Archive for the 'Charity Story' Category

Get your celebrities interacting not just telling

Published February 19, 2013 Charity Story 1 Comment
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HughB

At Virgin Money Giving we see lots of celebrities take on challenges to raise money and the profile of their chosen charities.

Charities will sometimes have their own celebrity ambassadors – and Merlin recently had the support of Hugh Bonneville from ITV’s Downton Abbey.

We heard from Merlin about their success in using celebrities to engage with other fundraisers and promote their cause.

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Celebrities and charity has been a very natural relationship for years now – as we know it gives us charities a vital endorsement and it gives them a way to give back and build excellent PR.

Normally this takes a very standard form made famous by Comic Relief – celebrity X backs a campaign, does a challenge, makes a tear jerking video of them visiting the people the charity helps and encourages you to either donate or take action in some way.

At Merlin, we were lucky enough to get Hugh Bonneville (@hughbon) on board for the Plumpy Nut Challenge. And we decided we wanted to use him in a very different way to help push the campaign. We wanted to use Twitter to make Hugh accessible to both his and our supporters so they could share his passion…and here’s how it worked…

Information for charities – your fundraisers could win you a £2,012 donation

Published September 13, 2012 Charity Story , Support for Charities Leave a Comment
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2012 has seen some truly inspirational sporting stories, from David Weir to Andy Murray, Richard Whitehead to Ben Ainslie.

But with all the excitement the downside we’ve all seen is that charities are really feeling the pinch. As people focus on other things charities have been missing out on essential funding.

To help with this Virgin Money Giving is offering three lots of £2,012 donation to charity. Any fundraiser on Virgin Money Giving taking part in an event or fundraising activity between October and December this year is eligible for the prize. They just have to have a Virgin Money Giving page, and have at least one donation on their page.

And it doesn’t have to be an organised event. We’ve seen fantastic stories of fundraisers abseiling, setting up cake sales in their offices and shaving their head to raise money for causes close to their heart. Any fundraiser raising money for charity in an event between October and December this year on Virgin Money Giving, and with a donation on their page will be entered into the draw.

Why not let your fundraisers know on facebook and twitter about the competition? Here’s the link; http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/giving/make-your-mark-in-2012/

 

And we can even send out fundraiser flyers to you that you can send to your supporters. Just email us at help@virginmoneygiving,com with the volume and delivery address.

Get Kids Going into sport

Published September 7, 2012 Charity Story , Virgin Money Giving News 1 Comment
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The London Paralympics has seen Team GB win a record number of medals over the past week  and inspire a nation, with the opportunity of even more medals before it comes to a close on Sunday 9 September.

For many athletes, they not only have to contend with the impact of their disability and the training for their sport – they also require significant funding to compete.

Many of the athletes do not have funding from governing bodies or wealthy sponsors and have to rely on the grants and donations offered by charities to ensure that they are in the best shape coming into the Paralympics.

Get Kids Going! is one charity that has an affinity and close link with some of the athletes taking part in the 2012 Paralympic Games.

David Weir, winner of the T54 5000 metre event as well as the 1500m and 800m in the same T54 class, is one of the patrons of the charity, while Shelly Woods who won Bronze and Silver medals at the Beijing Paralympics is closely associated with the charity.

Get Kids Going! has an association with over twenty paralympians taking part in this years event – ranging from competitors in wheelchair tennis, sitting volleyball and shooting, to boccia, sailing shooting and athletics.

Fundraisers taking on challenges for the charity is one way that the charity is able to help athletes in the run up to major events such as the Paralympics.

Get Kids Going! makes sure the donations it receives goes towards the kit and equipment costs of the athletes.

Let us know your experiences watching the London Paralympics or if you’re fundraising for Get Kids Going!

Alesha Dixon’s special birthday present

Published June 19, 2012 Charity Story Leave a Comment
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Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon turns 34 on 7 October, and this year has pledged her birthday to UK animal charity OneKind. The singer and TV celebrity is a long-standing supporter of the charity, and was keen to sign up for the One Day for OneKind appeal, which aims to raise £1 million.

OneKind is asking animal lovers to pledge one special day – their birthday – to a new education programme, so that future generations of children understand how to treat animals with kindness and compassion.

By 2020, OneKind wants to visit all 21,000 primary schools in the UK, to talk directly to 4.9 million children and inspire them to change the world for animals.

