Latest news with #Larcombe
Borneo Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Borneo Post
‘Pawsitive' cause: Brit to scale Santubong every day in September
Larcombe cosies up with one-year-old female cat 'Sweet Face' during the adoption drive. — Photos by Kentigern Minggu KUCHING (Aug 11): Climbing Mount Santubong every day for 30 days might sound a little crazy, but for Pawsitive Vibes Foundation co-founder Greg Larcombe, anything that gets more people involved in helping stray cats is worth it. He said the exhausting 30 climbs pale in comparison to the suffering endured by many street cats. 'Even if you think the challenge is crazy or dumb, you can't really argue the cause is unnecessary,' he told The Borneo Post when met during a cat adoption drive at Aeroville Mall here yesterday in conjunction with the 'Meowty Peowty' event. 'I think most people are cat lovers, and if they saw just how bad it is for a lot of street cats right now, they would agree that we need to do whatever it takes to raise money and create awareness.' This challenge is the 40-year-old Briton's own personal undertaking as part of the foundation's 'Sweat4Strays' fundraising campaign running from Sept 1-30 that encourages participants to pick any physical activity and commit to doing it daily throughout September. The goal is to raise vital funds for the rescue, treatment, feeding and rehoming of stray cats in Kuching. 'Participants can get their friends and family to sponsor them, and at the end of the month, we will collect all sponsorships and channel the money directly into helping street cats. 'I wanted to do something special for this in the hopes of encouraging others while also raising a decent amount of money myself,' he said. Larcombe chose Mount Santubong as his challenge because it is something few people attempt regularly. While he is mentally prepared, he admits he might feel differently after a few climbs. 'I know it is something that will really test me, not only physically but mentally as well. Physically, I'm most likely underprepared; I haven't really exercised much in the past year or so and although I used to do a lot of hiking and outdoor activities, it's been a long time. 'Recently, I climbed Santubong to see if I could still get to the top. I managed it, but I'm not going to lie, it was hard work. 'The question is whether the climbs will get easier as my fitness improves, or harder as my body wears down,' he said, adding he had scaled it several times during a visit here about 12 years ago. 'Back then, I was in my late 20s. Now, I'm 40. I've also never climbed it day after day, and I won't be climbing during heavy rain either because of the risks.' Larcombe and his co-founder, countryman Anthony Waller, 42, chose to advocate for stray cats simply out of a desire to help. 'We see cats suffering on the streets in all sorts of conditions, many with illnesses and injuries and in a lot of cases, there are abandoned kittens or mother cats barely surviving while trying to keep their babies alive. 'Personally, I believe if something shocks and upsets you, you mustn't look away—you have to help. Of course, there are already many people in Kuching who do everything they can for cats. We're certainly not the first; we just want to add to the overall effort. 'Part of that for me is creating a buzz on social media about the conditions many cats are living in, and how we can all work together to help them,' Larcombe said. 'Not just raising funds, but also giving more exposure to the important work we are trying to do.' A family shows interest in a cat during the adoption drive. Cat rescue has been something Larcombe always wanted to pursue. In early 2024, while staying in Langkawi, he spoke about it on his TikTok account, but admitted he 'didn't really know where to start'. 'When I came to Kuching last year, I met Anthony, who has been living here for a while with his local wife. I discovered he was also interested in rescuing cats, so we decided to do something together. The whole idea just evolved from there,' he said. Since its establishment in March this year, Pawsitive Vibes Foundation has been working closely with local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with a shared mission. 'In particular, HASS (Humane Animal Society Sarawak), whom we have conducted a few talks with and plan to collaborate more in future. Additionally, some friends of ours recently started a local NGO called Cat Lovers Club, with whom we plan to organise many fundraising events.' Larcombe said their long-term goal was to build a community of cat lovers, like-minded NGOs, and other groups to create meaningful change in Kuching. 'We're not interested in doing anything for clout. We want to work with others, focus on collaborations, and encourage others to start their own groups…that sort of thing. 