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Teachers share their sweetest gifts from students and it's a moving lesson in generosity
Some of the most precious gifts come straight from the heart. A former teacher shared an incredible story of a student's selflessness, generosity and thoughtfulness. Nine years ago, the student didn't have a Christmas gift for her, so he opened up a pack of crayons, gave her the purple one, and said "I hope you love it, I know it's your favorite color." Flex those love muscles; share stories that show you care and recognize heartfelt gestures with admiration đ

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TikTok Star Jordan Howlett Rose to Fame After COVID-19 Halted His MLB Dreams
When Jordan Howlett walked onto the baseball team at UC Riverside, he wasnât chasing clout. He was chasing the dream â the one where you get drafted, go pro, and make it big. By his senior year, he was in serious conversations with the New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks. Then COVID hit, and it was over. âI didnât want to leave the sport feeling like I could have done more,â Howlett told PEOPLE. âI was very grateful to know I put my absolute everything into baseball.â With pro ball off the table, Howlett was left scrambling for income â and identity. He took fast food jobs, worked 9-to-5 shifts, and tried to make sense of a world that had just flipped on its head. He started filming videos. Just for fun at first. Just to figure out who he was. âSocial media wasnât really a thought for me at that time at all,â he said. He remembered seeing someone with 8,000 followers and thinking, âIâll never get to that number.â Fast forward to today and @jordanthestallion has over 32 million followers across platforms â a TikTok juggernaut known for his direct-to-camera mirror videos and signature line: âCome here.â Now, heâs up for Storyteller of the Year at the inaugural U.S. TikTok Awards, with the results to be announced December 18. And while the recognition is huge, Howlett admits he almost missed the news entirely. âWhen youâre in that mode, running around that much, you get tunnel vision,â he said. âI looked up and my manager told me about the nomination. My immediate thought was thereâs a laundry list of people on social media that definitely deserve to be there. So Iâm just grateful that Iâm even considered.â Howlett first found traction with his Fast Foods Secret Club series, sharing insider restaurant tips from his time behind the counter. But what really stuck was him â his energy, honesty, and self-deprecating humor. âPeople just wanted to watch stuff because of who I was as a person,â he said. âIt was very sweet. In sports, you're constantly told youâre a replaceable asset. So to have people who just want to hang out and relate â itâs truly amazing.â That authenticity, plus a background in competition, helped him grow fast. âIt turned competitive, in a healthy way,â he said. âIâd see my peers posting consistently, growing, and I wanted to match that work ethic.â Then came the celebrity collaborations. Kevin Hart was the first. âThat opened my eyes â like, whoa, we can actually do this with more people,â Howlett said. But working with someone like Hart wasnât just about clout. It meant real prep, writing, and structure â something very different from Howlettâs usual off-the-cuff style. âI canât really walk in and be like, âWeâre just gonna riff,ââ he said, laughing. So he wrote jokes. For Kevin Hart. âIt was very validating as a writer.â Since then, heâs filmed with stars like Michael B. Jordan and Donald Glover â but the gravity of those moments rarely hits him until later. âIt doesnât hit me until three days later and Iâm home like, Oh my gosh, we actually just did that.â Even with all the fame, Howlettâs not gunning for Hollywood. He says he loves traditional media â movies, TV â but doesnât necessarily want to act. âIâd love to write a little more,â he said. âBut what I really want is to create a space where I can help other people from social media show their talents in traditional media fields.â Heâs learned that bridging the two worlds isnât always easy. âHaving to explain the importance of social media â especially to people over a certain age â is hard. If you canât articulate it quickly, they might just blow it off.â But to him, itâs simple: social media is full of real talent. âThe rewards are there, and so are the people who are ready for the spotlight.â And those MLB dreams? He doesnât dwell on what couldâve been. âOf course I wouldâve loved it,â he said. âBut in the end, [baseball] gifted me with a career I couldâve never imagined. Iâm very appreciative of that.â

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Gavin Rossdale Attributes Music Success to Early Dog Ownership
