A PUBLICAN has swapped ales for apes, moving more than 7,000 miles away to volunteer with orangutans.

Chris Pobjoy, 58, who normally lives in Worthing, has won the Argus Business in the Community Award twice for his pub work.

He first won it at The Romans in Southwick as the landlord.

The second time was for his work as part of the team behind community pub The Bevy in Bevendean, where he was project manager and later manager.

But now he has moved to Borneo for three months to volunteer with Orangutan Appeal UK at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

He is taking time out from the pub trade to help fundraise for the charity, which works to help protect the endangered animal through rehabilitation and conservation projects.

He will also manage its affairs on the ground at the centre.

Mr Pobjoy said: “It is a tremendous honour and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“I am doubly pleased as Orangutan Appeal UK’s baby orangutang rehabilitation project has been brought forward so I can help raise awareness about this and the many other projects we run in Sepilok alongside the Sabah wildlife department.

“The more aware people are to the plight of this endangered species, which shares 97 per cent of its DNA with us humans the more chance we have of saving them from extinction.”

Before going to Borneo, Mr Pobjoy had been working as a self-employed business development manager, working mainly in hospitality and with start-ups.

He also worked on projects for the Brighton Hippodrome, where he was a trustee.

Four days into the adventure, he said: “I have already had the most amazing time engaging with the orangutans on the rehabilitation programme.

“I may be involved in other projects in Asia if it works out.”

The Sepilok centre is in the Malaysian Sabah District in North Borneo.

It was founded in 1964 to rehabilitate orphaned orangutans.

The site taken up by the centre is an area of protected land at the edge of Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve.

Some 60 to 80 orangutans are currently living free in the reserve.

In the wild, baby orangutans stay with their mothers for up to six years while they learn the vital survival skills such as climbing.

The Sepilok centre pairs younger orangutans with older ones to help them gain these skills.

To donate or to adopt a baby orangutan, go to orangutan-appeal.org.uk.