Gwendolen

I made a resolution to give more to charity, so I'm going to give money to another charity every month. The only trouble is I'm not sure who is the best charity to give to. I'd like to give money to a charity that helps children, especially one that supports girls human rights and empowers girls. I'm worried that a lot of charities don't do what they say they do, so I'd like some advice on the most trustworthy charities.

I don't feel religion is a productive thing in general so I'd rather stay away from religious organisations.

I've always had pretty perfect skin- only the occasional spot, never greasy or dry etc., but about 3 weeks ago- with no change to my diet, make-up, skincare routine- I suddenly got a cluster of spots on my chin. Then I got more over my forehead, and shortly after a few popped up on one of my cheeks. Since then, it's like every time I look in the mirror I've got a new spot! I'm 23 and I feel like an acne ridden teenager and think it will make people at work take me less seriously. Please help!!!

I have been with my boyfriend for 2.5 years. In that time, he has been employed for 5 months before getting in a row with the manager and being fired. In the same time, I have more than tripled my salary, integrated with the local community and spent time volunteering to help charity. In contrast, he has got into arguments with shop owners advertising jobs, walked out on bar work, and refuses to do any kind of volunteer work.

He loves me completely, and I love him, he keeps the house perfectly clean, cooks for me, looks after me when I'm sick and tells me I'm beautiful.

But then I tell him there is a job going at the local leisure centre or wherever and he says "Oh, so-and-so worked there and apparently the managers are horrible" or "That's a rubbish job and only pays min wage". He is only applying for nice office jobs with good salaries that need experience. We have huge rows about this almost every single day.

We are about to sign a contract for a new house. If I leave him now, without payslips or a contract, he won't be accepted to get a flat and will be homeless. As I said, I love him, but he has been completely unemployed for 7 months now, and I just don't think I can do this any more. Any advice is much appreciated.

I am thinking of applying to do a Masters in Acting next year. I already have a degree in Law. The courses cost up to £17,000 for one year. Does anyone know of any funding I may be entitled to, or scholarships/bursaries I could apply for?

I am thinking of applying to do a Masters in Acting next year. I already have a degree in Law. The courses cost up to £17,000 for one year. Does anyone know of any funding I may be entitled to, or scholarships/bursaries I could apply for?

I am currently rehearsing every week night for a play which starts next month. It's amateur, and I am working full time (9.30-6pm) every week day. The rehearsals are supposed to start at 6.30 but often start late, and we are expected to stay until the Directors say so- usually about 9.30. I left at 9 last night because I felt like crap but they weren't very impressed. I'm exhausted all the time, I don't get home til at least 10, and on the weekend I just want to collapse. My boyfriend and my dogs are getting totally neglected- I'm not sure the dogs even know that I still live there!- and I'm too tired to play with them when I got home. I can't drop out of the play this late. What can I do?

Hi I'm in a production of a short play (89 pages) in October. Since May we have been doing one rehearsal a week for 2 hours. I am one of the two main parts and I know all my lines by now and understand how all the scenes should work.

The directors have said that for the next 3 months there will be 2 rehearsals a week, going on for 3.5-4 hours, and then for all of September and October until the play, 4-5 rehearsals a week, again 3.5-4 hours.

This works out at well over 50 rehearsals! The rest of the cast has not bothered to learn their lines and also don't seem to have read the play as they have no idea about the dynamic of the scene. Also the directors don't talk about the play except in rehearsals and everybody has to stand around whilst they argue over how it should work.

I have health problems and work full time (most of the cast are housewives or work part-time), and I live 45 minutes from the place where we rehearse, so it's impossible to expect me to get home at midnight two nights a week for 3 months.

The number of rehearsals seems way excessive and also I feel it's unfair that we are delayed because others are not prepared. Am I being reasonable or is it normal to spend upwards of 200 hours on a short amateur production?

I have two dogs who are generally reasonably well behaved. They can be a bit over friendly with strangers and jump up and lick but apart from that the are good dogs- in the day time. At night they go completely wild and destroy anything they can get their paws on. We live in a warm climate and have a large, sheltered outdoor terrace so due to their destructive behaviour we now put them outside.

However they now spend the entire night scratching the door, barking and even headbutting the door.

We thought they might be bored but yesterday we must have walked them for about 4 miles before taking them to visit their friend (a family friends dog) for another few hours- and yet they were crazier than ever last night!

They are completely quiet in the daytime and don't get separation anxiety. They are labrador/staffie crosses we think and are mother and daughter.

When I was younger I always had a talent for acting and dreamed of doing it professionally. My parents always said that I should focus on academic things and that acting was a pie in the sky dream. I did as they advised and went to university to study law then got a job in an office. The thing is, I feel creatively stifled.

I am in a play in October and I look forward to the rehearsal all week. Even if I'm tired or upset after another crushing day at work, as soon as I start reading the lines it's like I become someone else and feel like I want to be the best I can be.

I'm also working with a retired actress with years of experience who says I have great potential and am very talented. I'm happiest when I'm acting, singing, or modelling.

By the time I go to drama school, if I apply now and get in first time round, I will be 24. Is this too old to be an actress? Have I missed my chance to do this professionally?

I'm afraid of leaving behind my security, and I would have to move back to the UK which would be very difficult (I live in Spain) but I feel like if I don't take this risk I will always wonder, what if?

Any other information, like my chances of ever making a stable living wage etc. would be much appreciated.

My boyfriend lost his job in online gaming 3 months ago- he effectively quit by getting into an argument with his manager so he got fired.

He really hated working in gaming and doesn't want to get a similar job. That is the main industry here so he would have to work quite hard to find a different sort of job. Since he lost his job he hasn't really made any effort to get a job- he had two interviews a week after and then that was it. He very rarely even comes into town so I know he is not looking.

His argument is that he has savings and he doesn't need to work, also he is doing a distance learning degree. I am worried that the savings will run out and he will find it harder to get a job as he has so little experience and is not getting any! Also if he walked out of the only job he's had in the 2 years we've been together after only 5 months, then I don't know if I can rely on him to support me if we have kids etc.

He does do more housework than me but gives a list of things he wants me to do- walk the dogs etc.- the moment I walk through the door, exhausted, at 6.30, which causes a lot of arguments.

He also doesn't really have any friends here or hobbies and doesn't seem interested in getting any, so I get frustrated that he is in the house ALL the time and I never get the opportunity just to play computer games or read a book by myself because he will be over my shoulder asking me to do housework or spend time with him.

I have two dogs- aged 18 months and 6 months, mother and daughter. The younger one keeps getting pneumonia after getting a cough whilst in the shelter before we adopted her. The vets bills are pretty high- does anyone know where we can get pet insurance in Spain which will cover her pre-existing pneumonia problem? They are well looked after, kept warm and fed properly so people who want to pick holes in my animal care don't bother/

My puppy choked on a shard of plastic yesterday and is coughing up blood and struggling to breathe a little. She is coughing up less blood than last night but I still think she should see a vet. My bf thinks she is better off getting rest though. Should I insist on taking her?

The pipes outside our block burst last night at 5pm and we have had no water ever since. The property is now completely unhabitable because we cannot flush the chain or wash up, also we cannot clean ourselves or brush our teeth, and we have work tomorrow. All we have to drink is juice. Because it is Sunday (in Spain) everywhere is shut so we can't buy bottled water, and workmen don't work Sundays here so it won't be getting fixed until at least tomorrow. Do the estate agents have a duty to provide us with somewhere else to live until the problem is fixed? I've sent them an e-mail, can we get compensation if they ignore us? (very likely considering their previous conduct) Just to note, the estate agents are in Gibraltar and are bound by UK law.