In October 2011, mother of three Adelle Huckins was finally diagnosed after a long mysterious illness. The disease she has is called Lyme disease. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection carried by ticks (blood-sucking parasites) which is transmitted when the tick bites and feeds on a person or animal.

Ticks are found in the countryside but can also be present in town parks and gardens where wildlife visits. They usually feed on the blood of wildlife but they can also bite people, passing on any diseases they may be carrying.

Adelle (31), her husband Rob (33), and their children Joshua (9), Kaitlyn (6) and Dexter (18 month) all love to go camping in the Lake District and other areas of natural beauty. However, whilst they get to experience all the wonders of nature, they have also been exposed to ticks. Prior to Adelle becoming ill, they didn’t know about the simple precautions you can take against tick bites.

Lyme disease is an insidious disease which can invade every system of the body from the blood, to the heart and brain. It can cause long-term health problems if not diagnosed and treated promptly.

Not only Adelle has health problems, her husband and children do too. But despite numerous visits to doctors, a cause for their children’s multiple health problems has not yet been found.

Adelle’s illness took years to diagnose and during that time her three children were born. It is possible for Lyme disease to be passed from a mother to her unborn baby and the child can suffer health problems as a result, but in order for Adelle and Rob to find out whether this is why their children have these health problems, they need to see an expert doctor. Now they have an opportunity to see a top paediatric consultant in America. This consultant has years of experience in treating complex health problems in children, including Lyme disease, but the family has to raise in the region of £70,000 to be able to make the trip, and for the children to have the tests and any treatment they need.

Rob and Adelle have been together for 15 years but now family life is plagued by health concerns. All they want is for Joshua, Kaitlyn and Dexter to be well and to have the quality of life they deserve.

Please give whatever you can so that the family can raise the funds to travel to America for specialist medical help. This is their best chance of getting better!

Friends of the Animals is a small independent rescue based in Wales and was started by Eileen Jones when her tagged, microchip-ed and unspayed Yorkshire Terrier, Sophie, disappeared without trace on August 1st 2003. 

Despite extensive searching, poster campaigns, leafleting, offering a reward etc., Sophie had gone.

Whilst searching for Sophie, Eileen became aware of the appalling plight of homeless and abandoned dogs and was determined to do something to help. The situation of puppy farmed dogs in Wales also made a huge impact on Eileen and thus Friends of the Animal Shelter was born.

 Later shortened to Friends of the Animals due; to confusion with people thinking the rescue ran an actual shelter, Eileen ran things mostly single handed for the first couple of years. The last two years has seen more committed and dedicated people come on board. People with the same beliefs and aims. This has enabled the group to help many more dogs and other animals.

Now the rescue has become Friends of the Animals RCT, with several volunteers based around the country helping. Friends of the Animals aims to; Help as many dogs as possible and that all dogs are neutered, vaccinated wormed and flea treated prior to finding a suitable, vetted home.
All dogs receive any veterinary attention they need as advised by a veterinary surgeon. No ex breeding dog is ever turned away regardless of breed or issues. No dog is turned away due to age or health issues. Elderly dogs and those with life time health issues are placed in long term foster homes where the rescue meets their veterinary costs for the life of the dog. 

Dogs are accepted into rescue regardless of where, geographically, they come from. That a lifetime commitment is made to all rehomed animals.

The rescue is run completely by volunteers has helpers who are responsible for home visiting, transporting, fostering, adoption, fund raising and many other tasks. The group has a wonderful group of foster carers who take the dogs into their homes and rehabilitate them whilst a suitable forever home is found.

Help for Heroes has become, in the words of the Prime Minister, a ‘National Institution’ and it is hard to believe we only started this i n October 2007. Since then we have raised £1 million a month to help support our wounded servicemen and women injured in the current conflicts. We have done that with your help. This has really been something very simple, a group of friends who wanted to do something to help, that message communicated to others who have joined in and made this the success it so obviously is.

This is not about politics, there is no need to criticize or complain, why moan about it being dark when you can light a candle? We may have started something but thousands have joined us to make this what it is today. This is about ordinary decent people wanting to to do their bit to help, to raise money by joining in and so creating something that has become rather wonderful.

Over the last few weeks we have seen this support building into a a huge, unstoppable wave. The RFU hosted the Rugby Challenge Match at Twickenham and 52,000 of you cheered on the Rugby Legends and raised over £1.3m. A business man decided to do his bit and paid £1.5m to fly with the RAF’s Red Arrows. The finalists of Simon Cowell’s X Factor joined in and sung Hero which has become t he fastest selling record of the decade. Even James Bond has signed up with over £500,000 raised for H4H and the Poppy appeal at the Royal Premier of Quantum of Solace.

There are thousands of events happening all over the country as people decide to show their support, people who are prepared to get on and do something, to light a candle in the dark. All of us at Help for Heroes are staggered by the support and would like to say thank you to all of you who have made this work..... Now keep going!

Who we are? We are volunteers across the UK and Republic of Ireland united by selflessness, skill and courage. RNLI lifeguards are highly trained to offer safety advice, give first aid and perform rescues.

What do we do? We provide 24-hour lifeboats and seasonal lifeguards dedicated to saving lives at sea. Advice on how to avoid getting into trouble in the first place - from life jackets to beach flags.