Charities

Over the years I haven't recorded the charities I have supported and wish now that I had.  There are so many of them aren't there?  How do we chose who to support/give to, or not?  You will no doubt have your favourites or perhaps you just give to one?  With so many organisations, national and international concerns it is harder than ever to ignore - Children in Need, Save our Soldiers, Movember, Cancer Research, WWF, Dogs Trust, Lifeboat trust, British Heart Foundation etc etc etc.  I started young - no other member of my family were examples for me, but as a teenager I did a sponsored walk around Birmingham followed by voluntary work for under-privileged children.  Like many at school in the 1960's I collected silver foil bottle tops for guide dogs for the blind and put pennies in Sunny Smiles envelopes for children in need.

I have worked for, and volunteered for, various charities alongside full time employment.  Charities are part of my life.  I have walked the Race for Life a few times, watched my daughter jump out of a plane/sky dive for charity, supported TLM (The Leprosy Mission for nearly 40 years) and put on events at home to raise funds for the local hospice.  This year I had a deeply personal reason to be raising funds for Breast Cancer Now having been involved with my daughter's journey from diagnosis to recovery from breast cancer. 

Working as a team we raised, with gift aided donations too, over £1,000. The event was amazing - cakes were made and sold; paintings, cards and other craft items were on stalls, a tombola, homemade wine, a chocolate fountain and lovely coffees were all enjoyed by those who attended.

 

   It is my hope that the funds raised will help researchers find new drugs in the not too distant future that will eradicate the need for chemotherapy and radiotherapy after surgical removal of cancers. 

Two charities I had not heard of before needs to be mentioned in this blog.  The first was an afternoon of pampering offered by LOOK GOOD, FEEL BETTER.  A team of beauticians helped teach ladies who had lost hair, eye brows, eye lashes etc to use make-up to its full potential.  They were given a gift bag of various brands of skin cleanser and toner, eye shadow, liner, mascara, lipstick, foundation, power etc etc after the demonstration and practise.  Do look them up if you know someone who has had any form of cancer - they do support men too.

The other charity I can't praise high enough is the WILLOW FOUNDATION who support people with cancer up to the age of 40, with a Treat Day.  They were so caring, fabulously organised with a folder of rail tickets, schedule for the day, directions to the chosen venue and payment card for the treat.  My daughter chose to share her day with her parents and as a family we had a wonderful fine dining experience in Birmingham. 

 

 Again do look them up if you know someone who could do with a joyous pick-me-up during or after the long haul of facing consultants, doctors, nurses, surgeons, oncologists, radiotherapist, chemo therapists etc etc.  The paperwork hospitals give to patients for information and form filling can be overwhelming but Willow Foundation have one simple form that just needs your GP's signature or other professional and very little else.  Just choose something nice to have a lovely memory making day.

 

I hope you found this blog interesting, if not useful.  Do leave a comment below or tweet me on Twitter @tweetsue13.