I first visited the Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent two years ago at one of their annual open days. Not normally open to the general public, the site opens its doors for four days a year in the summer, an excellent opportunity to get a feel for what this wonderful charity is all about. It's fair to say that that one initial visit had me hooked. I returned a few weeks later on a group photography day. With the crowds gone, I could truly appreciate how special this site is. In a grou

Just seven weeks ago I found out I have a place in the Royal Parks Half Marathon on 8th October 2017. I'd thrown my name in the hat earlier when Helping Rhinos contacted supporters, but with a very limited number of places available, I didn't make the selection. Then, out of the blue, I received another email asking if I was still available. Without a second thought I said yes. In my mind 13.1 miles didn't seem that far, it's not like I had signed up to a full marathon. That

On 2nd April 2017 a very special little cat was born. Keira, as she was later named, is currently the only jaguar cub in the UK and the first born at Paradise Wildlife Park in Hertfordshire. Keira's parents, Kumal and Kedera, were introduced to each other 18 months ago. It's an incredibly exciting time for the wildlife park, which is one of only two zoos in the UK recommended to breed jaguars as part of the EEP (European Endangered Species Programme). Also for conservation in

Those who know me are well aware by now of my love for our feline friends. I cannot walk by a cat without attempting to say hello. I never tire of meeting new cats and it always makes my day when they happily come and spend a little time with me. The first time I visited Cyprus I had no idea about the situation with stray cats. On my first night I encountered a very handsome boy on the hotel veranda and was overjoyed. The next day I couldn't believe how many cats I met on my

In April I made my second visit to Australia and at the top of my itinerary was a visit to the Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs. Australia is a huge country - sometimes it's hard to appreciate the true scale until you've been there. If you're blessed with several months to discover this great land then it's well worth opting for road trips and rail journeys to get you from one place to the next. As well as enjoying the scenery along the way, it really does allow you to get

Wherever I go I'm on the lookout for cats. Whether I'm out walking my dog, visiting friends' houses or exploring a new city. It's a joy to meet a new feline and when those four little paws and whiskers come trotting into the scene I'm distracted from whatever else it was I was doing. Recently I visited Thailand. It's a fantastic country and I had an amazing time. There are so many interesting things to see and the Thai people were incredibly friendly and welcoming. I'll be wr

Rome. What an incredible city. I spent 5 days there at the end of May going into June. It was a perfect time to visit; the weather was fabulous and it was bustling without feeling too crowded. We flew from London Gatwick with British Airways into Rome Fiumicino airport. I always choose BA if I can and if you play with dates and times it's often as cheap as one of the low cost airlines like EasyJet. They are not as restrictive on the hand luggage allowance and you get free sna

On Sunday 7th August 2016 I attended a group photography day at the Wildlife Heritage Foundation Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, led by photographer and WHF team member Alma Leaper. We arrived at 8.45am ready for tea/coffee and a short briefing at 9am. It was then straight outside to go and see some big cats. First up was the Amur Tigers and it was a joy to watch mother and daughter, Ronja and Amasia, interacting with each other. Next door was Pan who skulked around and cooled off