MNHQ calling: Giving Week (our recent match-funding drive) - your thoughts please!

[KateHMumsnet]

Afternoon folks,

As you may remember, back in June we hosted our first ever Mumsnet Giving Week to shine a light on some brilliant causes nominated by Mumsnetters. Thanks to you, we were able to raise £11,302.43, which when we matched, rose to a whopping £22,604.86!

Woolly Hugs, Women’s Aid, Haven House, the PDA Society and Free Cakes for Kids are all overcome with warm-fuzzy feelings, as are we. This will make such a difference to all the people out there supported by these incredible charities and causes, and we hope will have a really positive impact on what they can achieve this year, so hats off to all of you!

We’ll be back with an update from the charities later in the year, so that you can hear firsthand from them about how your donations have made a difference. But in the meantime, we wanted to to ask you what you thought of our first ever Giving Week.

What do you think worked well, and what didn’t?
What compelled you to give, if you donated?
If you didn’t get involved in nominating or donating, was there anything in particular that stopped you?
What would you like to see as part of future giving weeks?

Giving back to the organisations who support Mumsnetters is important to us, and we’d like to make this a more regular feature so all feedback very welcome.

MNHQ

Presumably all the charities supported by the MN Fundraising Drive were registered with the Charity Commission as charities?

That needs to be a basic requirement, surely?

it may be your last word - but you still think you're right and the rest of us are a bit thick - but then you can't argue with an idiot, so off you trot.

If not registered charities, that needs to be made clear to donors. Which ones aren't registered?

To be registered with the Charities Commission you have to have an annual income of £5000 or more.

Now there are plenty of small very worthwhile small charities who aren't at that level yet. They may be new or just small. But still worthwhile to my mind.

To be a small charity you still need a constitution, accounts etc.

Huge hugs for Kristina - I am so sorry for the loss of your son, what a beautiful compassionate thing that was for them to do. xxx

There is a minimum level of funds(in cash) you need to raise per year to register with the CC. The nature of WH means although there ths monetary values in every item donated by a crafter unfortunately you can't put a blanket on a spreadsheet. That's what crown funding like YIMBY is needed for smaller good causes because they don't have the might that larger charities do.

Woolly Hugs aren't registered (yet) neither are Cakes for Kids.

Yimby, run by Just Giving is designed very much for small unregistered groups and fund-raising. To be on Just Giving you need a charity number, so a full charity.

Really higgle, are you completely ignoring the fact that the Woolly Hugs are created in conjunction with the recipients (which has been pointed out to you many times on this thread already) on purpose? Have you read the testimonials from the recipients on this thread and chosen to ignore those too?

sigh

I've never contributed to a Woolly Hug before, mostly because I've never thought my squares would be good enough, but higgle's ignorance and sheer bloody-mindedness to Be Right have inspired me to get my crochet hooks out. Look out Knotty and Pistey

Higgle obviously still hasn't bothered to read the explanations about the charities that she is "dissing" - and by implication, the motives of those that contribute.

I hope she reads the papers of the charity that she chairs with more attention to detail and compassion

Just one example, " The breastfeeding and expressing support team at the Brompton asked the Octavia Appeal, who in turn came to us to help them by obtaining a few pairs of knitted breasts. Babies born with heart conditions often find breastfeeding more difficult as they do not have the energy required for it and, with many newborn babies being transferred to the Brompton, it is vital they are able to support mothers with this. They have decided knitted breasts are the way forward to help them teach hand expressing techniques, positioning and attachments skills to new mums and to new staff."

I've added the bolds on the off chance that Higgle actually bothers to read a bit more about just one example of the things that Woolly Hugs does. But more importantly, it is to ensure that any other anonymous Internet readers aren't mislead by her continued insinuations that what Woolly Hugs is being foisted on unwilling donors.

That's a different kettle of fish then, isn't it? It's more like the Secret Santa. Think it needs to be made clear which are registered and which aren't, and some reference to constitution and accounts made, in the case of unregistered ones.

Woolly Hugs does not make blankets to distribute to old people in care homes.

Whilst this fact is entirely self-evident from the many comments on the thread, perhaps it will help to say 'yes, assuming an old person in a care home would want a blanket and giving them one regardless of their wishes would be a poor basis for a charitable endeavour'. Fortunately that isn't the basis for Woolly Hugs.