'Mainly, we want to focus on a widespread Trap, Vaccinate, Neuter, Release (TVNR) programme so that as a community we can humanely reduce the number of kittens being born on the streets in the first place,' he explained. Waller fields questions from members of the public interested in their cause. Meanwhile, Waller said the pair previously ran a café, but temporarily closed as it 'took too much of our time and money'. 'Our intention was that 50 per cent of profits from running the café would go to the cats, but it turned out all the profits went to the cats,' he laughed, adding that by the end of each month, they often did not have the funds they had hoped for and the café's demands left them with less time to conduct rescues. 'However, we plan to reopen the café as a shop, information centre and place where people can meet and greet the cats,' he said. Any cats not adopted after yesterday's drive will be cared for at their shelter in Green Road, although the exact location will not be disclosed to prevent it from becoming a dumping site for unwanted pets. 'The adoption fee per cat is RM70, as all our cats have been neutered and received their first cycle of vaccinations,' he said. Their next adoption drive will be held on Aug 24 and the Pawsitive Vibes Foundation will be collaborating with the International Peace Youth Group. Anthony Waller Greg Larcombe Pawsitive Vibes Foundation
Borneo Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Borneo Post
‘Pawsitive' cause: Brit to scale Mount Santubong every day in Sept
Larcombe cosies up with one-year-old female cat 'Sweet Face' during the adoption drive. — Photos by Kentigern Minggu KUCHING (Aug 11): Climbing Mount Santubong every day for 30 days might sound a little crazy, but for Pawsitive Vibes Foundation co-founder Greg Larcombe, anything that gets more people involved in helping stray cats is worth it. He said the exhausting 30 climbs pale in comparison to the suffering endured by many street cats. 'Even if you think the challenge is crazy or dumb, you can't really argue the cause is unnecessary,' he told The Borneo Post when met during a cat adoption drive at Aeroville Mall here yesterday in conjunction with the 'Meowty Peowty' event. 'I think most people are cat lovers, and if they saw just how bad it is for a lot of street cats right now, they would agree that we need to do whatever it takes to raise money and create awareness.' This challenge is the 40-year-old Briton's own personal undertaking as part of the foundation's 'Sweat4Strays' fundraising campaign running from Sept 1-30 that encourages participants to pick any physical activity and commit to doing it daily throughout September. The goal is to raise vital funds for the rescue, treatment, feeding and rehoming of stray cats in Kuching. 'Participants can get their friends and family to sponsor them, and at the end of the month, we will collect all sponsorships and channel the money directly into helping street cats. 'I wanted to do something special for this in the hopes of encouraging others while also raising a decent amount of money myself,' he said. Larcombe chose Mount Santubong as his challenge because it is something few people attempt regularly. While he is mentally prepared, he admits he might feel differently after a few climbs. 'I know it is something that will really test me, not only physically but mentally as well. Physically, I'm most likely underprepared; I haven't really exercised much in the past year or so and although I used to do a lot of hiking and outdoor activities, it's been a long time. 'Recently, I climbed Santubong to see if I could still get to the top. I managed it, but I'm not going to lie, it was hard work. 'The question is whether the climbs will get easier as my fitness improves, or harder as my body wears down,' he said, adding he had scaled it several times during a visit here about 12 years ago. 'Back then, I was in my late 20s. Now, I'm 40. I've also never climbed it day after day, and I won't be climbing during heavy rain either because of the risks.' Larcombe and his co-founder, countryman Anthony Waller, 42, chose to advocate for stray cats simply out of a desire to help. 'We see cats suffering on the streets in all sorts of conditions, many with illnesses and injuries and in a lot of cases, there are abandoned kittens or mother cats barely surviving while trying to keep their babies alive. 'Personally, I believe if something shocks and upsets you, you mustn't look away—you have to help. Of course, there are already many people in Kuching who do everything they can for cats. We're certainly not the first; we just want to add to the overall effort. 'Part of that for me is creating a buzz on social media about the conditions many cats are living in, and how we can all work together to help them,' Larcombe said. 