The panto in London last Monday night was just the medicine we needed as everyone here in the UK seems to be battling the snow. Hats off to all who braved the elements and made it to the Bloomsbury Theatre to join Gill, Nicky and the Animals Asia team and I, and of course our glorious UK Patron Virginia Mckenna OBE who reduced everyone to tears at the interval as she read her poem remembering our poignant visit to the bear farms of Vietnam. 

Tremor, our rescued China earthquake dog, was there to provide some welcome animal therapy and it was wonderful to see our beloved vet nurse Judy (owned by Tremor) who brought him over to the show. Judy, he looks superb — how far he has come from the wilds of China.

And here is Virginia, Judy, Gill (our UK Director) and Tremor at the show:

Heartfelt thanks as ever to the lovely Neal Foster of the Birmingham Stage Company (BSC) who, for the third year running, so generously gave us a fundraising show for the bears. This photo courtesy of the BSC:

Neal, this was a fabulous production and I’m going to be very careful what I drink if offered a glass of Christmas cheer by my mischievous niece Nicole on Christmas Day.