Animal lovers are being called to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home Old Windsor to join the rescue centre’s team of inspiring volunteers who make a huge difference to hundreds of dogs’ lives.

The RSPCA today (Tuesday May 28) launches its annual competition for budding young snappers to showcase their best images of animals.

The Young Photographer Awards 2013 (YPA13) welcomes all kinds of pictures from cheeky portraits of family pets to imaginative photos of wildlife and even close-ups of insects in a mix of categories open to young people under 19.

The competition is sponsored by Warners Midlands, supported by Olympus and Natures Images, and judged by a mix of photography professionals including presenter and wildlife expert Chris Packham.

Peddling to save working dogs

Steve Blakemore comes across as a regular guy. He works as an Operational Support Manager for 1st Reaction Security Ltd and has a normal family life. So it came as a bit of a surprise when he volunteered out of the blue to cycle around Pitsford Reservoir to raise money for the company’s chosen charity for 2013, Bravo Working Dog Rescue Centre. Particularly when his work colleagues knew that he hadn’t been on a bike for years!

Steve said: ‘Each year, 1st Reaction Security chooses a good cause to raise money for and this year, Bravo

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is launching ‘behind the screens’ tours of the world famous charity, as the resounding success of ITVs Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs continues to draw in high numbers of visitors to the Home.

Visitors can experience the inner workings of Battersea’s London centre and willenjoy a guided tour of the Home,hearing about the history of Battersea and the vital work it does. The tours will give visitors a behind the scenes experience with the opportunity to see key areas where ITV filmed for the hit second series.