Most children in orphanages in developing countries are there because their parents cannot afford to look after them, Save the Children has revealed.

In central and eastern Europe the percentage of those with at least one parent alive is 98%, with 94% in Indonesia, 90% in Ghana, 88% in Liberia and 80% in Sri Lanka.

According to UN figures 8 million children live in orphanages and other institutions, with a greater likelihood of suffering stunted growth, behavioural problems, a lower IQ, and higher risk of abuse if disabled, than those at home or with foster parents.

Cancer Research UK have warned that prolonged sun bed use could be putting the health of 250,000 children at risk. Government estimates show that the habit kills 100 people a year in the UK.

The charity’s surveys indicate that an average of 6% of 11 to 17 year-olds use sun beds, often due to peer pressure to get a tan, with the percentage doubling in cities such as Sunderland and Liverpool where half of 15 to 17 year-old girls said they used sun beds.

It has been estimated that sun bed use by under-18’s increases the risk of developing malignant melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer, by 75%.

An investment banker has been given a two year suspended prison sentence after he admitted stealing £232,000 from the Dinam Charity, which had been set up by his grandfather.

Johnathan Davies, 65, used the money to fund purchases of wine, golf club memberships and private school fees for one of his daughters. Davies, the £37,000 a year secretary and a trustee of the charity wrote cheques out to himself over a 14-year period until other trustees noticed that the charity’s debts had increased by 7,500% and called in the police.

The cruel and un-necessary branding of wild Exmoor ponies with a red hot iron has been in the news recently.

The pony welfare group, People 4 Ponies have called the practice “grotesque”, and the RSPCA have called it “unacceptable”

Those who support it describe it as “a necessary hardship”

Royston Hospital, part of the East and North Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust, have rejected a donation of home-made cakes for their elderly patients, on grounds of health and safety.

The gift is part of a donation to the hospital that has been made by the Royston Runners for the last 24 years. Those wanting to participate in the annual 10 kilometre fun run have to provide cakes as entry fees, and some of these are auctioned off with a share of the proceeds going to the hospital, along with any unsold cakes. This year, due to the rejection, the Runners have given the cakes, along with a cash donation, to an appreciative local care home.

According to a report in the Daily Telegraph the hospital’s management have since apologised, and reversed their decision, following the negative publicity.

Everyone should be aware of the following scam, becoming more widespread as Christmas approaches.

A card through the door indicates that a delivery service was unable to deliver a parcel and gives a contact number. This is actually a premium rate number originating in Belize and anyone calling it is billed at least £15 by their telecoms provider, which takes a cut of the money made from the scam, or the proceeds of crime as it is called.

Unfortunately our UK telecoms providers claim they are powerless to stop the scam, from which they profit, so it’s down to their customers to look after themselves. Pass it on.