Alesha is asking friends, fans and family to donate to her Virgin Money Giving page  to help launch this appeal. OneKind will announce how much has been raised by Alesha on her birthday.

Alesha is also asking everyone to follow her example and donate their own birthday to OneKind.

She said, “The welfare of animals is something I’m extremely passionate about, and the mistreatment of animals is something that should be of great concern to us all.

I am proud to give up one day to help children understand the importance of animal welfare, and by doing so make a positive long-term improvement to animals’ lives.

If people are being asked what gift they would like for their birthday, I hope they will also consider asking their friends and family to make donation to this wonderful appeal. Even if your birthday has passed for this year, I would urge you to pledge for next year. Together we can make real difference.”

To pledge your birthday just visit onekind.org/take_action/fundraising/onekind_birthday/, telephone 0131 225 6039 or email communities@onekind.org to register.

Meeting Dame Kelly Holmes

Published March 30, 2012 Charity Story Leave a Comment
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Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy TrustThe Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust works across the country, helping disadvantaged young people fulfil their potential and aspirations. It also offers athletes coming to the end of their professional sporting career the chance to learn new skills and put the skills they used in their sporting disciplines into action.

We caught up with Dame Kelly before her training session at Reading FC’s Madejski Stadium for the Reading Half Marathon, where she talked about the great work that the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust does:

“The Trust helps disadvantaged kids and those not in education or employment. We have around 100 athletes working at the Trust, including former world champions from a variety of disciplines – such as Adam Whitehead, the Commonwealth champion in the 2002 Games and 1998 European Championships for swimming, and Jane Couch – boxing world champion.

Dame Kelly Holmes with Grant from Virgin Money Giving“We have athletes across the country and we try to get to as many different places around the UK as possible. Any money raised in the region is put back into the same area and we have some great links with some of our partnership events – like the Reading Half Marathon.”

Dame Kelly told us that it was not just for young people. “The charity helps to provide the tools for children to fulfil their aspirations but it helps sport people up-skill to set them up after their competitive career is winding down.”

Kelly Holmes explained that many young people on the programme were not in work or education before enrolling in the charity’s Get on Track Programme, which can last for up to 10 weeks.

“We have three key components to our Get on Track programme. Step one is ‘On your Marks’ where the young people are taught communication skills and how to interact with each other. Step two is ‘Get Set’, where they might be given community tasks such as volunteering at a race, such as the Reading Half Marathon. This helps build teamwork and working with and for others. ‘Go’ is the final step, where all those who took part can use the skills they’ve learnt to get back into the school system, to volunteer, become apprentices or enter employment. It’s a celebration of their achievements.

‘We spend 10 weeks with the young people engaging with them, building up their skills. For some of them, setting foot into the building to take part is the hardest task, but we know that if they are still there at the end of the first day, then they are likely to go right through the programme.”

Dame Kelly shared one particular example of Andy from Reading. “He came onto the programme with little self-confidence and was not in education or employment. Now he is a self-employed fitness instructor. We’ve got lots of stories like this and we can really see the change in people after they’ve started – and finished the course. Like I said, the most important thing is getting them there and if they are still in their seat at the end of the first day then we know they will finish the course.

“We’ve seen a real change in the people that have taken part.”

To find out more about the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust here. And you can support them through Virgin Money Giving.

Charity Story: Stepping Stones DS

Published December 7, 2011 Charity Story Leave a Comment
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Stepping Stones LogoRun by parents, for parents and carers of children with Down Syndrome, Stepping Stones DS offer social events, training, a buddy system, and a specialised lending library.

Virgin Money Giving fundraiser Gareth Sutton wanted to give something back, so raised an impressive £6,600 from two sponsored events, including a Mountain Trail Challenge.

Sharon Smith, Joint Chair of Stepping Stones DS, said “It is only with fundraising efforts, like Gareth’s, that we are able to operate.”

Since his daughter Zoe was born with Down Syndrome 19 months ago. Gareth said “I don’t know what we would have done without Stepping Stones DS. We first got in touch with them when Zoe was just 10 days old and from that point on we knew everything would be alright. They provide us with friendship and knowledge, as well as practical and emotional support. Doing these challenges was my way of giving something back”.

Gareth used Virgin Money Giving to collect donations for the two challenging events raising an impressive £6,600. In September this year, he and two friends took part in the Mountain Trail Challenge, which required them to walk 30 miles in 10 hours, including climbing three peaks!

