This year (2019) sees the 50th anniverary of Neil Armstrong's epic steps as the first Man on the Moon.  Let's not forget his co-astronauts, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins who were with him on that incredible journey.

It's nice to have something to celebrate such an occasion and Emma Bridgewater produced a very colourful Moon Landing Half Pint Mug in honour of it.

This product is no longer available sadly - but take a look other wonderful products on Emma Bridgewater's website - there's lots to choose from!

It's really important to encourage future generations of people who care about our beautiful places and landscape.

A number of organisations have junior memberships, and the National Trust has introduced a Junior Membership which you can give a youngster as a gift.

It wants to encourage young people to care about our nature and heritage, and foster a love for conservation and the outdoors.

The Trust also wanted to offer a flexible membership which would support grandparents and relatives who help with child-care regularly. 

The benefits of junior membership include:

• Unlimited free entry to all the places the Trust looks after, inside and out 
• An age-appropriate welcome pack
• Special guides for junior members to plan your next adventure
• Ongoing inspiration, tips and seasonal ideas online

There are different welcome packs for primary age children (0 to 11) and secondary age youngsters (11-17) but they won't receive Junior members won’t receive free car parking, the Handbook or the National Trust Magazine.  Memberships are just £10.00.

Under 5s can continue to enjoy the Trust places for free :-) 

Treat a young person to a Junior Membership to the National Trust

Do you know of someone who loves seahorses and the sea?

If so, you could give them a membership to the Seahorse Trust or adopt a seahorse for them to help the Seahorse Trust. 

Based in Devon, this UK registered charity that was set up as 1999.  It was established as an umbrella organisation to preserve and conserve, especially the marine environment.  It works with many organisations worldwide, and Seahorses are the flagship species of the Trust.

Seahorses occupy the coastal areas - and sadly it is these areas which are greatly under threat, as they are vulnerable to human and natural interference.  Boating activities for instance can damage the sea grasses on which seahorses depend.   

There's just been a key decision for seahorses in Studland Bay where the UK government has thankfully overlooked the objections of boating people and made imposed anchoring restrictions on boast in the area;  the anchors can destroy the seagrass.  This ban will give the seahorses there a chance to recover.

You can join the Seahorse Trust for £30 a year.  You could also Adopt a Seahorse as a gift for just £5 a month. 

Find out more about joining the Seahorse Trust and adopting a seahorse here

So did you see Big Cats About the House on BBC2 on Thursday night? 

The series is running three programmes featuring big cat expert Giles Clark.   He is aiming to turn the Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent into a global centre of big cat expertise.

Last night we saw the utterly adorable black jaguar cub Maya (who you can adopt for £75) whom Giles is hand-rearing around the clock after she's been neglected by her mother.  

There are 50 big cats at the sanctuary, and as well as giving us an insight into the animals there, it focuses on big cat conservation and the issues affecting these majestic animals in the wild.

©Big Cat Sanctuary

The great news is that you can give a gift membership to the Big Cat Sanctuary and help big cat conservation, welfare and breeding.   Members receive a quarterly newsletter, an exclusive pin badge and priority booking for events.

But surely the most important thing you receive is the knowledge you're helping big cats and making a difference towards their conservation.

Visit the Big Cat Sanctuary's website here.