If you're looking for a gift for somebody who loves donkeys, what about giving them a gift to support Safe Haven for Donkeys?

It's a charity which was set up in 2000 to help working donkeys in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.  And today, it has a sanctuary in Israel giving life-long care to about 200 donkeys who are unwanted or who have been abused. 

Give a virtual gift to help donkeys - here a donkey receives veterinary care

Not only that, its mobile clinic helps about 500 working donkeys, mules and horses every month across the Palestinian Territories and it's got a permanent clinic in Nablus.  Injuries they often see come from poor harnessing, overgrown hooves and bad teeth - all easily treated and in so doing, improving the lives of these animals. 

It doesn't stop there.  Safe Haven for Donkeys work hard to provide advice and education to owners and their children.  This is critical if working animals are to be treated with respect. 

Your gift could feed a donkey for a week

Your gift can help the charity look after working donkeys pulling carts and carrying loads, or care for those who are too old or injured to work. 

Gifts include donkey stationery, shopping bags, clothing, Christmas cards, soft donkey toys and gifts to help the donkeys themselves... Your virtual donkey gift could feed a donkey for a week, provide dental care, veterinary care or hoof trimming;  there's also foal milk replacement and a rest station.

Visit the Safe Haven for Donkeys here and change the life of a working animal with your gift

All images are copyright to the Safe Haven for Donkeys

This Christmas, why not give a gift to support re-wilding in Scotland?

You could make a donation for your loved one, sponsor an acre, support an appeal, help red squirrels return, or buy something from charity Trees for Life's online shop.

There's a 2020 calendar, as well!

Find out how you can support rewilding in Scotland

Did you know that there are about 121 million oak trees in UK woodland?

The tragedy is that we are losing our ancient oak trees.  Pests and diseases could devastate the oak population – and there’s a need to protect these wonderful oak trees for future generations to enjoy.

Enter Action Oak, an initiative to protect these trees.   It aims to work with the owner and managers of oak trees and woodlands to protect the trees; to fund research to improve our understanding of the threats to oak trees and to help inform best management practices; and to use established professional and citizen science networks to record changes in the distribution, age and health of our oak trees so that it’s possible to identify priority areas for action. 

Action Oak is working in partnership with organisations and charities such as the Forestry Commission, the National Trust, The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, both Scottish and Welsh Governments,  Forest Research, Woodland Heritage, the Woodland Trust, the Duchy of Cornwall and DEFRA to protect our oak trees. And of course it’s encouraging organisations and people like you & me to get involved and give our support.

And there’s an easy way for you to support Action Oak and give someone who loves trees a gift as well!

Emma Bridgewater has a new half pint mug out called Action Oak.  For every Action Oak Half Pint Mug sold, Emma Bridgewater will donate £5 to Action Oak, to help protect the nation’s oak trees.

Give your support to Action Oak
when you buy an Action Oak Half Pint Mug from Emma Bridgewater

Oak trees are vital to the UK’s biodiversity, since they support about 2,200 species – more so than any other native tree species!

If you want to actually send someone an oak tree to put in their garden as a gift, you could go to Tree2mydoor.com and send an oak tree.  Their oak tree gift for £24.50 arrives with a height of 20-50 cm and can grow to a height of 21 metres (that’s 70 feet). 

You could also help oak trees by actually giving one as a gift 
This one is from Tree2mydoor.com who send trees as gifts 
in the same way that florists send flowers! 

I've used the company Bunches.co.uk several times, to send my Auntie Joan plants through the mail.  She's always been really delighted with them.   She loved her garden when she had one and was full of gardening tips and advice when we went to visit her. 

Anyway, Bunches.co.uk have some gorgeous house plants, which would make lovely gifts.

There's a Peace Lily Plant - we have one of those in our bedroom and it looks beautiful, sitting on a dresser.  One of the things I love about it is that they are very good air purifiers, and I've certainly felt ours gives me peace just looking at it and that the air is cleaner. They can filter harmful toxins and boost the humidity of a room, too. 
 

There's also a stunning Yellow Calla Lily Plant for £26.00 with trumpet shaped flowers;  I think it's quite unusual but the bright yellow colour will brighten up any room! 

 There's also a Grow Your Own Herb Garden.  It comes with 7 seed packets - Oregano, Basil, Coriander, Thyme, Parsley, Chives and Mint - all suitable for cooking used as a garnish.  This gift comes with 7 coloured plant pots, potting soil and a zinc display tray with handles.  All for  £27.00! 

Or how about this Cascade Phalaenopsis Orchid?  It's elegant and stunning, all for £29.00! 

There are other house plants too - one for gin lovers, another for those who enjoy afternoon tea.  There's begonia, rose, azalea, and a coral Anthurium.  

Head to Bunches.co.uk now and take a look at their full range of houseplants. 

The RSPB has just launched Gola Rainforest Chocolate.

It’s made from sustainable, ethical and environmentally conscious cocoa.  And it’s grown in the shade of forest trees by communities living around Sierra Leone’s Gola Rainforest National Park.

It’s really important to help farmers earn a living without encroaching on the rainforest.   Local farmers are farming in ways that helps forest wildlife.   Many endangered species live in the forest, such as pygmy hippos, forest elephants, chimpanzees and over 300 bird and 600 butterfly species, so it’s a very important hotspot for biodiversity.

The RSPB has been working with local partners on a sustainable management model for the Gola Rainforest. 

Gola Rainforest chocolate
£3.49 from the RSPB's Shop
There's dark chocolate and milk chocolate!

The chocolate is made from bean to bar in Cornwall in the UK.  Profits from the chocolate are reinvested into the Gola Rainforest Cocoa Project.  The farmers are thus rewarded for their role in protecting the rainforest and the wildlife living there.  And importantly the chocolate is palm oil free!  

You can help protect wildlife, help the RSPB work with local partners and help local communities earn a living without encroaching on the rainforest by buying this chocolate as a gift for someone, perhaps an animal lover!

Fly off to the RSPB's Shop to find out more!