The Elephant Sanctuary in near Ayutthaya in Thailand has been devastated by floods. The sanctuary is home to over 90 retired and rescued elephants. The major food source for the elephants has been lost in the floods. Money needs to be raised to buy food to stop the elephants starving while the crops in the fields re-grow. Elephants eat 180kgs of food per day and the situation is critical. One elephant has already died as a result of the floods.
The awareness and fundraising campaign in the UK is being coordinated by Sarah Gildersleeve. Sarah visited the sanctuary with her daughter Immy following the tragic death of Sarah's sister. Immy's Elephant Flood Appeal aims to raise money to buy food for the elephants. More information can be
found at www.elethon.com.
Wildlife Heritage Foundation (Reg. Charity No. 1104020) has agreed to co-ordinate the donations.
These can be made on line via Justgiving or by post to;
Wildlife Heritage Foundation, Headcorn Road, Smarden, Ashford, TN27 8PJ
01233 771915 www.whf.org.uk
From grief to giggle thanks to 90 elephants (Immy's Story)
Immy Gildersleeve is a very different 5 year old than she was a year ago. Following a traumatic year, including the death (by suicide) of her beloved aunty Melly. Immy became withdrawn, anxious and sad. In desperation, Immy’s mother (Sarah), used money left to Immy by her aunty to go travelling.
At a small village in central Thailand, which happens to be home to 90 elephants an extraordinary thing happened. Immy formed an amazing bond with a 68 year old retired elephant called Sinuwan and literally within 2 hours of being in the village Sarah could see a change in her daughter. Immy, who
had barely left her mother’s side for months, was happily climbing onto this 3 ton old lady and riding her into a river.
Over the coming days, with the kindness of the villagers and the other resident elephants the “real” Immy fully emerged. She once again was the sunny, smiling, cheeky and secure child she had been before the tragedy. If Sarah ever needed to find Immy, all she had to do was look for Sinuwan, more often than not she would find her 4 year old talking to ‘her’ elephant and sneaking her treats.
Now, disaster has struck the village in the shape of floods. All 90 elephants have had to be evacuated, along with their mahouts and families. They have had to find dry land and somewhere food can reach them. The fields where they grew special feed for the elephants are now under water and will not crop for another 12 months.
Immy has set up her own appeal to raise money to feed these elephants and she is very determined. She has sold her toys, convinced people to donate items for an auction and most importantly, set up a website to tell her story and enable people to donate funds at www.elethon.com
This amazing place helped Immy, she now wants to help them. Please help Immy help the elephants.
Mr. Laithongrian Meepan (PiOm) is the Founder and Director of the Phra Kochabaan Foundation and the Ayutthaya Elephant Sanctuary and village, which is a not for profit based organization devoted to the conservation, help and protection of Thailand’s elephants.
One of the many projects undertaken by the Foundation is retiring old elephants whilst giving them an ongoing income and people to care for them. This has been realised with the Elephantstay programme. Michelle Reedy and Ewa Narkiewicz are two amazingly dedicated women who, after a long association and experience with the elephant village gave up their lives in Melbourne and moved to Thailand permanently in early 2006 to implement and establish Elephantstay.
The Elephantstay village is where Immy and Sarah had the privilege of being guests. In Sarah’s words, “It was an amazing and humbling time, and almost impossible to convey just how truly special the place is. The elephants, along with the wonderful families and individuals who care for these
majestic animals, made us so welcome and provided a life-changing experience for which my daughter and I will be forever grateful.” |
|
|
Our first in-house video review is up on www.happyfamiliesonline.tv It features Verbaudet coats and our little guy Byron with guest appearance from Tzarina the GSD. Many more to be added before Christmas. |
|
Read more...
|
|
Our new video reviews will soon start appearing on our TV site. You can reach it by clicking in our main menu at the time.Our audience have been asking for video and audio features for a while so here it is in time for Christmas. Over the next few weeks we will be adding, book reviews, game reviews and our Christmas recommendations.If you would like us to add something else, feel free to contact us. All the best from everyone at Happy Families
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next > End >>
|
| Results 1 - 4 of 27 |
