Tag Archives: fundraising

Maggie’s London Night Hike

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Registration is now open for Maggie’s London Night Hike 2012.

Now in its eighth year the 10 or 20-mile night time walk through London is now well established in the capital’s fundraising calendar.

Last year’s walkers raised more than £500,000 – enough to run a Maggie’s centre for a whole year and organisers are keen to beat this target this year.

The event which takes place on Friday, September 21 2012 and coincides with a festival run by Open House London, this nocturnal challenge gives you the chance to visit a number of landmark buildings and iconic structures.

Buildings confirmed include the Sterling Prize-winning Maggie’s West London centre, the London Eye, Roca, City Hall, Leadenhall Market and Royal Institute of British Architects, Royal Geographical Society and 20 Gresham Street among others.

Head of events Jo Dyson said: “The Maggie’s London Night Hike is an amazing experience. When would you normally get access to these incredible buildings whilst exploring London at night? I would really encourage anyone who is interested in taking part to sign up and help those whose lives have been affected by cancer.”

Maggie’s Centres provides free practical, emotional and psychological support to anyone affected by and type of cancer including friends and carers.

Beginning at 7.30pm, the Night Hike is a fun challenge with a great atmosphere, and an ideal opportunity to fundraise with family and friends and participants can expect food and entertainment at each of the featured buildings.

Registration costs £35 per person for those taking part in the 10 mile event, and £40 per person for 20 mile Night Hikers. Teams of four or more can make a saving of £5 per person.

The minimum fundraising target is just £185 for 10 mile hikers, and £285 for the 20 mile hikers. In return we’ll provide you with a fundraising support pack, regular newsletters with lots of ideas to help you reach or even smash your fundraising target.

To register visit www.maggiescentres.org/nighthikes or call 0300 123 1801.

Harrogate mum sets up celebrity football match

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Harrogate mum sets up celebrity football match with local club to raise money for vulnerable babies and children

Harrogate mum, Manraj Sanghera, who set up a Bliss Family Group in Harrogate last year, is now raising her game and has joined forces with Harrogate Town AFC to set up a celebrity football match on Sunday, 30 September 2012 at Harrogate Town AFC, in Harrogate.

The Bliss Select XI and Harrogate XI teams will be made up of ex-premiership footballers, Emmerdale cast members, Leeds United Legends and five local Dad’s of premature babies in aid of Bliss, for babies born too soon, too small or too sick, and Shine, which provides practical support to help individuals and families affected by spina bifida and hydrocephalus.

Every year around 80,000 babies are born premature or sick and in need of specialist hospital care, money raised will enable Bliss to continue its vital work to help premature and sick babies and their families across the UK.

Gareth Southgate (retired England player and ex-manager of Middlesbrough FC) will be the Bliss team Captain and Danny Mills (former-England and Leeds United player) also playing for Bliss, are just some of the household names set to play in the charity match in the autumn.

Danny says: “I am really proud to be taking part in the charity match for Bliss and Shine this autumn. Ever since I lost my son Archie to Spina Bifida ten years ago, I have worked closely with, and fundraised for Shine, who launched the first memorial challenge in my son’s name. Having experienced tragedy and the worry of two premature babies but getting through it by the amazing support we received from staff on the unit, I cannot think of two better causes. Any bit of fundraising and raising awareness I can do for these charities that provide care for sick babies and children, makes me feel I am doing my bit for Archie. Anyone can give something back, no matter how small, it really does help.”

Manraj was inspired to raise awareness of Bliss, after her three children were born premature and sick. Her first child Raj-Arjun was born at 37 weeks. He is now severely disabled after suffering a massive brain haemorrhage at birth. Her second child Simran was born at 29 weeks, weighing a mere 1Ib 11oz and her third child Priya was born at 34 weeks.

Manraj says: “I am really pleased to be organising this match in aid of Bliss and Shine. Since the birth of our son Raj-Arjun nine years ago, and two premature daughters Simran and Priya, we have spent many weeks in and out of neonatal intensive care and special care units in Harrogate and Leeds. If it were not for the dedication and support of the staff our children would not be alive.

