Happy April everyone!
I know everyone always says this and it's totally cliché and everything, but I really can't believe how fast this year is moving. Every time I think I have the luxury of time to ease into something new, the world proves me wrong. It seems so fast-paced at the moment it's like I can barely take a breath. But I know this hard work has the potential to lead me somewhere very very special, so I can't really complain.
As you all probably know by now, this past month has been a month of change for me. The biggest shift of all is that I am no longer at the Vervet Monkey Foundation. This has been absolutely life-altering to me. For as long as I can remember, working full-time in a wildlife sanctuary and helping rehabilitate animals has been my dream life. But as I'm sure many of you know, you can plan all you like in life but that doesn't mean the universe is going to comply. And while I thought I could never give up living amongst monkeys and caring for those very special little orphans, I reached a point where I just knew I had taken everything I needed to take from the experience.
And so here I am! Currently traveling around South Africa and doing what I can to set up life as a digital nomad. From one dream life to the next... I've always wanted to travel, to visit wildlife sanctuaries and animal rescues in different countries, to see nature and wildlife all over the world. BUT that doesn't at all mean I've given up my greatest passion in life... and that is protecting our planet and the wildlife that share it with us!
My focus has pivoted back to creating educational content. I've always believed that knowledge is both power and a privilege, and it's something I see no need to gatekeep. I want to take my experience at The Vervet Monkey Foundation and beyond and use it to make education about ethical wildlife tourism and eco-conscious travel accessible to a wider audience. We can never underestimate how powerful this can be.
I will never stop fighting for those monkeys. Or for animals like them all over the world. And for now, this is how I fight.
But what does this mean for my membership page?
If you've been a member for a while, you're probably wondering how things are going to change considering a lot of my exclusive content has been focused on the vervets. Well, I am still very much in need of, and incredibly grateful for, your support and I hope you will still be finding value in the content I create moving forwards.
With that in mind, I have adjusted my membership platform to include two tiers. The first tier is known as the Vervet Monkey tier and is all about general support. This tier includes a £3 a month donation that helps me keep creating educational content and addressing important issues that will continue to help our beloved vervets and others like them stay in the wild. As a thank you for the support, you will receive discounts on all current and future digital products (such as e-books, digital prints, lightroom presets, etc.). If you're already a part of my membership, then this is the tier you will currently be subscribed to. And I have one big final gift coming your way as a thank you for all your support throughout my time at the Vervet Money Foundation.... one I think you'll really really love! It'll be coming tomorrow so keep your eyes peeled.
The second tier of my membership is known as the Leopard tier. This tier includes a £10 a month donation. I've had to introduce a higher donation tier because of the amount of time and work I am putting into creating truly educational and valuable content. It takes a long time to research and create in a way that will successfully get this information out into the world. So, while I never want to create crazy pay-walls or ask too much, I hope you understand my need to support myself with this tier. As a thank you for supporting me on this tier you would receive free or discounted digital products, free access to resources about ethical travel (for now this includes my guide to ethical wildlife sanctuaries around Africa, but I will have more to come!), and exclusive access to examples of my entry-level animal behaviour work.
And as always, if you find particular value in a piece of work I have released, or just want to show some love - there is the option for a one-off donation just for the price of buying me a coffee.
I hope you appreciate I am finding my feet on a whole new path in life. So while things may take me a while to get right, I am always doing my very best to have the best possible impact I can.
I would absolutely love it if you'd like to continue supporting my work, and I would love to hear from you if there are things you wish to learn or see from me. I am here to create content that will change perceptions of wildlife and travel for the better. I am here to work for the benefit of wildlife worldwide.
I hope you'll join me on this journey and spread awareness and respect for all who share this planet with us.
Thank you, as always, for your love and support.
Connie x