The Challenge was not without drama, the weather was dreadful, visibility was poor and Gareth’s boot fell apart after just 20 miles!

Boot falls apart

The money Gareth raised has enabled the Stepping Stones DS to set up fortnightly physical activity sessions for our pre-walkers encompassing movement, balance, co-ordination games and more, this activity supports and promotes all areas of the children’s development as well as giving parents an important chance to meet up and have a natter!

Without fundraising efforts, like Gareth’s, they wouldn’t be able to operate. The Charity needs £5,000 per month to run all their activities and support their evergrowing membership, which currently stands at 80 families.

Charity Story: The Kindu Trust

Published December 7, 2011 Charity Story Leave a Comment
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kindu TrustThe Kindu Trust is a small charity that supports poor children and their families in Northern Ethiopia.

Last October their UK team ran a half marathon and raised a considerable £997.40 through Virgin Money Giving. This money enabled the charity to launch an exciting new youth group in Gondar – the ‘Kindu Klub’.

The families that the charity support live in tough conditions with many parents illiterate and unable to provide any educational support for their children at home. Overcrowded housing and sporadic electricity limits the ability of these kids to study outside of school, but without gaining a thorough education they will face a difficult future finding employment.

Kindu Klub

The Kindu Klub provides supplementary education and a place for children in Gondar to study and participate in games and activities. With this support the children have a better chance of gaining a precious education that is so vital for a sustainable future for both themselves and their communities.

It’s been a success story that all involved with The Kindu Trust can be proud of.

British Red Cross

Published December 7, 2011 Charity Story Leave a Comment
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British Red CrossVirgin Money Giving is the preferred online fundraising website of the British Red Cross, and they have hundreds of fundraisers raising money through Virgin Money Giving every year. 2011 has been no exception, and sadly with the natural disasters that shook Christchurch, New Zealand and devastated Japan, there have been even more reasons for people to set up a page and support their work.

One of the people who helped to support this recovery was Hilary Bloor, who faced the huge undertaking of running the Marathon des Sables for the British Red Cross’s New Zealand Earthquake appeal. The description on her page only goes some way to describing her challenge “7 gruelling days, hottest temperatures on record (54C), longest MdS to date, l took 54hrs 21mins carrying all my food and equipment, being totally self supported. My rucksack weighed 13kgs on day one when l crossed the highest dunes in the Sahara. I’m both exhausted and elated. Now is the time to let my feet repair and drink coffee before my next adventure!”

Hilary raised a fantastic £1,760 through her Virgin Money Giving page, with an extra £425 raised through Gift Aid.

Another individual who was touched by the crisis in Christchurch was Matthew Whitaker who, with a phenomenal group of 71 friends, cycled 65 miles from London to Christ Church (the one in Oxford, UK).

The team raised a phenomenal £23,330, with almost £5,000 extra raised in Gift Aid.

Hilary and Matthew’s admirable efforts helped to fund the emergency response in Christchurch. The earthquake left some survivors stranded in damaged homes with no power, no water, no sewerage and no way of contacting anyone. In response to the disaster the New Zealand Red Cross sent out volunteer emergency response teams to conduct urban search and rescue, door-to-door outreach and psychosocial support. Following the earthquake more than 45,000 people registered with the Red Cross, which worked to reconnect families separated in the disaster.

Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre

Published December 7, 2011 Charity Story Leave a Comment
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MS Therapy CentresThe MS Therapy Centre provides free oxygen therapy, physiotherapy, reflexology and yoga to alleviate the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Oxygen therapy also helps sufferers of autism, Down Syndrome, leg ulcers, stroke, ME, and cancer.

In 2011, £16,785 was raised for them through sponsored events. This meant 26 people with MS could receive therapy and support for a whole year.

One Virgin Money Giving fundraiser Ben, was in full-time employment when he first visited the Centre and is now studying full-time. Despite a relapse in July 2011 he recovered through the use of oxygen therapy and physiotherapy.

Deciding to give something back to the centre and through his own determination he completed a personal challenge of swimming the tidal river Forth (2.25km) in September to raise money for the centre using Virgin Money Giving.

The money that the MSTC Lothian has received from all their fundraisers this year has enabled them to continue to deliver therapies and support which are a lifeline for people with MS.

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Earlier at the Virgin Money Giving Mini Marathon start kaavmw 90b3nf 1qdxbi ^AS

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