As we approach Christmas and New Year I had hoped to send out a brief update wishing you all, as ever, a safe and peaceful festive season. This year has tested people everywhere in immense and unexpected ways and as with so many things in recent times, I couldn’t have predicted the contents of this message even a few weeks ago… 

In discussions with the wonderful IAPWA team (International Aid for the Protection and Welfare of Animals) I’ve been heartbroken to learn of recent events at their facility in Borneo - an island in Southeast Asia’s Malay Archipelago. Devastating flooding (the worst seen in the area for 30 years) has compounded the already painful impact of COVID-19 causing a reduced flow of funding. Since 2009, IAPWA have worked in Borneo to provide safety, health treatment and hope to stray cats and dogs which may otherwise suffer terribly. With the support of compassionate people like yourself, IAPWA has ended inhumane methods of population control, saving thousands of lives as well as supporting other local sanctuaries and bolstering penalties for cruelty. 

The facility has been central in efforts to create a future of massively improved animal welfare standards and crucial in brightening and saving countless lives. If we want to see this continue and, hopefully, extend the reach of the beautifully dedicated people on the ground in Borneo - they need our support now. 

This Christmas, my hope is that we can raise enough funding to build 20 new kennels in Borneo. This would cost around £2,000 and would make a truly lasting improvement in the facility’s capacity to transform lives. Here’s a link to the fundraising page - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Lucy-Gavaghan-IAPWA

A donation of any amount will contribute to the protection of these lovely dogs for years to come, allowing IAPWA to take in and care for them in times of desperate need. Sharing the page is a fantastic way to multiply your impact and I would be beyond grateful for anything you can do to spread the word!

I do understand that this is not the first campaign I’ve shared this year and I am beyond grateful for every person who has read and responded to every call to action I’ve put out. Together, we’ve pushed supermarkets to commit to ending the sales of eggs from caged hens, supported the Phoenix Hen Rescue Trust, the Elephant Orphanage project, a campaign to end canned hunting and the fabulous Sockstar Project. 

The support and kindness which has coalesced around these causes has been truly remarkable - proof of the power we have to forge change when like-minded people are brought together. 

Now, I’m 19 and have been campaigning for around seven years. I’ve learnt the importance of doing whatever you can when you feel moved to act. When I heard about the situation in Borneo and the layers of difficulty the facility is facing, I honestly felt a little hopeless. Tapping into the inspiration of past efforts and campaigns, however, the potential to take the challenges as an impetus to spark even more support and awareness feels incredibly promising - with enough support, we can make a lasting difference.

Above all, we must never allow the suffering and struggle faced by animals to slip beneath our collective gaze. We can and must speak up for these animals, especially in such moments of intense vulnerability. 

Thank you all and much love,

Lucy xx