This year, as I turn 40, I would like to ask my family and friends to donate to a cause that is dear to my heart: the White Helmets of Syria . I don't want to receive presents but would rather that each and every single one of you make a donation.

The White Helmets is a volunteer organisation that operates in parts of rebel-controlled Syria. The bulk of their activity in Syria consists of urban search and rescue in response to bombing, medical evacuation, evacuation of civilians from danger areas, and essential service delivery.

"Syrians are killed everyday with various kinds of weapons, but the deadliest ones are the barrel bombs because of their indiscriminate nature." - Raed Al Saleh, head of the White Helmets

The White Helmets mostly deal with the aftermath of government air attacks. Yet they have risked sniper fire to rescue bodies of government soldiers to give them a proper burial.

Bakers, tailors, engineers, pharmacists, painters, carpenters, students and many more, the White Helmets are volunteers from all walks of life. Many have paid the ultimate price for their compassion - 191 have been killed while saving others.

As well as saving lives the White Helmets deliver public services to nearly 7 million people, including reconnecting electrical cables, providing safety information to children and securing buildings. They are the largest civil society organisation operating in areas outside of government control, and their actions provide hope for millions.