Gavin Rossdale has a holiday message he wants everyone to hear loud and clear: adopt, donât shop. The 60-year-old Bush frontman, longtime animal lover, and proud dog dad is launching a new campaign to help shelter dogs find homes this December. Partnering with Best Friends Animal Society, Rossdaleâs â12 Days of Dogmasâ campaign will spotlight one adoptable pup each day starting December 10. Heâll feature the dogs on his social media accounts, complete with photos and details on why each one could be your next best friend. âThe importance of adopting to me is that you save an innocent life,â Rossdale told PEOPLE. âAnd the best thing about rescuing a pet is that you think you're doing them the favor, but actually, because life is bizarre and wild, it turns out that they do you the favor.â Rossdale says rescue dogs helped launch his career, got him through some of his toughest days, and continue to bring joy to his life. His first dog, Winston, was a major turning point. âI had to be responsible for him. I couldn't go out for two days straight and be a crazy maniac in London,â he said. âSo through my desire to be with him more, I just stayed in more, began to work, had more focus. And that's how I began Bush.â Another dog, Chewy, helped him weather emotional storms. âI rescued him from someone, and he was just incredible. He just gave me so much comfort in the worst times of my life,â Rossdale said. âHe was there for me, and Iâd just take him everywhere.â While Chewy was small, Rossdale didnât let that stop him from feeling proud. âIt takes a real man to walk a Pomeranian down the road and still feel nice and strong. And I did!â he said. Today, Rossdale shares his life with Kaya, a working dog who keeps him grounded and energized. âI love our 7 a.m. walks, and I love training him. I also love feeding him â lots of canned fish, ancient grains, and good protein, no kibble â to try and keep him healthy.â His three sons, whom he shares with ex-wife Gwen Stefani, are just as smitten. âThey've always wanted dogs, so theyâre just so over the moon to have a real big dog to play with,â he said. âThey missed Chewy so much when he passed, which was two years ago now.â Rossdale has also teamed up with PETA to promote their âAdopt Donât Shopâ campaign, in which he tells the story of Kaya and urges people to stop supporting puppy mills. âPuppy mills are gross,â he said bluntly. âThe clichĂ© is that shelter animals are difficult, and thatâs just not the case. What theyâve been through is difficult, and what they need is a kind reversal back into life.â His message is simple: when you adopt, everyone wins. âThose animals really need you,â Rossdale said, âand the bond youâll get and the rewards are immeasurable.â

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This Family Opened a Pizza Restaurant To Employ Individuals With Special Needs
A California familyâs attempt to help their daughter find work has turned into something much bigger â a pizza shop with a mission, and a message. In the small town of Alpine, just outside San Diego, the Baker family opened Pizzabilities, a restaurant that creates real jobs for people with special needs. The idea came from their 19-year-old daughter, Grace, who has Down syndrome and struggled to find employment. âFinding a job is just very hard with someone with special needs,â said Graceâs father, Josh Baker. So instead of waiting for the right opportunity, the Bakers created one. They had no background in restaurants. But they knew Grace loved two things: pizza and people. That was enough to get started. Last summer, Pizzabilities opened its doors. Grace works there as a proud co-owner, helping to make pizzas from scratch and topping them with her favorite ingredient â pepperoni. But the restaurant has become about more than just pizza. According to Amy Baker, Graceâs mother, the number of job applications from people with special needs has been overwhelming. So many, in fact, that the family believes they could open several more locations based on interest alone. Josh says the most emotional part of the process happens during job interviews. âTears just start flowing when the kids say, âYou mean I am really hired?ââ he said. âThen you look at their families, and theyâre crying because they see their kid get to have an opportunity like the rest of us.â Pizzabilities hasnât just earned support because of its mission. Customers keep coming back because the food holds up. One customer said he originally stopped in to support the cause but became a regular because of how good the pizza was â from the sauce to the crust. Now the Bakers are thinking bigger. They dream of expanding Pizzabilities into hundreds of locations across the country, and maybe beyond. Printed on the back of every employeeâs shirt is a motto that sums it all up: âWhere pizzas and abilities rise together.â

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Study Suggests Dark Chocolate Could Slow Aging, Thanks To This Key Chemical
