Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

In February 2017 I am going to Africa to spend two weeks doing volunteer work for The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust. My hope is to use this page to raise funds and awareness for the charity and the incredible work that they do.

The GHDT was founded in 2002 and aims to reduce rural poverty in The Gambia through improving the health, welfare and productivity of working animals. A healthy working animal can increase a farming family's income by up to 500% and buying an animal is a big investment for a family. 

The Gambia is one of the poorest countries in Africa and is unable to provide all the veterinary support that the farmers require so when the animals become ill, sometimes help is simply not available. This is where the GHDT aims to help, providing the Gambian people with the skills and knowledge to prevent and solve their own problems, creating a long term, sustainable solution.

The charity employs a team of local Gambian staff and runs Mobile Veterinary Clinics as well as providing more long-term treatment for patients at their hospital. However they are heavily reliant on dedicated volunteers who offer their time and services to help with clinics and provide education and training for local staff.

I am travelling out to Africa with one of my friends Lorna who also works in equine practice, she is based in Cumbria. We have often talked about going out to the Gambia since our time studying in Glasgow. Having heard so much about the wonderful work that the charity does, this seems as good a time as any especially after the recent tough times within the country. It is my hope that we are able to help the charity by giving our time and expertise, not only treat animals, but also help in the plight to educate local people about how best to care for and treat their animals.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.