Category Archives: Philanthropy & Society

St Giles Trust SOS Gang Project's Fifth Anniversary

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In the wake of the London riots, the spotlight has turned towards gangs and criminality. It seemed that an entire generation was lost after the riots that spread across England and ruined lives.

But there’s another side that doesn’t get the publicity it deserves. I attended the St Giles Trust SOS Gang Project’s fifth anniversary.

The St Giles Trust rehabilitates young offenders and Frost has always given them our full support. With so much negativity regarding gangs and criminality in the press, it is easy to forget that they are many people out there doing positive things.

Read more about them here.

The St Giles Trust is an amazing charity, doing amazing things. They have a lot of support, including some in very high places. Chief Executive Rob Owen read aloud an email from the Duke of Cambridge who is a supporter, alongside his wife, Catherine.

Junior Smart, a talented and genuine young man who deserves his own inspirational award, had this to say: “The whole idea of the awards for me personally is to give something back to the people who have achieved, to promote positive practice and to show others that ex-offenders can make that whole 360 degree change.

“Our award-winners this year included a young girl who had given up her children rather than have them go through the trauma of the court process (I don’t know many people who would do that) and a young person who had been stabbed in the face – and rather than seek reprisals – had gone back to education and completed a multitude of courses. The last award-winner was a teacher who was responsible for training and teaching the majority of the team and our clients in the community.

“Finally. it is worth mentioning how much it costs to keep someone in custody – £75,000 a year per person – and that does not include the costs in catching them, bringing them before a court or the costs to their victims and communities.”

For more information, and to support the St Giles Trust go to www.stgilestrust.org.uk

Are The Royal Family Worth It?

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So are the Royal Family worth taxpayer’s money? As the recession starts to bite and unemployment rises it’s worth asking if we really need an unelected had of state that cost every person in Britain 69p. Frost wants to open up a debate on the Royal Family. Love them or hate them? Frost came across the video below that made us stop and wonder; should we rejoice that we have a Queen?

With Prince William and Catherine Middleton making royalty cool again and becoming more and more popular it seems that the royal family are having a resurgence. Posh has become cool again. Maybe we need more fantasy in our lives and the royal family gives us that.

Did the video change your mind? Are you a royalist or republican? Let us know.

Guess Watches Teams with Breakthrough Breast Cancer

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Too Many Women is an incredible initiative, which aims to raise £1million for the pioneering work of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre. It is supported by a number of high profile celebrities and ambassadors, including Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Pippa Middleton and Matthew Williamson.

GUESS Watches is delighted to be working alongside Too Many Women and are launching a limited edition Sparkling Pink watch to raise money and help Too Many Women reach their goal of £1million.

The Sparkling Pink watch features with a polished silver bracelet and multifunction dial, which are both elegant and functional. With the addition of twelve pink accent crystals around the facia and the iconic pink Breast Cancer ribbon logo, this striking design supports a great cause and aims to be a chic wardrobe staple.

GUESS Watches is committed to raising funds and awareness to help fight the battle against breast cancer and is excited to be among the many supporters joining forces to assist Too Many Women and Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

For more information see: www.toomanywomen.co.uk and www.breakthrough.org.uk

Price: £149

Prince William Praises Queen For Help Planning Wedding

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A new book about the Royal Family has revealed that when Prince William was first handed his wedding list, he did not know anyone on it.

The book, called Our Queen also reveals that the Queen advised him to bin the official guest-list for his wedding to Kate Middleton and start again.

He said: “I came into the first meeting for the wedding, post-engagement, and I was given this official list of 777 names – dignitaries, governors, all sorts of people – and not one person I knew. They said: “These are the people we should invite”.

“I looked at it in absolute horror and said, ‘I think we should start again’. I rang [The Queen] up the next day and said, ‘Do we need to be doing this?’ And she said, ‘No. Start with your friends first and then go from there’. And she told me to bin the list.”

“She made the point that there are certain times when you have to strike the right balance. And it’s advice like that, which is really key, when you know that she’s seen and done it before.”

He also revealed that it was the Queen that insisted her wore his Irish Guards uniform for the wedding.

The Gifts We Must Stop Giving: Ideas For Christmas

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Shop smarter, not harder, this Christmas
 