Dark chocolate might be doing more than satisfying a sweet tooth â it could be helping to slow down aging. Scientists at Kingâs College London say theyâve found evidence that theobromine, a naturally occurring compound in cocoa, may have anti-aging effects. Theobromine is the chemical most commonly associated with dark chocolate â and also famously known as being toxic to dogs. The study, published in the journal Aging, analyzed blood samples from 1,669 people and compared their levels of theobromine with biological markers of aging. These markers, which reflect how old a personâs body seems based on health and cellular function rather than actual years lived, are based on changes in DNA methylation and telomere length. Participants with higher concentrations of theobromine in their blood had biological ages lower than their chronological ages, researchers found. âOur study finds links between a key component of dark chocolate and staying younger for longer,â said Professor Jordana Bell, senior author of the study. âWhile weâre not saying that people should eat more dark chocolate, this research can help us understand how everyday foods may hold clues to healthier, longer lives.â To assess biological aging, researchers used two established tests. One estimated age based on chemical changes to DNA. The other measured the length of telomeres â protective caps at the ends of chromosomes â which tend to shorten as we age. Shorter telomeres are associated with age-related diseases and faster biological aging. The study also explored whether other compounds found in cocoa or coffee had similar effects, but the results pointed specifically to theobromine. âThis is a very exciting finding, and the next important questions are what is behind this association and how can we explore the interactions between dietary metabolites and our epigenome further?â said Dr. Ramy Saad, lead researcher on the project. The researchers believe plant-based compounds, like alkaloids, may influence how our genes are expressed over time. Theobromine is one such alkaloid and is already known to have other health benefits, such as improving heart health. But until now, its potential connection to the aging process hadnât been closely studied. âThis study identifies another molecular mechanism through which naturally occurring compounds in cocoa may support health,â said Dr. Ricardo Costeira, a research associate at Kingâs College London. âWhile more research is needed, the findings from this study highlight the value of population-level analyses in aging and genetics.â One theory the researchers are now looking into is whether theobromine works alone or in combination with other compounds in chocolate â like polyphenols, which are also known to support human health. That said, the team made it clear this doesnât mean people should start bingeing on chocolate bars. Dark chocolate, while rich in theobromine, also contains sugar and fat. The researchers emphasized that more work is needed before any health recommendations can be made based on these findings. Still, for those who already enjoy a square of dark chocolate now and then, the news might be a sweet bonus.

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Young Raptors Fan Charms Crowd With Adorable Dance Moves During Timeout
The Toronto Raptors may have lost to the New York Knicks on Tuesday night, but a pint-sized fan in the crowd made sure no one left Scotiabank Arena without a smile. During a timeout in the quarterfinal of the NBA In-Season Tournament on Dec. 9, cameras zoomed in on a young Raptors supporterâand thatâs when the real show began. Wearing a mini Scottie Barnes No. 4 jersey, the boy lit up the Jumbotron with a full-on dance performance: pumping his fist, bouncing in place, twisting from side to side, and clapping along to the music. At one point, a nearby fan leaned in for a fist bump, and the tiny dancer didnât miss a beat. The NBA shared the video on social media with the caption, âThis young Toronto fan showed off his moves during a timeout,â and the clip quickly went viral. Fans flooded the comments with love for the moment. âHe stole the whole game. Adorable,â one person wrote. Another joked, âThe Raptors lost, at least he kept us entertained all night.â His mom later showed him the footage on the arena screen, and the kidâs reaction was just as joyfulâhe clapped his hands, bounced around again, and threw his fist in the air like a seasoned showman. The NBA also posted the video in a joint Instagram post with the Raptors, adding a slow-motion close-up of the boy smiling, waving, and sticking out his tongue. âFirst he does it with the dance moves, then with the smile and wave đ„č This @raptors fan is adorable!â the caption read. The Raptors fell to the Knicks 117â110, but if the scoreboard didnât go their way, at least one little fan walked away a winner.

