anyone know of a good cause that we could support? *Not* directly raising money but some kind of whole-school activity?

[edam]

Last year ds's school did Christmas boxes, something loads of kids enjoyed. Unfortunately I realised it was ethically very dodgy - organisation resoponsible was actually a bunch of missionaries who were using the boxes to reach Muslim children in developing countries in order to convert them.

I pointed this out and eventually school agreed they wouldn't do this again. But now one of the lovely teachers has asked me for ideas about what they could do instead. And my mind is blank!

yes, exactly and that is a brilliant idea - we have a children's hospice near here (I'm actually a supporter, don't know why I didn't think of them.)

Will get in touch, thank you!

Mary's Meals - www.marysmeals.org/

Particularly their 'Backpack Project'
The children donate backpacks and fill them with basic clothes, toiletries and school equipment.

It's good because the children enjoy collecting / filling backpacks and it doesn't cost parents a fortune because the stuff does not have to be new....

Right, have emailed the hospice!

thanks Ginger, that's great. Will need to find out a little more about them, don't want to get stung again. (Christmas boxes looked like a good cause until I heard rumours and checked them out.)

(But I have emailed them, so many thanks - it looks perfect, filling the backpacks is ideal for primary school kids.)

Our KS1 sponsor 2 children in Africa thorugh Plan International. They can write to them, and get letters and updates on their progress.
Any proceeds from the nativity (we also prepare refreshments, sell cakes, make decorations, sell professional photos of children in nativity costumes) go to the sponsor fund. This year, we're going to have a toy sale instead of making the decorations to sell.

another good idea, trickerg, thanks.

I know what you mean edam. We too got stung with the christmas box thing so swapped to Mary's Meals.
Do please post if you unearth anything dodgy about them though because our village and school are supporting the charity.....

To be honest, there are so many bogus charities around now - it makes you very wary when choosing a cause to support. Riven's idea of the children's hospice is a good one. You can see exactly where your support is going..

Our school had a project recently where they wrote to Gurkhas serving in Afghanistan, and sent small items like spices and CDs.

ginger, me too! They were the Daily Telegraph Christmas Charity so one hopes if there were anything dodgy, one of the 100s of journalists there might have noticed... actually will email my Sunday Tel mate and ask her.

verygreen, another interesting idea, thanks.

hospice's receive a lot of support at Christmas. Why not find the local women's refuge? It's a less obvious need but women fleeing abuse often have to leave with very little.

apologies for the ' - temporary insanity

A refuge is a really great idea - I used to work with the children at one refuge and they had often left home with nothing more than a cuddly toy or dolly. It would be lovely to send items for Mums and children.

How about a local sheltered housing or group home ? I used to work with elderly psychiatric patients, and the only christmas gifts the vast majority of them got was from the local church