‘Charities such as Bliss and Shine allow for a wider support mechanism for parents in such traumatic circumstances. We have received this vital support and feel it is time to give something back. It is for this reason we dedicate this match to everyone who has worked tirelessly to support us. It is also a great way to get dads involved who can sometimes be forgotten, when lots of the support is offered to mums and babies.

Other footballers set to play include: Colin Cooper, Nigel Quashie, Nigel Martyn, David Prutton, Colin Hunter and local Radio Presenters from Stray FM.

Tad Nowakowski from Harrogate Town AFC says: “Harrogate Town AFC are delighted to be involved in supporting Bliss and allowing our facilities to be used to host this charity soccer match. We are looking forward to seeing local dads playing on our new pitch which is being levelled and re-seeded later this year.”

Chief Executive Andy Cole from Bliss says: “The celebrity football match is set to be a really successful fundraising event. We are extremely grateful to Manraj for organising the event and the money raised will help Bliss’ work to support babies and their families during an incredibly difficult and stressful time.”

Tickets are now on sale, £12.50 for adults, and £7.50 children (Under 12) Under 3 free. For further ticket sellers’ information, log onto www.harrogatetownafc.co.uk or www.bliss.org.uk or e-mail: first4charityevents@gmail.co.uk all proceeds will go to Bliss, Shine, Harrogate SCBU and LGI Peter Congdon Unit (NICI).

Elton John AIDS Foundation Joins up With Grey Goose.

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Grey Goose is the official vodka partner of the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) and is committed, through a series of fundraising events and on-going project support, to building on the pioneering work that the Foundation undertakes.  Having raised more than £2.3M for the Foundation to date, the Grey Goose and EJAF’s relationship continues to go from strength to strength.

In support of EJAF this Summer, Grey Goose will be hosting a series of unique consumer events taking place across the country- ‘Taste By Appointment’ .

The campaign introduces two tools designed to educate cocktail lovers about how to ensure the best possible drinking experience: Taste by Appointment consumer events and GreyGooseTaste.com, a website dedicated to helping users find their perfect cocktail.

The campaign is aimed at helping cocktail lovers discover how to select a cocktail that is perfectly suited to their own personal taste and will be a bit like what happened in the world of coffee where consumers moved on from black or white coffee to a full understanding of their personal preferences and choice of coffee options, from latte to skinny cappuccino with a twist etc.
Upcoming events are:
  • Hakkasan, Fitzrovia – 1 July
  • Rhodes Twenty Four – 2 July
  • Wyld Bar – 3 July  (100% of ticket price for this event goes to EJAF in support of upcoming Gay Pride week)
  • Nobu –6 July
  • Quo Vadis –10 July
Tickets are priced at £75 and are available to buy at the ‘Grey Goose Taste’ website (greygoosetaste.com) 25% of each ticket sold will go directly to EJAF so it really is drinking for a good cause!

 

 (Nobu is £150 but has a five course meal included with cocktails created to perfectly compliment each dish served)

So, How Do Charities Spend Your Money?

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Oxfam launches nationwide search to find a member of the public to see for themselves how money donated to the charity is spent

Oxfam is today launching a nationwide search to find a member of the public to travel to one of their projects and see for themselves how money donated to the charity is spent. The successful applicant of this unique opportunity will report back with their personal experience of Oxfam’s work helping communities out of poverty and will feature in a major advertising campaign.

Oxfam’s research highlights that uncertainty about whether donated money gets to where it’s needed or if it even makes a difference long term can be a major barrier to giving. The ‘See For Yourself’ campaign aims to dispel these myths and show how giving just £3 a month to Oxfam really can transform people’s lives. The core of the initiative is being open and honest about how donated money is spent by showing Oxfam’s work from an impartial point of view.

Earlier this year mum-of-two and Oxfam supporter, Jodie Sandford, became the first person ever to take part in ‘See For Yourself’ when she travelled to Zimbabwe to see Oxfam’s work first-hand. Now, in an unprecedented step, the charity is widening the recruitment for the next phase and is specifically looking for someone who is not an Oxfam supporter to travel with them to Malawi, southeast Africa.