I am thinking very carefully about what I could possibly write here that doesn't involve too many swear words.

Blankets are Offered, never forced upon.

Blankets sent to Yorkhill hospital are done because Yorkhill appreciate their value to seriously ill children and their families.

Blankets taken to children with cancer in poorer countries are taken by World Child Cancer, a medical charity, who recognise the value the blankets have in palliative care.

So, just a couple of examples where medical professionals recognise the power of a square of yarn made with love.

I think I'd like to see more publicity given to things you could do without giving funding. I suspect that many MNetters either simply couldn't give any money or were, perhaps, a little put off by the size of some of the other donations - even though MNHQ tried to make clear that every penny was important to the charities - when they couldn't afford what to others might have seemed the 'right' sort of sum. And of those, many might have been able to give of their time towards a cause, even if only a little bit.

It was clear MrsTeee. The registered charities were able to receive gift aid, the three smaller ones weren't.

That's why YIMBY was used rather than the regular just giving page.

There will always be naysayers, and at the end of the day no one is making anyone donate to a cause, but giving week raises the profile of smaller causes who otherwise would get lost because of all the chuggers (who I have major issues with) and larger charities who seem to dominate the sector.

Higgle, as the chair of a charity you must know how important it is to get yourself out there, attracting fundraisers. I find it very sad that you would continually kick others in a very similar position to yourself.

Oh higgle is reading.
She just needs to Be Right.

If she didn't so desperately need to Be Right she would have acknowledged that she is mistaken in her impression of what WH does.
Even if she doesn't get it or would not appreciate one herself.

I hope she is less high handed with the recipients of her charity's help.

IME (which is pretty extensive) charities can rarely meet the exact needs of every applicant. They do what they can, not always what is exactly needed.
The Family Fund s an excellent charity and I really appreciated the washing machine but I really needed a Hoover and a small fride for meds.
Charities are not generally allowed to undertake work that is the responsibility of the LA.

WH cannot cure cancer in developing countries but it can and HAS ( are you listening higgle?) raised enough money to pay for end of life paid relief for dying children.

Now call me a heartless bitch higgle but I would rank that more important than a tidy garden any day.

But you carry on running your charity if it makes you feel good about yourself

In fact I pity you higgle

Pain

If you remember MrsD - we set out to raise multiples of £400 for World Child Cancer, thinking and hoping we could get to £800.

Folk never fail to amaze! The fabulous crew at Woolly Hugs raised £2,919.24

I'm still drying out from our 5K, spect BIWI is too, you on the other hand had a bloody glorious day!

I had something else to say re the OP, can I remember it? No, because I am taken back to that squally wet fffriizzzzinnn day and being worried about BIWI being too cold

I think on....

So moving on from Woolly Hugs ...

I've remembered...

We found Giving Week took place in a difficult time, being immediately after May Half Term, wondered if there was a different week it could be? Maybe the build up etc during HT was missed by many as they were away? Lots of schools were on INSET on the launch day too.

I understand mid year etc, just maybe not that week?

Ahem..we did a 10k I'd I remember correctly........

And you say disappointment at the amount raised?

Money is very tight for so many families, many really have to think where every penny goes, so everything raised was fabulous. Trust me, we are used to juggling a fiver, so were blown away by the funds raised for WH, it really will make such a difference to what we will all achieve together. So a huge thank you

Cozietoesie - Woolly Hugs is something that people can do without having to give money. Thanks to the people who donate yarn, or money to buy yarn, someone who can't afford to buy the yarn can get some sent to them, so they can contribute a square or squares to a blanket.

Higgle - you are making yourself sound like a total idiot.

Woolly hugs are offered - we would not make one if the family did not want one.

Little hugs are sent to Yorkhill Hospital - again, the hospital offers them to children who they think would benefit - no-one has to have them.

Angel hugs - used to wrap babies who have died, so their parents' memory of that awful time is not made a tiny bit worse because they are wrapped in a sheet or ordinary blanket. Again, the staff will use their judgement.

And you have completely missed the symbolism of a woolly hug, whether it goes to children from Chernobyl, sick children in Glasgow or bereaved families of MNers - every stitch is done with love, and every blanket conveys that love. We are not sending a blanket - we are sending the comfort we cannot offer in person.

You think that is pointless and condescending. You are wrong.