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An American Teen Sold Her Family Painting to Help the British Museum's Redevelopment and Future
A 17-year-old Girl Scout from Virginia is auctioning off a valuable family painting to help save a small museum in the Scottish Highlands. Amelia Cimbalo has spent her summers volunteering at the West Highland Museum in Fort William, a place she now considers her âsecond home.â For her final Girl Scouts project, she decided to do something bigger than just earning a badgeâshe started a charity and put a family heirloom up for sale to support the museumâs ÂŁ6.2 million redevelopment effort. The painting, titled Travellers on a Country Path, Possibly Ayr Beyond, is by the celebrated Scottish artist Alexander Nasmyth. Itâs expected to sell for between ÂŁ3,000 and ÂŁ5,000 through Lyon & Turnbull, one of the UKâs top fine art auction houses. âI love coming to the Highlands and to the museum, which celebrates the rich history and culture of the West Highlands,â Amelia said. âI really wanted to make a contribution to the Museumâs future and am so excited to see what the painting fetches at auction.â Ameliaâs charity, American Friends of Highland Culture, is aimed at supporting cultural institutions across the Highlands. Its stated goal is to âeducate and inspire a deeper appreciation for Highlands heritage,â while raising money for local organizations. Her father, Jeff Cimbalo, says he couldnât be prouder. âIâm so proud of Amelia and of her drive and determination to set up the charity to benefit a whole range of causes, beginning with the West Highland Museum. Weâll both be on tenterhooks on the day of the auction!â The museum, located in Fort Williamâs Cameron Square, has become a popular stop for Outlander fans, thanks to its extensive Jacobite-era collection. But like many small museums, itâs facing financial pressures. The planned redevelopment will expand gallery space, protect its historic collection, and add new educational facilities for the local community. The painting Amelia is donating isnât just any landscape. Alexander Nasmyth, born in Edinburgh in 1758, was a pioneer of the Scottish landscape tradition and a close friend of Robert Burns. Heâs widely regarded as one of Scotlandâs most important early artists. âWhat an amazing Girl Scout Amelia is, to have established not only a charity for her final Scout project, but one that will support Highland heritage,â said Alice Strang, a senior specialist at Lyon & Turnbull. âTravellers on a Country Path, Possibly Ayr Beyond is a gem of a painting by one of Scotlandâs most important artists and its sale will help the West Highland Museumâs exciting redevelopment plans.â For Amelia, itâs a personal cause. While she lives across the Atlantic, her heartâand her charityâare focused on the Highlands.

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The Earliest Evidence of Fire-Making was Just Found in England, and Its Rewriting Human History
A team of researchers in the UK says they've found the earliest known evidence that humans knew how to make fireâby choice, not by chance. And it didnât happen 50,000 years ago, as previously thought. Try more than 400,000. The discovery, published in Nature, pushes back the timeline for fire-making by at least 350,000 years. The site in question is a former Paleolithic settlement in Barnham, England, where ancient humans appear to have mastered one of the most powerful tools for survival: creating fire whenever they needed it. Until now, scientists believed early humans mostly used fire they scavenged from natural sources like lightning strikes or wildfires. But the team behind this study, led by British Museum curator Nick Ashton and project curator Rob Davis, believes the new findings change that picture entirely. So what did they find? Among the soil layers dating back more than 415,000 years, researchers unearthed heat-shattered flint handaxes, a large patch of burned clay that had been repeatedly exposed to extreme temperatures, and two small pieces of iron pyrite. None of these were random. The heated clayâburned to over 700 degrees Celsius (1,292 Fahrenheit)âwas found in the same spot as the handaxes and pyrite. Thatâs not just a campfire. Itâs repeated use in the same location, likely a hearth, suggesting early humans knew how to keep the fire goingâand maybe even how to start it. Hereâs why that matters. Iron pyrite is a mineral that sparks when struck against flint. And itâs not local to Barnham. That means whoever left it there likely carried it in, knowing exactly what it was for. âThis rare presence of pyrite in an area where it doesnât occur naturally suggests intentionality,â the authors wrote. While the team didnât find physical wear marks on the pyrite or flint to prove they were used to create sparks, the context makes the case compelling. âFire-making is a uniquely human innovation,â the researchers wrote. âControlled fire use provided adaptive opportunities that had profound effects on human evolution.â The benefits of fire are obviousâwarmth, protection, cooking, light. But the ability to make fire is something else entirely. It freed early humans from having to guard a flame for days or weeks on end. It allowed them to set up camp wherever they liked. And it let them eat cooked food on demand, a critical factor in developing larger brains. The timing is notable. Around 400,000 years ago, humans across Europe were undergoing major changes. Archaeological sites in the UK, France, and Portugal all show signs of intensified fire use from that period. Some experts now believe this is when humans truly started to use fire as a deliberate, daily tool. Before this discovery, the oldest known evidence of fire-making came from Neanderthal sites in France dating to about 50,000 years ago, where handaxes were believed to have been used to strike pyrite and make sparks. The Barnham site predates that by over 350,000 years. SĂ©golĂšne Vandevelde, an archaeologist at the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi, reviewed the paper and noted that without direct use-wear evidence on the pyrite or handaxes, the claim of intentional fire-making remains just shy of bulletproof. But she agreed the findings were significant. Even with that caveat, the broader implications are hard to ignore. Being able to make fire on demand could have helped humans colonize colder regions, supported social bonding at night, and even helped lead to innovations like adhesive glue for hafted tools. And in a detail unlikely to be missed in Britain: the discovery wrestles the fire-making title away from long-time rivals in France. For a certain kind of archaeologist, thatâs likely as satisfying as the science itself. The research adds to growing evidence that fire became a central part of human life much earlier than previously thoughtâand that the skill of making it wasnât an accidental discovery, but a deliberate turning point in human evolution.

