lives with clicks

SAS L’Orée du bois (Andrew Wright - Carpenter & Joiner) Roofi ng - Renovation - Kitchens Bespoke Joinery - General Building Email: loreedubois60@gmail.com L’Orée du Bois, Chouviat, 87120 Eymoutiers

38 years in the Trade in France and England

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The British sailor saving lives

Sailing has a huge following in France with top sailors often receiving celebrity status and one of the biggest events in the sport is the Vendée Globe. The race is held every four years and is a solo round the world yacht race which starts and finishes in Les Sables d'Olonne on the Atlantic coast. French sailors have dominated the event, winning every race since its first edition in 1989. Dame Ellen MacArthur became a household name in France when she came second in the 2000 race, narrowly losing to Michel Desjoyeaux after 95 days at sea.

In November, 32 sailors took to the waves, one of whom is Sam Davies, a British yachtswoman who is racing for the Initiatives-Coeur team, which combines sport with humanitarian work. The team works alongside the non-governmental organisation Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque, which brings children living in

credit: Vincent Curutchet

poorer countries to France for life-saving heart operations.

During the Vendée Globe, for every “like” the Initiatives Coeur Facebook or Instagram page receive, or every time a post is shared, the foundation's partners will donate €1 to the cause. At the time of going to press and after 20 days into a race that is expected to end some time in January, Sam Davies was placed ninth and had already helped raise over €300,000, the equivalent of 24 children receiving life-saving operations.

The organisation is hoping to raise enough money to save 60 children by the end of the race. To contribute to the effort, visit www.initiatives-coeur.fr/ and get clicking and sharing. To follow the progress of Sam Davies and the other four British sailors, visit www.vendeeglobe.org ■

SPA Creuse appeals for donations

It has been a difficult year for charities in France, with the current health crisis making fundraising events impossible. The Société protectrice des animaux (SPA) is no exception and the Creuse branch, based at Saint-Sulpicele-Guérétois, has made an appeal for donations to help them look after the animals they have in their shelter.

Not only has the coronavirus crisis seriously affected the charity's income, but not being able to have visitors at the shelter has also led to a decrease in adoptions. This has left the kennels full, and the coffers worryingly empty. Where the charity would usually have found loving homes for 100 animals so far this year, they have only managed to find families for 50.

With winter just around the corner, the four permanent staff and thirty volunteers have launched an online appeal to try and raise the money required to keep the charity operating until traditional fundraising methods can begin again.

“We are independent, we have no State aid and no grants... We survive entirely on donations,” explained Marie-Claire, the charity's treasurer. “We are hoping to raise €15,000. People can of course also help us year round with money transfers or cheques. They can also sponsor a dog, especially senior dogs, by paying their fees. Finally, we can issue tax certificates - the deduction is 66% - and we are looking to develop corporate sponsorship which would make the tax deductions even more significant.”

With many volunteers unable to give as much time under lockdown conditions, the refuge is being largely run by the four members of staff, but without the funding their jobs, and the future of the shelter, is under threat. “We are worried for the staff. Our volunteers take over from the employees at weekends and on bank holidays, but without the staff, we will not be able to run the kennels which house around fifty dogs. We are the only charity in the department with kennels. If we have to close, people will lose their jobs and what will happen to the dogs?”

To make a donation, visit www.leetchi.com and search for “SPA de Creuse”. ■