Oxfam are looking for someone who is curious and not afraid to ask questions. They will need to be willing to embrace new experiences as the trip itself will be physically and emotionally challenging. The journey will take them to an Oxfam project, where they will meet the local people and share their personal account of their thoughts and feelings about directly witnessing Oxfam’s work.

The whole experience will be filmed as part of a TV, print and online campaign which will launch this autumn to encourage more people to donate to Oxfam on a regular basis.

Oxfam’s Paul Vanags, Head of Public Fundraising added: “Regular donations make Oxfam’s life-changing, life-saving projects possible but we urgently need to do more. We believe that the most powerful way to encourage more people to give is to show them our work through the eyes of someone impartial who’s never seen it before. This trip will not only offer an experience of a lifetime, it will also form the basis of a major initiative to help us find new regular supporters.”

Prospective candidates will need to hold a valid UK passport and be available to travel for up to two weeks in July or August 2012. Recruitment is open from 6-14 June 2012 and Oxfam will be interviewing short-listed applicants on 21-22 June 2012.

To apply go to www.oxfam.org.uk/apply

JOE McELDERRY OFFICIALLY OPENS TEENAGE CANCER TRUST UNIT

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JOE McELDERRY OFFICIALLY OPENS TEENAGE CANCER TRUST UNIT IN NEWCASTLE

Teenage Cancer Trust ambassador Joe McElderry officially opened Teenage Cancer Trust’s new state-of-the-art unit at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle.

The £220,000 unit opened to patients earlier this year and will provide care for 18 to 24 year olds with cancer from across the North East and Cumbria. It complements the charity’s existing unit at the Great North Children’s hospital for 13-19 year olds. Young people aged 13-24 diagnosed with cancer in the North East now have access to specialist services.

The new unit in Newcastle includes seven inpatient beds and will provide a home from home for many young people and their families. Unlike ‘ordinary’ hospital wards, it has a kitchen, pool table and a recreational area including a digital jukebox and access to media facilities such as the internet, TV and music. The charity has also provided a further en-suite room on Ward 33 for patients who are in isolation after receiving a bone marrow transplant.

The new unit will bring young people together to be treated by teenage cancer experts in an environment tailored to their needs. Designed to feel like a home from home, the walls are bright, each room is individually styled, the furniture is funky and there’s always a place to watch films and surf the net. Combined with specialist nursing staff, the unit has everything to make a young person’s stay in hospital comfortable.

Speaking at the event, Joe said: “Teenage Cancer Trust is an absolutely amazing charity. These units feel like home and really help to boost morale for the young people being treated here. Not only do they look great, but there is a real family atmosphere in the charity and I love that! I’m so proud to have been asked to open this spectacular new unit today and have thoroughly enjoyed looking around and meeting the inspiring young people that are already benefiting from this great service.”

Dave Shaw, Deputy Director of Services at Teenage Cancer Trust, “We are incredibly excited to see the unit up and running and are confident that our patients, their families and unit staff will benefit from the specialist support and care it provides. I would like to say a huge thank you to the Hospital and to everyone who has been involved in supporting Teenage Cancer Trust locally over the last few years.”

The state-of-the-art unit is a result of years of determined fundraising by Teenage Cancer Trust and supporters. Matthew and Hilary Engel lost their 13 year old son Laurie to a rare and aggressive cancer in 2005. Since then the family have raised over £1.1million for Teenage Cancer Trust, and have kindly donated over £160,000 to this new unit in Newcastle. Their tireless fundraising has ensured that young people across the country are treated in an environment suited to their age.

Teenage Cancer Trust is the only UK charity dedicated to improving the quality of life and chances of survival for the six young people aged between 13 and 24 diagnosed with cancer every day. We build specialist units within NHS hospitals bringing young people together to be treated by teenage cancer experts in a place designed just for them. We want every young person with cancer to have access to this specialist support, no matter where they live.

Traditionally treated alongside children or elderly patients at the end of their lives, young people can feel extremely isolated during treatment, some never meeting another young person with cancer. Being treated alongside others their own age can make a huge difference to their whole experience.