'Not just raising funds, but also giving more exposure to the important work we are trying to do.' A family shows interest in a cat during the adoption drive. Cat rescue has been something Larcombe always wanted to pursue. In early 2024, while staying in Langkawi, he spoke about it on his TikTok account, but admitted he 'didn't really know where to start'. 'When I came to Kuching last year, I met Anthony, who has been living here for a while with his local wife. I discovered he was also interested in rescuing cats, so we decided to do something together. The whole idea just evolved from there,' he said. Since its establishment in March this year, Pawsitive Vibes Foundation has been working closely with local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with a shared mission. 'In particular, HASS (Humane Animal Society Sarawak), whom we have conducted a few talks with and plan to collaborate more in future. Additionally, some friends of ours recently started a local NGO called Cat Lovers Club, with whom we plan to organise many fundraising events.' Larcombe said their long-term goal was to build a community of cat lovers, like-minded NGOs, and other groups to create meaningful change in Kuching. 'We're not interested in doing anything for clout. We want to work with others, focus on collaborations, and encourage others to start their own groups…that sort of thing. 'Mainly, we want to focus on a widespread Trap, Vaccinate, Neuter, Release (TVNR) programme so that as a community we can humanely reduce the number of kittens being born on the streets in the first place,' he explained. Waller fields questions from members of the public interested in their cause. Meanwhile, Waller said the pair previously ran a café, but temporarily closed as it 'took too much of our time and money'. 'Our intention was that 50 per cent of profits from running the café would go to the cats, but it turned out all the profits went to the cats,' he laughed, adding that by the end of each month, they often did not have the funds they had hoped for and the café's demands left them with less time to conduct rescues. 'However, we plan to reopen the café as a shop, information centre and place where people can meet and greet the cats,' he said. Any cats not adopted after yesterday's drive will be cared for at their shelter in Green Road, although the exact location will not be disclosed to prevent it from becoming a dumping site for unwanted pets. 'The adoption fee per cat is RM70, as all our cats have been neutered and received their first cycle of vaccinations,' he said. Their next adoption drive will be held on Aug 24 and the Pawsitive Vibes Foundation will be collaborating with the International Peace Youth Group. Anthony Waller Greg Larcombe Pawsitive Vibes Foundation
Borneo Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Borneo Post
‘Pawsitive' cause: Brit to scale Santubong every day in Sept
Larcombe cosies up with one-year-old female cat 'Sweet Face' during the adoption drive. — Photos by Kentigern Minggu KUCHING (Aug 11): Climbing Mount Santubong every day for 30 days might sound a little crazy, but for Pawsitive Vibes Foundation co-founder Greg Larcombe, anything that gets more people involved in helping stray cats is worth it. He said the exhausting 30 climbs pale in comparison to the suffering endured by many street cats. 'Even if you think the challenge is crazy or dumb, you can't really argue the cause is unnecessary,' he told The Borneo Post when met during a cat adoption drive at Aeroville Mall here yesterday in conjunction with the 'Meowty Peowty' event. 'I think most people are cat lovers, and if they saw just how bad it is for a lot of street cats right now, they would agree that we need to do whatever it takes to raise money and create awareness.' This challenge is the 40-year-old Briton's own personal undertaking as part of the foundation's 'Sweat4Strays' fundraising campaign running from Sept 1-30 that encourages participants to pick any physical activity and commit to doing it daily throughout September. The goal is to raise vital funds for the rescue, treatment, feeding and rehoming of stray cats in Kuching. 'Participants can get their friends and family to sponsor them, and at the end of the month, we will collect all sponsorships and channel the money directly into helping street cats. 'I wanted to do something special for this in the hopes of encouraging others while also raising a decent amount of money myself,' he said. Larcombe chose Mount Santubong as his challenge because it is something few people attempt regularly. While he is mentally prepared, he admits he might feel differently after a few climbs. 'I know it is something that will really test me, not only physically but mentally as well. Physically, I'm most likely underprepared; I haven't really exercised much in the past year or so and although I used to do a lot of hiking and outdoor activities, it's been a long time. 