THE HUMANITARIAN director for Save the Children has told of how he still feels at home in Oswestry after releasing a book recounting the difficulties he has confronted in his work.

Gareth Owen, whose family still lives around Oswestry, has released a memoir about his times in war-zone Somalia and the hardships that he has had to endure, and said he wanted to do his book launch in a place close to his heart.

He said: "Writing about Somalia from 20 years ago shows that not a lot has changed. Even today there is another major hunger crisis happening there and in general in Africa, and it's every bit as bad as 20 years ago.

“But it is not in the public eye because we are distracted with domestic politics, or other important global issues."

He added: “It is often very hard to bring really urgent event to the world’s attention.”

But, coming from a family of teachers and nurses he always had this in-service duty in him that pushed him into this idealism to work in this field.

“So writing a book and bringing attention to Somalia at a time when they are in crisis again is very troubling for me”

Gareth also has very strong bonds to Oswestry and Shropshire as a whole, where Save The Children has its roots having been founded by Ellesmere's Eglantyne Jebb.

He reminisced over his grandfather's life and how he had a connection with the Jebb sisters before he even considered joining Save the Children.

The humanitarian explained: "Things go full circle, and the Jebbs had their roots in a village just across the border from Wales, and that is where my dad went to school.

"And my grandfather, who lived there, was the local postman and delivered the Jebbs' mail, so even before I joined Save The Children, I had all these connections."

Gareth says that Oswestry is the place he would always come back to after being overseas, mainly because he is so fond of all the memories he's made as a child at the family farm not very far away.

“Growing up my dad was a professor of agriculture, and he left Shropshire, but all our summers were spent there," he said.

Border Counties Advertizer: Gareth with members of the local Save the Children fund-raising committee and members of the Ellesmere Sculpture Initiative. Gareth with members of the local Save the Children fund-raising committee and members of the Ellesmere Sculpture Initiative.

He also points out that the world works in mysterious ways and that he is so happy to have chosen this line of work, as he just wants to help and make a difference.

Gareth gives lectures at the University of Manchester a couple of times a year and his one advice for student is: “Whatever you do just follow your passions and try and make a contribution to those in need along the way."