The dogs from death row

Broadcast on BBC South East Today, March 2008
Broadcast on BBC RadioKent, March 2008 - link
Published on BBC Kent website, March 2008 - link



BBC - Dogs Home from Robert Leslie on Vimeo.

The dogs from death rowEvery week, about a dozen dogs held at a pound in south Wales are rescued and given a fresh start by a re-homing charity from Kent. Watch our film.

The problem in south Wales is clear-cut: there are too many dogs and not enough owners. The result is a flood of strays and pounds that have no option other than to put animals to sleep if they are not claimed within nine days.

Thankfully, the Last Chance Animal Rescue centre in Edenbridge has the capacity and the ability to re-house many of these dogs. And so the weekly rescue mission was born.

Every Tuesday, staff from the centre take on the 450-mile round trip to a pound in Swansea, bring back about a dozen dogs each time.

"It's life or death so it's definitely worth it - if it means they'll be put to sleep otherwise," says Jenny Tye, Assistant Manager with Last Chance.

While I'm there, the van arrives with the latest delivery. Among the new arrivals is Ambrose, a beautiful red setter, who's about three or four years old.

On arrival at the centre in Edenbridge, he is given a health check, is micro-chipped and his details are added to the website in the hope that a prospective owner will be tempted to offer him a new home.

Sheer numbersThe problem in Wales seems to be that not enough people are getting their dogs neutered, meaning that there are a lot of unwanted puppies and pregnant mums.

"It's just sheer numbers - there are just too many dogs and not enough homes," says Denise Dawes, one of the centre trustees. "There seems to be a latch-key scenario where the dogs are let out during the day and because they're not neutered, the breeding problem goes on and on."
"They didn't ask to be born and we to our utmost to make sure they have the best possible life for the rest of their days. They deserve it - they really do," says Denise.

While dogs continue to be discarded in the numbers that they are, staff at last chance will continue to embark on their Tuesday morning mission - before the clock runs down on the death row dogs.

The Condom Bus

Broadcast on BBC South East Today, March 2008
Published on BBC Kent website, March 2008 - link


BBC - Condom Bus from Robert Leslie on Vimeo.



The Condom BusThe unlikely combination of a double decker bus and an allotment is helping to clean up anti-social behaviour in Rusthall.

It's the same in all small villages - if there's not a lot for kids to do, they end up hanging around on street corners and park benches.

Local residents often find these gatherings threatening. On other occasions, teenage ennui can spill over into vandalism and abusive behaviour.

In Rusthall near Tunbridge Wells, the local council have commandeered an old double-decker bus and a piece of spare land in an attempt to occupy and entertain young minds.

Green fingersOnce a week, these kids develop green fingers as they transform an old allotment into a living space for flowers, vegetables and relaxation. Meanwhile on the bus, health professionals are on hand to offer advice - or just hand out condoms.

The local council warden and the Police Community Support Officer are already noticing the difference and the kids too have a greater sense of belonging - and purpose. Watch our film.

Nicole: writing the wrongs

Broadcast on BBC South East Today, March 2008
Published on the BBC Kent website, March 2008 - link





BBC - Nichole from Robert Leslie on Vimeo.

For this report I was nominated for the award of Shepherd Neame Journalist of the Year 2008

Nicole: writing the wrongsWe meet the teenager from Seasalter near Whitstable who's giving inspiration to thousands through the story of her remarkable life.

Nicole is in many respects a normal teenager. She spends hours on her lap-top messaging her friends, she likes clothes and goes horse-riding once a week.

But she's also very different. At the age of 11 her life started to fall apart: first a rare tumour on the spine took away her mobility and bound her to a wheelchair; then at 13 she suffered a brain haemorrhage that robbed her of her sight; and now she's almost completely deaf, caused by tumours in her ears.

Through all this, Nicole began to write her story, culminating in the publication of 'The Way I See It' in January 2008. It's an inspirational story, devoid of self-pity, moving and unforgettable.

"I wrote the book mainly for other people in a similar situation to me - to give them hope that you can go through something traumatic yet you can still come out the other side," says Nicole.

"I also wanted to make people appreciate what they've got and it seems to be having the impact I want - I've been getting emails from teenage girls that have read it and they've said I've made them understand things I didn't before."

BrailleNicole is now learning braille and sign language so that, in the event she loses her hearing entirely, she'll still be able to communicate with friends and her mum Jackie.

Until recently, Nicole has used voice recognition software on her computer to read out her emails and key strokes, but even amplified speaker sounds are now fading into the background.

Nicole hopes to write more books - perhaps fiction next time: "I've started to write a book based on my dogs, but I'm not going to give any more away at the moment..."

Watch our interview with Nicole and her mum, or visit Nicole's website to read her diary.