'Recently, I climbed Santubong to see if I could still get to the top. I managed it, but I'm not going to lie, it was hard work. 'The question is whether the climbs will get easier as my fitness improves, or harder as my body wears down,' he said, adding he had scaled it several times during a visit here about 12 years ago. 'Back then, I was in my late 20s. Now, I'm 40. I've also never climbed it day after day, and I won't be climbing during heavy rain either because of the risks.' Larcombe and his co-founder, countryman Anthony Waller, 42, chose to advocate for stray cats simply out of a desire to help. 'We see cats suffering on the streets in all sorts of conditions, many with illnesses and injuries and in a lot of cases, there are abandoned kittens or mother cats barely surviving while trying to keep their babies alive. 'Personally, I believe if something shocks and upsets you, you mustn't look away—you have to help. Of course, there are already many people in Kuching who do everything they can for cats. We're certainly not the first; we just want to add to the overall effort. 'Part of that for me is creating a buzz on social media about the conditions many cats are living in, and how we can all work together to help them,' Larcombe said. 'Not just raising funds, but also giving more exposure to the important work we are trying to do.' A family shows interest in a cat during the adoption drive. Cat rescue has been something Larcombe always wanted to pursue. In early 2024, while staying in Langkawi, he spoke about it on his TikTok account, but admitted he 'didn't really know where to start'. 'When I came to Kuching last year, I met Anthony, who has been living here for a while with his local wife. I discovered he was also interested in rescuing cats, so we decided to do something together. The whole idea just evolved from there,' he said. Since its establishment in March this year, Pawsitive Vibes Foundation has been working closely with local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with a shared mission. 'In particular, HASS (Humane Animal Society Sarawak), whom we have conducted a few talks with and plan to collaborate more in future. Additionally, some friends of ours recently started a local NGO called Cat Lovers Club, with whom we plan to organise many fundraising events.' Larcombe said their long-term goal was to build a community of cat lovers, like-minded NGOs, and other groups to create meaningful change in Kuching. 'We're not interested in doing anything for clout. We want to work with others, focus on collaborations, and encourage others to start their own groups…that sort of thing. 'Mainly, we want to focus on a widespread Trap, Vaccinate, Neuter, Release (TVNR) programme so that as a community we can humanely reduce the number of kittens being born on the streets in the first place,' he explained. Waller fields questions from members of the public interested in their cause. Meanwhile, Waller said the pair previously ran a café, but temporarily closed as it 'took too much of our time and money'. 'Our intention was that 50 per cent of profits from running the café would go to the cats, but it turned out all the profits went to the cats,' he laughed, adding that by the end of each month, they often did not have the funds they had hoped for and the café's demands left them with less time to conduct rescues. 'However, we plan to reopen the café as a shop, information centre and place where people can meet and greet the cats,' he said. Any cats not adopted after yesterday's drive will be cared for at their shelter in Green Road, although the exact location will not be disclosed to prevent it from becoming a dumping site for unwanted pets. 'The adoption fee per cat is RM70, as all our cats have been neutered and received their first cycle of vaccinations,' he said. Their next adoption drive will be held on Aug 24 and the Pawsitive Vibes Foundation will be collaborating with the International Peace Youth Group. Anthony Waller Greg Larcombe Pawsitive Vibes Foundation
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Meghan Markle will always face abuse for 'cashing in on being a royal' expert says