While we all try our best to keep up that polite exterior, most of us have some experience of forcing a smile upon receiving an unwanted gift. Novelty ties, ill-fitting underwear, naff toiletry sets – it seems we are a nation stuck in a never-ending cycle of buying for the sake of it, and receiving useless presents in exchange.
To support the launch of their new range of lifestyle gift experiences, powered by Time Out, Smartbox set out to find out more about the nation’s gifting habits.  They surveyed 845 people, up and down the country, and found that:
Receiving
·         Graciously accepting and quickly returning unwanted gifts is fast becoming the norm. 44% of people have returned a gift that was bought for them, with Londoners he most likely to do so
·         40% of people asked prefer to choose their own gifts
·         When asked to name the worst present received, the most popular response was an item of clothing (particularly socks, ill-fitting pants and hosiery)
·         It’s not all about the money. A whopping 84% said that an expensive gift would not mean more to them, with 95% claiming they’d prefer a gift that’s thoughtful, regardless of cost.
Giving
·         Despite the efforts of the eager 8.5% of the population who begin their Christmas shopping in January, 47% don’t feel their gifts are always truly appreciated
·         66% often spend more on a gift than they had hoped to, with a shocking 42% admitting they often spend more than they can afford.
Garry Barone, Head of Sales and Marketing at Smartbox UK, said: “We all know what it’s like to receive a gift we’re not too keen on, and I think if we’re honest, most of us have bought a gift that we knew wasn’t quite up to scratch. When you think about it, buying for the sake of it is a pretty pointless and sometimes costly exercise – particularly when it comes to Christmas. Our survey found that the average person buys for 10 or more people each year – and spends around £250.
“However, when it comes to receiving gifts, it really is the thought that counts. A Smartbox lifestyle gift experience gives you the best of both worlds. While you choose the themed Smartbox that best suits your loved one, they themselves are able to take their pick from up to 200 experiences detailed within.”
Smartbox is Europe’s leading lifestyle gift experience company. This year, they have joined forces with Time Out to offer an incredible range of gifts to suit every age, personality and pocket.
Unlike your usual gift cards and vouchers, each Time Out Smartbox comes in a quality gift box. The voucher comes with a glossy book featuring full details on each experience, making it really easy to choose. What’s more, the price is nowhere to be seen, so they never need to know how much you spent.
The booking process is easy as the voucher is activated on purchase.  All the recipient needs to do is choose what they want to do, where and when. They book directly with the experience provider and redeem the voucher on site. And with many of the packages available for two people, you can share the experience – bonus!
The Time Out Smartbox range includes:
·         Adrenaline (£119.95)
·         Adventure (£29.95)
·         Charming Getaways (£139.95)
·         Delicious Retreats (£199.95)
·         Gourmet Escapes (£269.95)
·         Table for Two (£59.95)
·         Tastings (£29.95)
·         Unusual Escapes (£89.95)
·         Zen & Spa (£59.95)
Also available:
·         The Michelin Star Dining Smartbox (£169)
Smartbox gift boxes are available at selected John Lewis, Butlers, Beales, Clinton Cards, Waterstones, Heal’s and Cargo stores. See website for full details & terms www.smartbox.co.uk.

Bake a Difference with ‘Cake Boy’ this October to help support some of the world’s poorest people

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Local celebrity patissier Eric Lanlard calls on cooks nationwide to help raise funds to support Concern Worldwide’s life-changing work.

Eric Lanlard, owner of luxury cake boutique, Cake Boy, is asking people across the country to Bake a Difference and raise vital funds for Concern Worldwide’s work in tackling hunger in some of the world’s poorest countries.

Concern Worldwide’s London office is based on the river in Battersea, near to Cake Boy.

Bake a Difference runs in association with National Baking Week, (17-23 October) and Concern wants people to hold bake-sales during the week, at school, home or work, and donate the proceeds towards Concern. All money raised will go towards Concern’s child nutrition programmes.

Eric said:

“I adore baking, for work and for pleasure. It’s the perfect way to relax, and make something wonderful for your friends and family. And cake sales are also a simple and fun way to raise money – no-one can resist a cupcake baked for a good cause. So this October, I’m asking fellow baking enthusiasts to set aside some time and hold a cake sale or coffee morning for Concern Worldwide’s Bake a Difference campaign. All the money you raise will go towards Concern’s work with children suffering from malnutrition, children who without Concern’s help might not survive. Come on, join me, and make a very simple gesture to help some of the world’s poorest children get the support they need.”

Lucy Brown, Fundraiser at Concern said

“We are thrilled Eric has agreed to support our campaign – especially since we are neighbours!

Concern works with the world’s poorest people to help transform their lives. Last year alone, we helped over nine million people living in extreme poverty. But we can’t do it without your help. To help inspire people, we will regularly issue new recipes on our website from scones and cookies to delicious and healthy savouries such as baked samosas. So come on, help us Bake a Difference this year.”

The event is also being supported by fellow celebrity chefs Ainsley Harriott, Paul Rankin and Nick Nairns.

For more information about taking part, and for help with fundraising ideas and recipes, visit www.concern.net/bakeadifference or call 020 7801 1874 or email bakeadifference@concern.net

The Avril Lavigne Foundation, Easter Seals Announce Avril Lavigne Rockstar Club

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Giving Kids & Youth with Disabilities the Opportunity to Express Their Individuality & Have Fun

The Avril Lavigne Foundation announced today the creation of the Avril Lavigne Rockstar Club at Easter Seals, an initiative to support recreational programming for children and youth with disabilities, their families, and communities. The first four Easter Seals affiliates selected to receive an Avril Lavigne Rockstar Club at Easter Seals grant are Easter Seals Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana in Ohio; Easter Seals Capper Foundation in Kansas; Easter Seals Massachusetts; and Easter Seals Southern California.

