Mini A Ture proudly support the Sunway Children’s Home, a small orphanage in Bodh Gaya, Northern India. Situated in one of India’s poorest communities, Sunway is recognized as an important home in which to care for outcast or orphaned children and crucially, offers free schooling for the local children.

Since 2005, MINI A TURE has included a signature printed t-shirt for boys and girls in each of its main collections, the proceeds of which are donated to the Home. MINI A TURE is very excited to announce that the AW10 t-shirt has been designed by the renowned photographer Mary McCartney. Mary has given her time to design two very special t-shirts that use a combination of words and illustrations that, she felt, will project optimism, support and love to children.

In line with Mary’s passionate stance on environmental issues, this season’s charity t-shirts have been made using organic cotton. For more information about Mary’s work visit www.marymccartney.com

Since the t-shirt has been introduced, funds have been set aside towards the construction of a house for the children and, whilst education is sadly an unrealistic hope for many children in these circumstances, 20 of the children from the orphanage have been enrolled at a school in their village. But it’s not all work and no play for the children at Sunway! One of their greatest wishes is to have a selection of musical instruments, which will provide them with an immense source of enjoyment. This will be the next ‘gift’ to the children of Sunway.

For more information about the Sunway Children’s Home, please visit www.sunwaychildren.dk

Mash n Gravy are proud to support the cause and we will have the T-Shirts in store as soon as we receive our delivery. See the current edition of Hello! magazine for information on the official launch at Selfridges.

We have had many new arrivals here at Mash n Gravy this season in the form of new brands to the store.

However, there is one more new arrival which we’d like to share with you…

After loosing dear Noah, our home bred Weimaraner and last of the line last summer we decided to look around for something a little smaller to accommodate the fact that we have a young family and therefore a large breed may result in the boys being knocked over by a dog who’s body grows very much faster than it’s brain for the first couple of years.

We settled on an old fashioned Scottish breed and one in desperate need of preserving – the Dandie Dinmont.

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier took it’s name from a character in a novel written by Sir Walter Scott in 1814, but the dogs were around long before that. Known as Mustard and Pepper Terriers, describing their two colour varieties, they were highly prized as working terriers in the Scottish borders, where they were sent to ground after rabbits, rats, foxes, otters and badgers among others. They were often owned by gypsies and poachers – and in fact all the Dandies around today are descended from a poacher’s dog found in a trap on the Duke of Buccleuch’s estate – in 1839!

In the modern age, the Dandie Dinmont is rarely used as a working terrier, but still makes an exceptional companion dog. They are hardy, intelligent, friendly, gentle with children and a good watchdog. They are not too excitable – like some breeds of terrier – but they have very much a mind of their own.

This is how Edward should look when fully grown

However, we are paying him up in installments, and this is how he looks at the moment… Don’t worry, the legs and body will be arriving shortly.

The merry, merry month of May heralds the beginning of the summer months. The season of gingham table cloths, home made lemonade and cucumber sandwiches – if you live in an Enid Blyton novel, that is.

My own memories seem to consist of roasting hot vinyl car seats on little bare legs, a severe dislike of ice cream floats, which adults deemed as a treat and sand in my sandwiches. Nevertheless, summer is the season where most of our memories are created as we retain more of the good stuff as opposed to the not so good when we are children.
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