COMEDIAN Bill Bailey was monkeying around in Oxford at a tropical-themed ball.
The West Country comic was hosting an orange-tie ball at The Big Bang restaurant at Oxford Castle, to raise awareness about the Cowley Road-based charity the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS).
Mr Bailey, a patron of the charity, spoke to the audience about his travels through Indonesia and about the Sumatran orangutan, which is listed as critically endangered.
He said: “I have been involved with SOS for a number of years now.
“There are only 6,600 Sumatran orangutans left in the wild and they could be the first great ape to become extinct, which would be a disaster.”
SOS helps raise awareness of the endangered apes and campaigns to help protect their rainforest home, which is threatened by logging and the cultivation of palm oil.
Charity director Helen Buckland said: “Bill gives up his time very generously and a lot of people were excited to have dinner with him.”
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