If you're looking for a way to spend your evenings as the nights start drawing in (it's getting dark as I type this and it's only 8pm), then how about doing some knitting or crochet to help working horses and donkeys?

The Brooke is looking for people to knit and crochet!  They've created exclusive knitting and crochet patterns so that you can make a donkey!

You can donate your donkey back to The Brooke to help them raise money for the horses, donkeys and mules who are working so very hard to help their owners and communities at the moment.  

They have other ways you can help as well, such as having a clear out and selling your stuff for The Brooke, holding a virtual quiz, make some arts and crafts to sell, and share the delights of your garden - all ways to raise money for horses, donkeys and mules.

Click your needles and head off to The Brooke to find out more. 

It’s Plastic Free Month and as such a chance to raise awareness of charities working to reduce the amount of plastic in our oceans to keep them healthy for each of us and marine and shore life.

Surfers Against Sewage have a number of different ways you can get involved to reduce the plastic in our oceans, so please take a trip around their website and take a look at how you can get involved, even if it’s just to spread the word.

Earlier this year, they asked people to joined the #ReturnToOffender campaign to challenge big brands on the volume of plastic and packaging pollution found on beaches and other wild spaces.

They have now revealed the results for the worst plastic offenders and you can see who they are here.  12 big brands were responsible for over half of the UK's plastic and packaging pollution, with Coca Cola leading the way.  The "Dirty Dozen" also included Walkers Crisps, Lucozade Energy, Pepsi, KFC, Nestle, Costa Coffee, Cadbury UK, Red Bull, MacDonalds, Tesco and MarsGlobal. 

I’ve dived around their website tonight – here are some ways you can leap in and make a difference to life in our oceans.  

There are things you’d expect such as Join a Clean, Go Plastic Free, and Become a Member, but they also have a number of things you can do to put the pressure on:

1. Lead a plastic free community.  There are already 600 community leaders across the UK working to achieve plastic free status in their villages, towns and cities.
   
   
2. A call on the Government to #EndSewagePollution to end sewage pollution and guarantee safe-seas all year round.
   
   
3. Tell your MP to make a pledge to protect the ocean.
   
   
4. Organise a mass unwrap – this highlights the level of plastic packaging in supermarkets.  It puts pressure on them to change.   Shop and pay as normal then unwrap food to put straight into bags, boxes or re-usable containers.  Volunteers collect the plastic and put it into empty trollies to show how much waste is generated in a very short time.

Remember, you don’t have to live on the coast to make a difference.  Plastic is finding its way into the sea, our marine life and onto our beaches.

Let’s all be a voice for the ocean.

If you can't be with the one you love: send them a bear hug.

And Animals Asia gives you the chance to do just that, literally to send a bear hug to your loved ones!

Send a bear hug 
Give the bear sanctuaries with Animal Asia your support!
©Animals Asia

Animals Asia rescue bears who have been trapped by the dreadful bear bile industry.   Bears love hugs, just like we do – and so the bear sanctuaries Animals Asia have in China and Vietnam are really important to them. 

Today, I sent 5 people I love Bear Hugs!   It’s easy to do.

Send a bear hug today!

This bear is having a blissful time in the pool
Visit Animals Asia's You Tube Pages

When you send a bear hug, you can also help real bears by making a gift.   They are asking that, if you can, please make a donation of £5 for each hug you send – and then they can help real bears!   You can make a donation in £, $, Euros, Australian $ or Hong Kong $.