Category: Charities

MANY a postcard in France features the cute, sugar-coated, image of a kitten looking out of a basket of flowers, but behind such village scenes the problem of feral cats can be a real issue.

And whilst there are many animal rescue centres able to help out, the fact that cat numbers are rarely controlled causes problems for both local people and the mairie.

Lynn Stone, of the charity Les Amis des Chats, is involved in a project in the Lot et Garonne that aims to tackle the issue where the plan is to trap, neuter and return the cats.

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AT this time of year many people look back over the past 12 months and begin to think about the changes they might want to make in the future.

If one of these changes is to get involved more within the local community, or to pass on your knowledge to groups and associations here are a few ideas.

I have collected together a number of charitable organisation that I’ve written about in the past, who look to work with both English speakers and French, so that you can discover more about their work.

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WHEN a group of friends from Brighton decided to leave the rat race behind they found themselves a place in the foothills of the Cévennes mountains.

And that place has become The Dharma House, a centre for people to study ecology, undertake meditation and learn how to lead a more sustainable life.

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IN 1967 a young Breton schoolboy was shocked as he watched televised pictures of the Biafran war in Nigeria.

These pictures triggered a dream in the young Jean-Marc Le Bail to find a way to help African people. In 1978 he built his own house and joined an ecological society which supported third world projects.

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A MOVE to France usually means a chance to take your foot off the gas and live a less stressful life, casting off those motorway nightmares and rushed visits to the shops.

A whole movement has grown out of this downshifting mentality, much of it led by my pal Tracey Smith who launched the first Downshifting Week from her home in France.

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THERE is nothing like a waist-expanding Christmas to put you in the frame of mind for change, writes Tracey Smith. Especially if over-indulging in spending didn’t really jingle your bells.

Perhaps you found yourself craving more time with loved ones instead of shopping for them; it could be time to shift down a gear.

If you are aiming for a more self-sufficient lifestyle, look at the year ahead as a comfortable learning curve and prepare yourself as much as possible, perhaps for donning those wellies in the Ardèche.

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A CAMPAIGN to rescue greyhounds, or galgos, used by Spanish hunters is being led by a French charitable group.

Here volunteer Beryl Brennan writes about the terrible treatment the greyhounds receive, they are often destroyed or abandoned at the end of the season, and how the group l’Europe Des Lévriers travels thousands of miles across the border to rescue and rehome as many dogs as it can.

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THERE are many animal sanctuaries across France set up by volunteers who can both help with questions, as well as offer advice on adopting a pet.

But even if you can’t take a cat or dog in they will always be on the look out for volunteers to help in the facilities or raise much needed funds.

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THE stresses and strains of the festive season, coupled with life in a different country, can have a negative impact on even the most optimistic person.

What with a language to learn, a wage to earn and friends to make, the dream move to France can soon turn into a nightmare.

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A MOVE to France is very often a new start for people, but unfortunately old problems can resurface and cause real heartache.

The Times website features a very interesting article about the difficulties families and couples face when they head to France.

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