KOKO GC

The story of KOKO is about two amazing women and a gorilla.

On January 2018, Mum died suddenly in Cyprus whilst on holiday. She was taken ill and needed emergency surgery. I'd talked to her an hour beforehand and she assured my that "all would be well", such was her way. I'd also talked to the surgeon who couldn't guarantee whether that would be the case; his candour proved right and she never woke up, dying alone in a foreign place in the middle of the night. Nonetheless, Mum had swam in sea and visited the church of St Paul and so I knew she was happy in her last few hours. She was, to the end, "keeping on keeping on".

About the same time, I'd reserved a couple of fourballs at a local golf club for a get together with some old university friends. Mum always loved a party and I needed cheering up so we thought we'd get as many golfers together as we could, play for the Claret Jug and Ryder Cup in her memory, have some fun and raise some money - we had a blast, KOKO was born and we are keeping on, approaching our 6th event. What started off as a couple of fourballs now has over 100 golfers attending.

COVID hit in 2020. Everything changed for all of us, in particular for our children and their schools and, as is always the case, the most vulnerable are hit the hardest. Our daughter is disabled but loves her school which caters for those with severe development delay - in our case, Sophia is nearly 16 but has the capacity of a toddler and needs 24/7 care. When the pandemic came, her school shut for all but the most vulnerable children - Sophia was excluded. So we did what everyone did - found ways to make things work but for two working parents, this required major sacrifices to keep Sophia safe and happy.

Then the miracle happened. One morning, White Lodge Centre called. They are a local children's charity who support Sophia and her friends. They simply said "what can we do to help?". From having no support at all, White Lodge took Sophia (and others) for a few hours a week to give her support and us and families like ours respite. It was manna from heaven. A little normality could return for Sophia.

Since then, all our fundraising has been focused on the needs of White Lodge Centre, to support them as they provide a critical local service for those who need it most. This year, however, their funding has effectively halved as they have been asked to serve all the children of Surrey, doubling the number of families they cover, for the same amount of money. So times are tough for them. Any money we raise goes to the things that they can no longer afford to offer the children - such as trips to adventure parks and visits by entertainers.We raised £10,000 last year and hope to beat that this year.

Where does the gorilla come in? For many years, a gorilla lived in captivity in California who had learnt the same sign language that Sophia uses - a version called makaton - and gained celebrity status with various high profile friends. Her name, in a coincidental twist, was Koko. She also died in 2018 and so it seemed destined that we'd adopt KOKO as the name of our event and is why we now have the face a gorilla with a heart at its centre as our emblem. In memory of Mum and to help Sophia and her friends we "keep on keeping on". 

The following is an article which appeared in The Guardian in 2018:

​

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/21/koko-gorilla-sign-language-dead-aged-46

​

Koko, the gorilla that learned sign language and formed several celebrity friendships while in captivity in the US, has died aged 46.

The female western lowland gorilla, who gained fame for her mastery of “gorilla sign language”, died peacefully in her sleep at the Gorilla Foundation’s preserve in California, the foundation said.

Originally named Hanabi-ko – Japanese for “fireworks child” – after being born at San Francisco Zoo in 1971, Koko learned a rudimentary sign language through a researcher, Koko reportedly understood about 2,000 words of verbal English.

The subject of numerous documentaries, Koko also appeared on the cover of National Geographic, in a picture that the primate took of herself in a mirror. Koko adopted a kitten called All Ball and when the feline was hit and killed by a car in 1984, Patterson was filmed asking Koko what had happened. Koko signed in response: “Cat, cry, have-sorry, Koko-love.”

Further anguish was to come for Koko following the death in 2014 of the actor and comedian Robin Williams. Koko and Williams had struck up a firm friendship in 2001, with the two filmed laughing and cuddling together. The Gorilla Foundation said that Patterson told them Koko was “quiet and very thoughtful” when told of Williams’s passing.

Koko also met Flea, the bassist in the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the actor Betty White. The gorilla also surprised scientists in 2012 by demonstrating an ability to play the recorder. A treat for one birthday was a box of kittens to play with.

“Her impact has been profound and what she has taught us about the emotional capacity of gorillas and their cognitive abilities will continue to shape the world,” the Gorilla Foundation said.

​

​