New book!

For many years we have had a small ‘family budget’ for charity donations. It’s not enough for us to really miss it, but still hopefully helps make a little difference. Probably dearest to our hearts, though, is the animal sanctuary in Aleppo.

About three years ago, we were (more than) a little horrified when our daughter asked us how we could send money to a cat sanctuary in Syria. Despite believing we’d convinced her that it wasn’t a ‘cat sanctuary’ - and after explaining what Guantanamo Bay was! - a few weeks later she ran downstairs, absolutely hysterical. She’d tried to send a sneaky donation through her own bank account but it had been rejected. Cue Mummy shouting ‘I’m going to look terrible in orange!’... amongst other more expletive-laden things!

As it turned out, it really is a legitimate, internationally-recognised and respected animal sanctuary... but also so much more. As well as looking after stray cats and dogs - and all forms of injured wildlife - people who have had to flee the city can leave their beloved pets there, at no cost, ready to be reunited when it’s safe to return home. They also run a free veterinary clinic, where the local people can access treatment for both pets and other animals, such as donkeys and cattle, that they rely on for their livelihoods.

Despite living under the most appalling circumstances, they do all they can to improve life for people in other ways as well, especially the children, such as building a playground and running special, fun ‘animal therapy’ sessions, which go a long way to providing joy in what must often seem a very bleak world.

In a world where most news seems to be bad, their story provides a unique perspective to life in Syria and is a truly heartwarming example of how much a tiny spark of genuine human kindness can grow.