Artist Darren Bird, known as Birdie, on the emotional moments that inspire his drawings, and his passion for horses and those who care for them

Moments enjoyed, lessons learned, handy advice, weird stuff that happened: welcome to the little bits and pieces that don’t make big stories, but do make all the difference.

A Christmas shopping trip turns into a chance to catch up on pony gossip for Tessa Waugh , who is on the back foot as far as present buying is concerned but replete with tales of happy new homes

BASED IN NORTHERN IRELAND, Janice Lightowler works in oil and graphite. When working on her oil paintings, she uses only one small brush, irrespective of the size of the piece, and later attaches that

The Big Issue, 2nd floor, 43 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 1HW letters@bigissue.com@bigissueuk @bigissue.com@bigissue /bigissueUK thebigissue ↑ I completed LeJog (Lands End to John O’ Groats) for charity la

World Horse Welfare explains why looking through our horses’ eyes is the key to giving them good lives