Earlier this year, Easter Seals affiliates from across the U.S. and Canada were invited to apply for an Avril Lavigne Rockstar Club at Easter Seals grant. The grants’ initiative evolved from the collaboration between Easter Seals and The Avril Lavigne Foundation originally announced in September 2010 to identify and support recreational programs for kids with disabilities and their families and communities. Thirty affiliates applied for a grant. Following a review of the top 12 applicants, award-winning singer/songwriter and philanthropist Avril Lavigne and The Avril Lavigne Foundation selected four Easter Seals grant recipients.

“It was really tough to pick just four,” said Lavigne. “I was inspired by the creativity of everyone who applied and the exciting range of opportunities the Easter Seals affiliates presented. Recreational programs allow children and young people with disabilities to develop critical social and emotional skills and also just have fun. As great as these programs are, a lot of times when budgets are tight these will be the first programs cut. My goal is to help bring more resources to these great programs.”

The four initial grant recipients were chosen based on their overall impact and embodiment of the Avril Lavigne Foundation’s R.O.C.K.S. mission: R espect, O pportunity, C hoices, K nowledge, and S trength.

The unique programs supported by the grant will include a program to connect teens with disabilities with other kids in their community at Easter Seals Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana in Ohio; an art camp at Easter Seals Capper Foundation; an overnight camp at Easter Seals Massachusetts; and an afterschool music program at Easter Seals Southern California. To learn more about these exciting programs, please visit The Avril Lavigne Foundation website at www.theavrillavignefoundation.org.

“We’re so lucky to have such an incredible partner in Avril and The Avril Lavigne Foundation. She cares deeply about making sure kids and young people with disabilities have every opportunity to live life to the fullest, pursue their dreams, and find happiness. She’s also passionate about sharing a message of inclusion, that kids and young people with disabilities want to laugh, have fun with their friends, and just fit in – like all of us,” says James E. Williams, Jr., president and chief executive officer, Easter Seals. “We also know when it comes to Easter Seals, Avril was most inspired by our recreational programming – services where kids and teens with disabilities can just be kids through social events, music, theater, sports, arts, leisure time, hobbies, getting out in the community and camp. That’s what The Avril Lavigne Rockstar Club at Easter Seals is all about.”

Avril Lavigne is a multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated singer/ songwriter. Though most of her philanthropic efforts have been private and anonymous, Avril has publicly supported a number of charitable organizations over the years, including Amnesty International, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, War Child, and YouthAIDS. Avril currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis. Avril’s work with children who are seriously ill or who have disabilities inspired her to form The Avril Lavigne Foundation in 2010.

About The Avril Lavigne Foundation

Award-winning singer/songwriter and philanthropist Avril Lavigne created The Avril Lavigne Foundation in early 2010. The Avril Lavigne Foundation R.O.C.K.S.: R espect, O pportunity, C hoices, K nowledge, and S trength in support of children and youth living with serious illnesses and disabilities. The foundation partners with leading charitable organizations to design and deliver programs, raise awareness and mobilize support for children and youth living with a serious illness or a disability.

About Easter Seals

Easter Seals is the leading non-profit provider of services for individuals with autism, developmental disabilities, physical disabilities and other special needs. For over 90 years, we have been offering help and hope to children and adults living with disabilities, and to the families who love them. Through therapy, training, education and support services, Easter Seals creates life-changing solutions so that people with disabilities can live, learn, work and play. Support children and adults with disabilities at www.easterseals.com.

Royal Wedding: Zara Phillips Marries Mike Tindall

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You wait years for a Royal Wedding and two come along at once. Zara Phillips has married Mike Tindall at a lavish palace reception.

The Queen’s granddaughter married in a private ceremony in Edinburgh’s Canongate Kirk with the Queen, Kate Middleton and Prince William in attendance. The Duchess of Cambridge also accompanied her husband, and while this wedding didn’t have the scale of Westminster Abbey, more than 6,000 people turned up to watch sports star Tindall marry into the monarchy, including England coach Martin Johnson, his predecessor Sir Clive Woodward, Scotland’s coach Andy Robinson, Lawrence Dallaglio and Jonny Wilkinson.

For the fashionistas, Zara’s dress was created by the Queen’s favourite designer, Stewart Parvin, and the bride paid tribute to Scotland with thistles incorporated into her bouquet of white blooms.

The wedding reception is being staged in the grounds of Holyroodhouse, but their honeymoon is postponed as the newlyweds will be back at training this week. Zara, 30, will be competing in the Gatcombe Park horse trials, and Tindall, 32, is likely to play in the England rugby match against Wales next Saturday.