Gaza

The Greatest Gift…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

December is here, which means it’s time to get festive. I love Christmas time. It’s cosy and pretty and so much fun for the littles. It is also the time for giving.

I always feel very grateful at this time of year. I have a loving circle of friends and family to celebrate with. I will exchange gifts & decorate my warm home. I’ll indulge in yummy festive treats and watch the kids in my life enjoy the seasonal magic. I am incredibly lucky to be in such a safe & comfortable position. I’m not wealthy, but I have a little to spare and I will be sharing that extra.

Refuge provide support from women and children experiencing domestic abuse. Often those fleeing abuse must leave everything behind. You can fund a variety of parcels ranging from essentials to gift that will bring a little Xmas joy.

Willow Animal Santuary run a ‘cat hotel’ that specialises in homing cats that have been unable to find a safe home elsewhere. Cats who are not house trained, have psychological issues or are feral. Often cats like this are abandoned or euthanised. Willow allows them to live their lives in safety and comfort. Willow also provides sanctuary for farm animals. They have a strict no kill policy and cultivate the most loving environment for animals who may have led difficult lives. If you can, please help the animals in their care continue to thrive.

Glasgow’s Spirit of Christmas is an excellent resource for donating to local charities. They host tonnes of Glasgow based organisations and details what each needs. You can select the kind of gift and recipient you would like to donate to. There are lots of groups facilitating present buying for kids who might otherwise receive nothing. The idea of a child being excluded for the joy of discovering that ‘Santa has been’ breaks my heart. Charities like this allow us to be a tiny part of the Christmas magic. That feels like an enormous privilege.

Renew Roots are providers of direct aid in Gaza. They are currently supporting 137 families. Their aim is feed, educate, offer support to families who have lost everything. Despite the ‘ceasefire’ attacks and blockades are ongoing. Please give whatever you can.

Keep Giving…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

Yup, it’s time for my monthly appeal to your generosity. There are so many groups in desperate need. These are just some suggestions that I have given my support to this month

This month I will continue to donate to two families in Gaza. Their situation continues to be dire. If you have anything to spare, it would make a huge difference.

I also chose to support UNFPA emergency birth kit campaign. These kits include essentials like Soap, latex gloves & umbilical cord clip. These simple tools can save the lives of mother & baby when people are forced to give birth in challenging conditions. These kits fight the risk of infection, one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide. You can provide an emergency kit with just a £4 donation. If you are able, please consider giving whatever you can.

Charity of the Month…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

I know all is not well in the world and many of us are struggling. I only ask that if you are able, you consider making a contribution to any of the following appeals.

Another month over and still no improvement for the people of Gaza. The conditions remain horrific and Palestinians still desperately need our help. I have been supporting Haitham & Khalil and would dearly like you to give whatever you can. Haitham was studying to be nurse before this horror began. He is raising money to support his whole family. Khalil is a footballer who has dreamed of being a professional goalkeeper all his life. He and his family are struggling to access basic necessities like clean water. Please consider helping these young men if you are able.

My amazing sister did the Kilt Walk last week. Last year she participated 7mths pregnant, this year she had the baba strapped to her chest. She walked as part of a team raising money for Spina Bifida Scotland. Each year Spina Bifida Scotland must raise over £1 million to fund support services for children, young people and adults with the life long condition. With little statutory funding they rely almost entirely on donations. Please consider making a donation.

Charity of the Month…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

As usual I want to share where I am putting my charitable pounds this month in the hope that some may follow suit. If you are in a position to help, any donation can make a difference.

It will be no surprise to you that I continue to support of Haitham & his family. Conditions in Gaza remain dire. This family need our help to reach safety.

This month I have also made a donation to World Vision to aid their mission of supporting vulnerable children. I chose to contribute to their FGM (female genital mutilation) campaign. At least 230 million girls in the world today have gone through this brutal procedure. World Vision partners with organisations around the world to promote child protection and reduce the circumstances that can lead to genital mutilation.

If you can spare it please consider making a donation.

But for now, Merry Christmas…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

The big day is almost here. The tree is up, presents are wrapped and the festive tunes are playing. There’s only one thing left to do; share the joy.

There are so many people in desperate situations this Christmas. If you can, please consider giving a little.

Glasgow Spirit of Christmas aim to ensure that children don’t miss out on the magic of Christmas time. They provide Xmas gifts to children who otherwise would not receive one. I chose this organisation as it is local, but there are similar schemes everywhere.

