Thanks, Iris - and Thanks, Jenny

It was November 2001. Ros and Mike were chilling out on Fuerteventura. 12 years late, but that's another story. The apartment was part of a small block (the Maravillas) right on the beach just north of the small fishing village of El Cotillo.

It was quiet, mostly sunny, within walking distance of several bars and restaurants and came fitted with one essential holiday requirement: cats.

The three white cats who belonged to the villas soon spotted another pair of suckers. We had been warned not to feed them but a couple of saucers of milk couldn't harm them surely?

When we spotted the poster advertising the forthcoming flea-market in aid of a local animal charity (OKAPI), how could we resist? Ineffectively, as it happens, so off we toddled to Lajares.

There we met Iris Overbeck. She lives in Corralejo and works with OKAPI as well as editing their magazine, AMIGOS.

She told us of the charities who all work to help Fuerteventura animals: OKAPI, Twinkle Trust Animal Aid and Tierhilfe. We bought the T-shirt!

She sent us copies of the magazine and we got in touch with Jenny at Twinkle Trust Animal Aid. It was so inspiring to find out that people like Iris and Jenny had got off their respective backsides and made a difference.

It was even more inspiring to find out that they had built various organisations which made it easy for newcomers to join in and make a positive contribution.

So we did - and had a whale of a time. You can too.

We joined up for the December 2002 trip organised by Twinkle Trust Animal Aid. This website tells the story. We didn't have a lot of sleep and didn't keep a diary so please let us apologise in advance for any errors and omissions in the one we made up when we got home.

We met so many nice people who were besotted by cats and by the work of Twinkle Trust Animal Aid that we stand no chance of mentioning them all in the right order. Again, apologies if we get this wrong.

But in addition to the Dramatis Personae list, can we say thanks to:

• The Boss: Jenny for leading it all since 1995
• The Veterinarians: Chris, Luke, Helen and Jemma the nurse. They all give their time for nothing and give their all for the cats. (Jemma gets a special prize for cheerfulness under all situations!)
• The Experienced Ones: Keith, Linda, Yvonne, Marshall, Ted, Mirjam, Mary. For helping us out and showing us the way.
• The Locals: Nicola & Werner, Elly, Beata, Iris, Mariesol, Monika, Sally, Santanas and everyone else who works so hard for cats on the island - whether it's their job or not!