A former royal editor revealed that Meghan, who is a 'positive, upbeat person' will continue to be the centre of negativity online as people feel she has 'lost her credibility'. Meghan Markle still sees herself as a royal and a 'positive, upbeat person' despite the consistent backlash she faces online, a royal expert has explained. The 44-year-old was accused of turning her birthday celebrations last week into a PR stunt, but former royal editor Duncan Larcombe said she is always likely to 'attract negativity'. He told The Mirror: 'There seems to be two versions of her; one in America and one here, where she seems to be universally disliked.' Last week, her lifestyle brand, As Ever, shared a birthday tribute to her on Instagram. The caption read: 'Celebrating the woman behind it all. She pours her heart, vision & magic touch into every detail, and today, we raise a glass to her! Happy birthday to our founder @meghan.' Some social media users took to X where they posted comments such as: 'Meghan runs that account herself, yet here she is talking to herself in the third person.' Another person wrote: 'Only Meghan Markle devotes a post to herself.' She also faced heavy criticism online after a video of her dancing with Harry in a hospital room before giving birth went viral. Larcombe said of Meghan: 'She's a very emotional person and takes things personally, so it probably feels like she can't do anything right a lot of the time. She was heavily criticised for some of her recent videos, and when she goes quiet, she's criticised for that, too.' While Meghan sees herself as a 'very positive, upbeat person', Larcombe explained that the negativity continues to swirl around her 'because she's lost her credibility'. He added: 'She's a self-publicist, and that doesn't go down well with the British public. In her mind, she's a royal, but she isn't in terms of toeing the line.' She may have a successful lifestyle business, but she remains the subject of significant online negativity because 'she's seen as cashing in on being a royal'. Harry and Meghan have recently been perceived as trying to change the public's view on them and Larcombe said the couple, who share children Archi and Lilibet, are on a 'charm offensive'. He said: 'It's very much to make them appear like good guys who are trying to make friends, but I think they're doing it far too late.' Earlier this week, Meghan celebrated her birthday with a dinner at Funke LA. She shared a snap from the night and wrote: 'Blowing out the candles on a beautiful 24 hours, and thanking my husband, friends and family for making it so special.' She added in the caption: 'To those of you I don't know, but who send love every day - thank you so much. Please know I feel it and appreciate it.'
Rakyat Post
05-08-2025
- Health
- Rakyat Post
British Man Praises Malaysian Public Hospital For Efficiency & Reasonable Cost
Subscribe to our FREE The Malaysian public healthcare system isn't perfect, but we may not realise that we still have it good. TikTok user Greg Larcombe, a British guy staying in Malaysia, recently compared the service in a Malaysian public hospital to the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. Larcombe shared that he finally went to the local public hospital after getting bitten by a stray cat he tried to rescue. Since he wasn't wearing gloves, the cat bit his fingers and his infected knuckles had pus in them. He admitted that he never had a rabies shot before so he had to get them done during his visit to the hospital. Due to the pus, he had rabies shot injected directly into his fingers. Larcombe jokingly showed his fully tattooed arms and said the pain from the injections were ''like tattoos times 1,000.'' He also had a booster shot on each arm and another follow-up booster a few days after. Comparing Malaysia and UK healthcare service efficiency From waiting to get a consultation to waiting to get treated, he spent about four to five hours in the hospital. While that sounded too long to some, Larcombe said he would have to wait between two and four weeks to get an appointment to see a doctor in the UK. He added if he were to go to the emergency room in the UK, it might take up to 12 hours or longer before he sees a doctor. Compared to the NHS, the Malaysian public healthcare system was definitely a step up. Larcombe shared he only paid RM40 for each round of injections, calling it a reasonable price since he was not a Malaysian citizen or resident. For Malaysian citizens or residents, they would need to pay RM1. After his experience getting treated in the local public hospital, he was impressed by the efficiency and the general communication of all of the people he encountered such as staff, nurses, and doctors at the hospital. Based on his personal experience, he felt the public healthcare in Malaysia is much more efficient and organised compared to the NHS in the UK right now. That said, he humorously admitted he hoped he wouldn't need to return to any hospitals soon. We should be grateful His video opened the eyes of some local netizens who realised they should be grateful to have a fairly good public healthcare system. However, some were shocked to find out people have to wait more than 12 hours to be treated in the UK. The conversation also led to people sharing how the Malaysian public hospitals have better facilities than private hospitals. Some locals thanked Larcombe for his honest reviews and praise for the Malaysian public healthcare system. Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