Living conditions are Gaza are getting worse. There are no places of safety, access to medical treatment, clean water, shelter and food are incredibly limited. There is no end in sight. I have been sharing & supporting Haitham and his family all year. They are still in desperate need of our help to reach safety.

Refuweegee do wonderful work with refugees here in Glasgow. This year in support of Palestine they dropped complicit corporate partners, resulting in a loss of £40,000. More than ever they need our support.

These are just some places I have chosen to give to this month. There are innumerable organisations doing fantastic work with vulnerable people. If you are in a position to do so, please share your good fortune this Christmas.

The smallest man who ever lived…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

I’m feeling like I shouldn’t have titled my last post Crazy Little World since it just got a whole lot crazier. The US election results hit me hard. I really struggle to reconcile the fact that so many people actively support that dangerous, hateful man.

I feel scared for the world. I am terrified for the many real people who will be hurt by another Trump presidency. The trend of politics sliding to right horrifies me. I don’t understand why people are so easily conned into hating groups who have done them no harm.

I despair at the inadequacy of our own government. Keir Starmer’s refusal to take action to protect Palestinians, but eagerness to congratulate Trump is cowardly. Under his leadership Labour have become unrecognisable. Their failure to protect the vulnerable in our society is unforgivable. I fear that inaction will lead to a loss at the next general election and throw us back under Tory rule. So far Labour have not done much to offer me hope.

It’s a frightening landscape that I want to improve. The scale of our situation feels overwhelming. Just telling people to vote feels far from sufficient. The truth is I don’t have the answers, I don’t know who does. The best I can do is stay engaged; I will continue to vote at every level, I will protest, sign petitions, get my hands dirty where possible. Right now I feel like supporting organisations who can help those in jeopardy is paramount.

Reproductive rights are under threat. People are dying because they cannot access the medical care they require during pregnancy. Extremist groups based in the US are trying to make inroads into other countries. If you want to keep access to abortion legal/decriminalise it and help people get pregnant people the care they need you can support one of these organisations.

The National Network of Abortion Funds

BPAS

Abortion Rights Scotland

The situation in Palestine continues to grow worse. Israeli aggression remains unrestrained. Cities have been destroyed. People are fighting warfare, starvation & disease to stay alive. A genocide is taking place, if you can please support one of these fundraisers.

Get Haitham’s family to safety.

Hands for Humanity

Medical Aid for Palestine

Although the UK is a relatively rich country, people will suffer this winter. Shelter, food and heat will be a scarcity for many. Please consider giving your support to one of these organisations.

Shelter Scotland

Trussel Trust

Refuweegee

October skies…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

Oh, I have so much to say. Labour’s cowardly first 100 days have rendered me overwhelmed; fat phobic announcements, abandoning people they’re supposed to fight for, refusal to stand up to Isreal et al. I am working on pieces expressing how I feel about all of that. In the meantime, I am giving you a little round up of my more light hearted goings on. I just didn’t anyone to think I was ignoring the ongoing horrors.

Thursday night dinners with my Brother & his boys are always fun. I love catching up on what my nephews have been getting up to. Last week I had these adorable decorate yourself Halloween biscuits for them and they told me about their spooky costume plans. For this little outing I wore the dress that my sister got me for my birthday. It’s the perfect autumn dress. I love the soft waffle fabric & the long fluted sleeves. I especially enjoy how comfy it is whilst also making me va va voom.

Dress – ASOS
Cookies – Graceful Favours

Last weekend I finally got out to see my amazing friend Lisa. We had an in depth catch up and her 12 yr old son declared me still cool. I consider this a huge win. A weekend on the east coast was lovely. Good friends, good food and even the train didn’t stress me out too much.

Getting back to the Halloween theme, I did some spooky crafts with more niblings this week. It’s school holidays up here and the weather hasn’t been playing ball. They all loved the pumpkin headbands & my big niece also made a beautiful wreath for her bedroom door. I love doing things like this with the wee ones. Watching their creativity and excitement always makes me smile.