Teenage Cancer Trust also educates young people and health professionals about cancer to ensure a swift diagnosis and referral to specialist support. Cancer in young people is rare but we want young people to know the common signs and symptoms so they can seek medical advice if they are worried.

Donations are still needed for the upkeep of Teenage Cancer Trust’s unit and to provide services in the region. For more information about Teenage Cancer Trust and how you can get involved, visit www.teenagecancertrust.org

Teenage Cancer Trust’s North East Fundraising Board has pledged to raise £100,000 over the next year to help support teenagers and young adult diagnosed with cancer in the region. All funds raised by the Board will go towards the running costs of both Teenage Cancer Trust units in Newcastle. To kick-start their fundraising, they are holding a Glitz and Glamour ball in October. If you’d like to get involved by sponsoring the event, providing auction prizes or would simply like to find out more please contact Jonathan Wallis by emailing Jonathanwallis@georgefwhite.co.uk

Vivienne Westwood & Cool Earth- It's No Fun Being Extinct

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World Bank sits on 90% of Unspent Funds for Forest Projects

Vivienne Westwood & Frank Field MP Launch Campaign to Expose Failings

Dame Vivienne Westwood is investing 1 million of her own funds to launch a 7 million pound fundraising campaign supporting the rainforest charity Cool Earth. The action is to highlight World Bank’s expenditure failings as a staggering 90% of funds pledged to halt deforestation remains unspent. (See bottom of press release for details). The designer and environmental campaigner, coupled with Frank Field MP (founder of Cool Earth) aim to demonstrate how rapidly money can be deployed into rainforest programmes.

The campaign called “No Fun Being Extinct”, (nofunbeingextinct.org) supported by fashion’s biggest names, such as Kate Moss, Lily Cole and Sadie Frost will run for 18 months during which time Westwood will aim to help Cool Earth secure three of the world’s most endangered forest.

Former Minister, Frank Field founded the rainforest charity Cool Earth in 2007 as a vehicle to allow ordinary people to leapfrog governments and take immediate action in the fight against climate change by protecting rainforests. The conservation method is a ground up approach, which works with indigenous communities to make rainforest trees of greater economic value left standing than cut down.

Despite a growing number of research papers highlighting community led management as the most effective way to keep rainforest standing over traditional reserves, many communities are not receiving pledged funds.1, 2

The Climate Investment Fund dedicated 600 million dollars (£390 million) to the Forest Investment Programme (FIP) to “tackle drivers of deforestation” with UK tax payers providing the most generous contribution – almost four years on, only 15 million dollars (£10 million) has been spent, all of which has gone on administration and advisors.3 Vivienne Westwood will demonstrate how taxpayers money should be spent when it comes to saving rainforest for the benefit of the nations future.

Frank Field founded Cool Earth as a result of his utter despair at governments’ failure to solve the problem of deforestation, “The lack of action in spite of such generous funding is a real disgrace. It shows that political will is just as important as money.”

Fashion designer and environmental campaigner, Vivienne Westwood, has been working closely with Cool Earth over the last 3 years, “Cool Earth has a plan to save the rainforest. If we don’t save the rainforest forget it! I am personally supporting Cool Earth and investing in our future. I’m inviting anyone interested in saving our beautiful world to join me.”

Frank and Vivienne are calling on the government to invest in community-led forestry management, which has been proven to be the most effective way to halt deforestation. Vivienne is presenting a report to No. 10 to showing how her funds have been spent to show that an effective mechanism to halt deforestation does exist.

Cool Earth has protected over 2.5 million acres of vulnerable rainforest since its launch in 2007, which has cost just £1.75 million with less than 10% spent on administration. This is because the charity has worked from the ground-up with local communities who have a clear interest in keeping the forest standing. This works out as costing just a half of a percent of the FIP’s budget.

Vivienne will also be calling on the public to help protect trees at Cool Earth’s new website launched on a November 28th called ‘No Fun Being Extinct’. Individuals can save as little as 3 trees for £3 on the website at www.nofunbeingextinct.org. Every tree makes a difference.