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The BSPCA Dog Walk is back again! We were too busy last year sorting out the new Animal Welfare Centre (AWC) to organise a walk, but we know you all love to exercise your pets, and how your dogs love to socialise with other dogs, so we stirred our stumps and organised this year’s event. 

It will be held at the AWC in Askar on March 15. Note the date in your diaries now and children, start getting your friends to sponsor you!
   
This year we have two walks, a 2km one for younger kids and a 4km for adults so everyone can enjoy the day out. 

The registration desk will open at 9am and the fee is BD10 for each participant. 

If you don’t have a pooch of your own, you can exercise one of our friendly BSPCA dogs, but you will need to book it and pay the registration fee in advance.
 
Those walking their own dogs can pay on the day at the registration desk. To reserve a BSPCA dog, call the AWC on 17591231. 

Prizes will be awarded to the three people who have managed to collect the most sponsorship money. It is not a race, so the first person back doesn’t get a prize! 
 
We’ve planned a barbecue after the walk so everyone can sit down, have a rest (and maybe throw the odd spare sausage or burger to a hungry pooch!).

The sponsorship form and information sheet can be downloaded from our website or Facebook page.
 
Louise Edwards,
Shelter Administrator,
BSPCA,
bspca@batelco.com.bh

MOST expatriates in Bahrain don’t take much notice of local political news and, thanks to satellite services, are exposed to international media in whichever language they choose.

The challenges in Bahrain have revealed the negativity and lob-sided reporting of international media – and yet people still follow these same news channels. 

The West does not fully comprehend the Middle Eastern concept of loyalty, dedication and love for a leadership or a country. This has not always been the case – in 1977 when Queen Elizabeth celebrated her silver jubilee the whole of the UK planned street parties to celebrate.

It was a show of allegiance to a country that we were proud of. We did not expect the Queen to visit us and yet we were in high spirits for days – the community celebrated together. Local businesses flourished with souvenirs and I still have my Silver Jubilee mug!

As a resident of Bahrain, the royal family here always intrigued me. One meets members of the royal family at events, school, universities, education centres, social gatherings, local gyms and offices at all levels.

There are members of the royal family in prominent positions but many are not involved in the government sector and focus on their own skills. Society is so open that we have princes and princesses who play football, ride horses, race cars, have thriving businesses and are even international fashion designers.

All are discreet and so polite that one cannot really differentiate, since Bahrainis in general are warm-hearted and kind.

When the opposition occupied Al Farooq Junction, formerly known as the GCC Roundabout, in February 2011 and called for the death of the ruling family, I was horrified. Never in rallies, that I participated in regularly when I was at college in the UK, did I hear of anyone chanting death to anyone. 

It was disturbing that opposition party leaders were promoting violence as a solution to issues that none of the expatriate community really understood.

It was a time of confusion and opposition groups tried to entice the expatriate community into believing in their cause. I for one, just like many others, could not be persuaded to work against a leadership and government that I knew was doing so much for this country.

People seem to forget that His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has been instrumental in spearheading international businesses into Bahrain, making us a financial hub, developing the real estate sector and bringing international exhibitions to our doorstep.

Over the years this man has shone through and shown people the way forward. He has stood in the face of the most grotesque criticism and continued to prove his loyalty and dedication to the people of Bahrain.

The Premier is truly a man of the people. 

Sally from Saar.