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You could own a $1 million Picasso for $116 â and help Alzheimerâs research at the same time
A painting by Pablo Picasso, valued at over $1 million, could be yours this spring â for the price of a single raffle ticket. Thatâs the pitch from a French charity aiming to raise millions for Alzheimerâs research by raffling off TĂȘte de Femme, a 1941 portrait by the Spanish artist, through an online draw held by Christieâs Paris on April 14. Each ticket costs âŹ100 (about $116), and only 120,000 will be sold, capping the total pot at âŹ12 million ($14 million). Most of that will go to the Alzheimerâs Research Foundation, with around âŹ1 million ($1.1 million) set aside for Opera Gallery, the current holder of the painting. If the raffle doesnât sell enough tickets to cover the cost, buyers will be reimbursed. The painting, which depicts a distorted womanâs head in muted, ghostly tones, dates back to World War II and represents one of Picassoâs lesser-known but still valuable wartime works. The winner will walk away with a piece of 20th-century art history, while everyone else contributes to research into one of the worldâs most devastating neurodegenerative diseases. âThis is a way to further Picassoâs own lifelong commitment to the most vulnerable,â Claude Picasso, the artistâs son, said before his death in 2023. âThe publicâs enthusiasm deeply moved me.â The raffle is the brainchild of French TV producer PĂ©ri Cochin, who launched the first of these high-stakes charity draws over a decade ago, inspired by her motherâs fundraising work. Unlike exclusive art auctions limited to elite buyers, Cochinâs raffles open the door to anyone with an internet connection and a credit card. Her first raffle, in 2013, offered LâHomme au Gibus, a 1914 Picasso drawing, and raised âŹ5 million ($5.8 million) to preserve Tyre, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Lebanon. The winner? A 25-year-old man from Pennsylvania. A second raffle in 2020 offered Nature Morte (1921), a still life of a newspaper and a glass of absinthe. That campaign also raised âŹ5 million, which funded clean water and hygiene programs across Africa. The winner was an accountant in Northern Italy who got the ticket as a Christmas gift from her son. This yearâs raffle marks Cochinâs most ambitious target yet. The Alzheimerâs Research Foundation, founded in 2004, is the leading funder of Alzheimerâs studies in France. The group supports clinical trials, postgraduate fellowships, and research teams across Europe. With the funds raised, the foundation plans to launch a major international call for new research projects in Europe, the U.S., and Canada. Despite decades of research, Alzheimerâs â the most common form of dementia â still has no cure. An estimated 55 million people worldwide are currently living with the disease, with numbers expected to rise sharply in the coming decades. By turning a rare Picasso into a public fundraiser, Cochin hopes to not only make high art more accessible, but also funnel attention and money into science that could change lives. Raffle tickets for TĂȘte de Femme are available now through the official website, with the draw set to take place on April 14 at Christieâs in Paris. For someone out there, it might be the best $116 they ever spend.

