For some time now I have made donations to wildlife charities from sales of my little animals. This all began with the badgers. I passionately oppose the badger cull. I would love to join the Wounded Badger Patrol and do what I can practically to help protect these lovely creatures, but with having young children and living so far away from the cull zones I just can't get there. I do what I can to educate, campaign and lobby my MP, but in honesty I am left feeling pretty helpless. So I decided back in 2013 that I would donate to my local badger group, the Lancashire Badger Group, and the next year to the Badger Trust, from sales of the little badgers I make.
It felt pretty good to know that I could make a little difference, that the creations of my fingertips could work to protect our beautiful British wildlife. So I soon decided to donate from the otters I make too, to the International Otter Survival Fund.
I couldn't leave red squirrels out, my favourite creatures and one in a desperate struggle for survival in this country. So in 2015 I started to donate to the Wildlife Ark Trust's Red Squirrel Appeal, who research into developing a vaccine for the devastating squirrel pox virus.
I know that these donations also mean a lot to those who purchase and own these little guys. You aren't just getting a tiny pretty thing to make you smile, you are making an actual difference to animals living in the wild by helping real life wildlife heroes to use their expert skills and knowledge to protect them.
Following my most recent charity payments, I have just done a few calculations to work out just how much I have been able to donate from the sales of these little creatures over the years. Drum roll please... I have made £995 in donations to wildlife charities! So to each of you, I want to say thank you. Whether you are an avid collector, have bought one or two little creatures as a gift, or spread the word by sharing on social media, THANK YOU! Together, look at what we can do.