then to open that up to the community, which is what Cherished Pets is all about, connecting community.”

Ms Kennedy was due to see Ms Goodall again in January where the pair had organised a private meeting, instead she will deliver the tribute book to the UK.

Community members are encouraged to drop in to Cherished Pets and leave a message in the condolences book.