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These UK Parents are Leading a Global Push for Smartphone-Free Childhoods
Suffolk, England â When Daisy Greenwellâs eight-year-old daughter asked for a smartphone because âeveryone else has one,â it sparked more than just a family discussion. It launched a global movement. Together with her partner Joe Riory, Greenwell co-founded Smartphone Free Childhood, a grassroots campaign urging parents to delay giving children smartphones â and social media â until theyâre older. What started as a single Instagram post has now grown into a community with chapters in 39 countries. âThat post went viral,â Greenwell told CBS News. âThousands of parents joined the group overnight.â The coupleâs motivation is simple: they want their kids looking up at the world around them, not down at a screen. And theyâre not alone. The groupâs core message â âno smartphones before 14, no social media before 16â â is resonating with thousands of families worldwide, especially as concerns about online safety and mental health gain momentum. âThis isnât an anti-tech movement, itâs a pro-childhood movement,â Riory said. âWeâre not saying no smartphones ever. Weâre just saying children donât need unrestricted internet access in their pockets 24/7.â Greenwell, a mother of three, began researching the issue after her daughterâs request. She found a growing body of evidence linking early smartphone use to mental health struggles in children and teens. The more she read, the more determined she became to help shift the cultural norm. The movementâs success is in part due to its community-first approach. Parents who join are asked to make a pact: no smartphones for their kids until 14, and no social media until 16. The idea is that when families act together, it removes the pressure of being the âonly oneâ holding out. âIf children know several classmates are also delaying smartphones, the peer pressure dissolves,â Greenwell said. âIt becomes easier for families to wait a few years. A brick phone in the meantime isnât that hard. We can do this.â Sales data suggests the message is landing. In the United States, purchases of basic âbrick phonesâ â which allow calls and texts but not social media apps â have jumped 150% among 18 to 24 year olds, according to a study published in the Partners Universal Innovative Research Publication journal. The shift reflects a growing unease about digital dependency among both parents and young adults. The movementâs message has even inspired a viral U.S. advertisement, where a parent tells a child: âThereâs a box in the corner with all the pornographic material ever made. Iâm trusting you not to look in there, okay?â The punchline is clear â giving a child unfiltered internet access is a gamble many parents are rethinking. Governments are beginning to take notice. This week, Australia became the first country to ban social media accounts for anyone under 16. The law forces companies like Meta and TikTok to enforce age limits or face major fines. In the UK, Culture Minister Lisa Nandy said the government is monitoring Australiaâs move, though there are no current plans to adopt similar legislation. At the local level, though, parents like Greenwell say change is already happening â not through mandates, but through collective action. âItâs really tough,â Greenwell admitted, when asked what sheâd say to working parents who rely on smartphones for convenience. âBut delaying the smartphone is free, itâs simple, and it gives your child the best chance to thrive.â According to Ofcom, one in four British children between the ages of 5 and 7 already own a smartphone. But Greenwell believes that with enough local momentum, those numbers can change. âThereâs still a cultural norm to disrupt,â she said. âBut weâve seen what happens when communities come together. If you want to delay the phone, you donât have to do it alone.â For now, she and Riory are focused on growing the movement, one town and one school at a time â encouraging parents to reclaim childhood for what it used to be: time outdoors, with real friends, and fewer screens.

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Ricky Gervais Just Donated ÂŁ2.5m To Animal Charities
Comedian Ricky Gervais has donated nearly ÂŁ2.5 million to 22 animal charities across the UK and beyond, including two in Kent and one in West Sussex, using profits from his most recent stand-up tour. Gervais, 64, known for The Office, Extras, and After Life, announced the donations in a Facebook post this week, writing: âThese are the lovely charities Iâve chosen. Merry Xmas, critters.â He called the donation a way to âcelebrate the spirit of Christmas.â Among the beneficiaries is Floriâs Friends Animal Rescue in Chartham Hatch, Kent, which received ÂŁ100,000. The organisation specialises in rescuing paralysed dogs and fitting them with custom wheelchairs. âThis is absolutely incredible news,â said founder Natalia George, speaking to BBC Radio Kent. âI think Ricky was looking for an up-and-coming charity carrying out specialist work. Our mission is to normalise disabilities in dogs. Ricky has made such a difference to so many paralysed dogs.â Another Kent-based group, Retreat Animal Rescue in High Halden, also received a share of the funds. And in West Sussex, Safe Haven for Donkeys in Haywards Heath was given a boost, with CEO Andy Foxcroft highlighting the donationâs impact on their work in the Middle East. âRickyâs generosity comes at a time of exceptional pressure for our teams supporting donkeys in Gaza and the West Bank,â Foxcroft said. âWith demand for urgent veterinary care continuing to rise, this donation will help us keep our life-saving work going in extremely challenging conditions.â In total, four charities received ÂŁ150,000 each, 17 were given ÂŁ100,000, and the final ÂŁ132,000 was donated to Nowzad, a UK charity supporting animal welfare in war zones. Gervais took a typically irreverent tone when explaining the gesture: âMy mum always used to say âyou canât take it with youâ. No I canât mum. But I couldâve bought 30 speedboats and raced them round the Med with my mates. Anyway. Too late now.â This is not Gervaisâ first major donation to animal charities. In 2023, he gave away ÂŁ1.9 million from a previous tour. A long-time animal rights advocate, Gervais has frequently used his platform to campaign against trophy hunting, animal testing, and cruelty in farming. The donations come at a time when many small and medium-sized animal charities are struggling with rising costs and growing demand. Gervaisâ contribution offers a lifeline, especially for groups doing specialist or emergency work.