Finally, I rounded up the October week with a big adventure. We set off at the crack of dawn yesterday to drive up to Landmark Adventure Park. It’s a forest adventure park near Aviemore and it’s absolutely with the trip. My sis & her big boy tackled all the climbing, water slides & trampolining in the sky. Myself & the tiny boy watched from one of many comfortable benches. Don’t worry though, there were activities I could manage including a labyrinth & meeting my favourite dinosaur. There is a fair bit of walking involved, but plentiful places to sit and rest along the way. We stayed right up until closing time and arrived home exhausted last night!

I recognise how privileged I am to be able to spend a week having fun with my friends and family. All of my loved ones are safe, my niblings are able to enjoy their childhoods free from peril. The people of Gaza are denied that. I think it is incumbent upon us to remember how lucky we are and do whatever we can to help. If you are able please make a donation to help Haitham and his family reach safety.

It’s that time again…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

It’s that time of month again. The time when I start asking you to part with your cash. I know times are tough, but if you can, please click on one of these links & give what you can.

The people of Gaza still desperately need our help. Families have been displaced multiple times and live in constant fear. Disease is spreading due to lack of clean water and proper housing. Infrastructure is destroyed. People are starving, they can’t access medical care and all the while are being bombarded. We cannot sit back and watch this happen.

I have been sharing & supporting Haitham’s family. They are just a normal loving family struggling to survive. Please consider making a donation. If you are unable to give money you can still help by sharing their Go Fund Me.

This month I am also supporting Willow Animal Sanctuary. Willow is an incredible place, they offer a safe and loving home for all kinds of farm animals. They re home & rescue, saving so many beautiful creatures from awful situations. They also have a cat hotel for cats that cannot find a home in the usual domestic setting. They are gearing up for winter and could use our help in keeping these animals safe, fed, warm & loved.

And if somebody hurts you, I wanna fight…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

As the horrific attacks continue in Gaza it is easy to feel powerless. This month I am asking that you do what you can to help Haitham & his family.

Before October 7th Haitham was studying to be a nurse. He lost his home & place of education in Israeli strikes. He now lives with his parents & siblings in a tent. The family have been displaced many times. Haitham’s dream is to finish his studies & use his nursing kills to help his people. He recently organised a fundraiser to provide essentials & Eid gifts for children living in the tents. He desperately needs our help to get his family to safety.

Haitham’s mum, Tahrer is ill with rheumatic disease. She can not access the treatment & medication that she needs. His Dad, Jibril had a good job and comfortably supported his family. Due to the ongoing bombardment he is no longer able to provide. Multiple displacements have resulted in Haitham’s oldest sister Lenda, her husband & small child have been separated from the family. His younger siblings are living in terror. Haitham has already lost family members. He is raising money to evacuate his family when the Rafah crossing reopens. In the meantime they need our help to cover daily expenses.

If you are able you can make a donation here. Even small amounts add up. If you are unable to give money, you can still help. Please share Haitham’s story with the link to his gofundme. The more people who know his story, the higher the chances of reaching his target.

Haitham and his family are exactly like you & yours. They were going to work & school, having family meals, his younger sibling were safe to play & be children. Their lives have been destroyed through no fault of those own. Please don’t ignore their plight.

Help Haitham & his family reach safety.

Help me if you can…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

The wonderful Erin Hattamer has devised a way for people who use social media to help families in Gaza. She has been doing incredible work for the Palestinian people and she is is also incredibly funny, go give her a follow. I have volunteered to ‘adopt’ a family in Gaza and I need your help.

This is how it works, volunteers are paired with families who require help and we share their stories in the hopes of raising funds to get them to safety. I have been paired with Dema. Dema is 19yrs old, she & her family are stuck in Rafah. Dema, her parents, Ghadeer & Nidal and her brothers, Hani & Muhammad are living in a tent. They have no money nor do they have access to safe food & water. They have been displaced multiple times already. Ghadeer has suffered a stroke & Hani has been exposed to hepatitis via unclean water. They desperately need our help to get to safety & access medical treatment.

Their plan is to first get Ghadeer to safety, followed by Hani as they both require medical treatment. Then finally Dema, Nidal & Muhammad. In order to achieve this they need funds. This is just an ordinary family who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances by events beyond their control. Try to imagine how your family would survive in their situation.

The good news is that we can help. If you are able, please make a donation to the Go Fund Me linked blow. If you are unable to donate, you can still help. I will be making videos & posts across my social media sharing Dema’s story. The more people we can make aware of their plight, the higher the chances of them reaching their target. Every share and every penny counts.

Help Dema & her family reach safety.