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Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please, no presents, just donate now for one or other or both (!!) charities. Much as I am devoted to MSF I would love to see any donations evenly split. What matters to Pete, matters to me.

My first encounter with MSF was in the summer of 1995 when I was on my second visit to Bosnia with Feed the Children. (FTC). We were despatched to a transit camp at Kladanj run by the UN. There we became part of the teams looking after the women, children and old men expelled from Zepa. This was shortly after Srebreniza. FTC had lots of supplies, especially for babies and children, but we didn't have a tent. We'd unpacked next to the Medicins Sans Frontieres base and they very kindly lent us a tent. Over the next few days, in between changing nappies, smiling at beautiful babies and trying to comfort desolate women, I was able to observe the MSF team. I saw at first hand how calm, compassionate and tireless they were. That inspired a strong desire to find a way to work with them. I finally made it in May 2011 when I persuaded Kate Mason to take me on as an office volunteer at the London HQ. My initial impression has been borne out again and again and my days in the office are my 'therapy'. They put the world into perspective. I've read so many accounts of people on missions. I've seen doctors, nurses, midwives, logisticians, engineers, coming through either en route to a mission or to debrief. I've read blogs that have made me weep. I've been made to feel a valued part of a lovely team. Whatever and wherever the emergency I've seen people prepared to give up time, to put their lives on the line, for a fraction of what they would earn in their 'day jobs'. When I first went to Bosnia I said I didn't care what I did so long as it was something useful. I feel exactly the same now about working for MSF and I am eternally grateful to Kate for responding to my badgering and giving me a role that I hope will last till I pop my clogs.

For a tiny overview of what they do see

MSF in 40 seconds http://youtu.be/mXV8lTgETks 
Introduction to MSF (3mins) http://youtu.be/8jdq9OcjajM