Looking for a crossover-bag for yourself or as a gift?  

They are really handy for a day out, for exploring gardens or taking walks, when you need a bag to carry those essentials but you don't actually want to carry it. 

The National Trust for Scotland have some great cross-over bags and here are three examples but there are more here.

Buildings In Trust Oilcloth Cross Body Bag for £25.00

Navy Leather Crossover Bag With Thistle Lining for £65.00

Blue Tweed Pouch Bag for £18.00

Gifts for donkey lovers will be easy to find at the Donkey Sanctuary's online shop which has just re-opened following the easing of lock-down.

There's even a Donkey Sanctuary Monopoly Game!

They have a wide range of items, including clothing and accessories, stationery, toys and games, kitchenware, homeware, cards and wrapping (including Christmas cards), products for donkey care, donkey portraits of your favourite donkeys, products celebrating the Sanctuary's 50 years and more! 

If you're looking for notelets and cards, they've got a good selection with some wonderful designs;  I particularly like this one, of the donkeys under the tree!

Of course, all the purchases from the Donkey Sanctuary help the charity continue with its wonderful work to help donkeys, not just in the UK but around the world.  Find out more about the Donkey Sanctuary here.

Kick up your heels and canter off to the Donkey Sanctuary Shop here

 
£25.00 from Emma Bridgewater

This insulated bottle would make a great gift for dog lovers.

They make great gifts all round the year, in winter and in summer!  They are eco-friendly flasks and reusable water bottles.  There are other themes, too, with pink heart, vegetable garden strawberries, the black toast theme, buttercup scattered insolated bottles, polka dogs and starry skies, so lots of different bottles to choose from.

Head off to Emma Bridgewater and take a look.

The 22 June is World Camel Day, and as such, a really good chance to raise awareness of work being done to save the critically endangered wild camel and how you can help.

And if you're looking for a gift for the camel lover in your life, please take a look at the Wild Camel Protection Foundation.

They are doing all they can to help preserve and protect the wild camel (Camelus  ferus) and its habitat in the Gobi and Gashun Gobi deserts in north-west China and south-west Mongolia.  These area is home to a fragile and unique desert ecosystem.

There are a number of ways you can help:

Simply donate to the breeding programme.

Buy a camel gift from their online shop

Sponsor a camel or donate to winter feeding costs 

Become a member

This charity (based in Kent) is really striving to ensure that wild camels survive so please help them in whatever way you can, including spreading the word.

Visit their website here

Those fabulous people at Longleat Safari Park have produced a You Tube film featuring Keeper Jon and Dennis the Koala.

This is a lovely little story which  introduces little ones to some of the animals at Longleat Safari Park as Dennis, newly arrived to the UK, heads round the park to Koala Creek.  

Take a look at it yourself - enjoy!

Bedtime story with Keeper Jon and Dennis the koala