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Sign in here for Giving Week 2015: nominate your favourite organisation, charity or worthy cause

288 replies

JustineMumsnet · 12/05/2015 17:39

Hello, hello

As (hopefully) lots of you will remember, last year we ran the inaugural Mumsnet Giving Week, raising nearly £23k (with MNHQ match-funding) for five MNer-nominated causes.

The idea is that you lovely lot use this thread to put forward the charities, organisations and good causes that you’d like to benefit - and we at MNHQ will pick five to be the focus of a week-long Mumsnet-wide fundraising drive in June. As last year, we will match-fund the amount raised by the end of the week (up to £25k, just in case any donors turn out to be Bill Gates).

A few principles: ideally the organisations chosen won’t be huge, national charities that already get a lot of coverage and fund-raising welly; they don’t have to be registered charities (our partners at JustGiving will do a bit of due diligence to make sure any that are chosen are legit organisations); and we’re on the lookout for a spread of organisations that reflect MNers’ concerns and interests. Last year the chosen organisations were the PDA Society (providing support for people with a little-known behavioural condition); the MNer-driven Woolly Hugs; Women’s Aid; Free Cakes for Kids; and Haven House Children’s Hospice.

And because we also want to make sure that the causes are ones that existing Mumsnetters have settled on, we’re only going to shortlist projects suggested by Mumsnetters who are registered as of now. (Apologies to newbies who join after this point, but there’s always next year.)

We’ll be partnering up with JustGiving, which will be organising the fundraising element and will also be making a donation to the chosen causes.

You’ve got until May 22 to nominate good causes, using this thread. So get cracking, and as ever do put any queries or comments here as well.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Orangebutterfly · 21/05/2015 21:31

I second niddy's nomination. The cleft lip and palate association. Providing vital support to parents and their child. It's a personal nomination as my youngest child was born with a cleft palate. Feeding difficulties in these children often leads to failure to thrive. I couldn't have done it without their support.

ILikeYouToo · 21/05/2015 21:50

Reuben's Retreat - it's been set up by a mummy who lost her little boy at 23 months and now they're building a retreat to help families who have lost a child, or who have a child with a life threatening or limiting illness, helping create special memories.
They're mid-renovation of the property at the moment and it's a huge task which will take 3-5 years so any help would be much appreciated I'm sure

caroldecker · 21/05/2015 22:01

I'd like to nominate Martineau Gardens a small charity in Birmingham which provides therapeutic horticulture for the mentally ill and recovering addicts.

Orangebutterfly · 21/05/2015 22:10

I second niddy's nomination. I was going to post CLAPA too. They have been vital in supporting parents and their child in dealing with complex needs. My youngest was born with a cleft palate and their support was incredible. Lots of money goes into research. These children often have failure to thrive because of feeding difficulties and without them we wouldn't be where we are.

MSMLiz · 21/05/2015 23:04

I'd like to nominate Team Jo Epilepsy Foundation www.teamjo-epilepsy.org
It's a very small charity run by one of the most inspirational women I've ever met. She had to give up her career as a nurse, along with everything we all take for granted like independence and freedom, due to unstable epilepsy, and moved back in with her mum. Despite her life-threatening condition she refuses to sit around feeling sorry for herself and instead works tirelessly to raise awareness of epilepsy and even turned a local landmark purple for a national epilepsy day. Jo is raising money for specialist equipment locally so people don't have to travel to London and makes fantastic bath products and crafts to sell as part of her fundraising. It's still a very misunderstood condition, with some people believing it's catching, and jo faces battles every day but keeps on going, usually with added glitter. Please take a look at what she does x

longjane · 21/05/2015 23:31

I would like to nominate www.ashleysbirthdaybank.org

A Bournemouth charity set up to give child a birthday or Christmas or just because present.

It has now become a place where children / Baby stuff is handout to families starting over.
They work with local agency's and other charity's to get their referrals.

WonderWomansSister · 22/05/2015 00:00

I'd like to vote for The Sick Children's Trust as well please. Their home from home accommodation at various hospitals for the families of seriously ill children is just amazing, and it's completely free. It costs them just £30 a night to give families a safe haven that's minutes away from their child's bedside - it would be wonderful if they were picked this year.

AskBasil · 22/05/2015 06:39

My votes go to Refuge, Rape Crisis, Young Minds, the Abortion Support Network and another abortion charity which is amazing and people may not be aware of, which is :Women on Waves This marvellous organisation takes a boat out to countries where safe abortion is banned and stays in international waters to provide safe, legal early abortions to women who are denied that right by their own state.

BendyMum15 · 22/05/2015 07:11

I would like to nominate The Hypermobility Syndrome Association.
They do a fantastic job providing advice and support for people with a range of syndromes that cause hypermobility. They also raise awareness in both the public and medical professionals about these little understood conditions.

IsabellaofFrance · 22/05/2015 10:02

Could I clarify that if we have nominated a charity, are we also allowed to vote for others, because then as well as my nomination for MB, could I also second ILikeYouToo's nomination for Reuben's Retreat.

WonderWomansSister · 22/05/2015 11:42

BTW, huge Star Star Star to Knotty and Pistey on being fabulous as always

cozietoesie · 22/05/2015 13:42

I'll switch my WA vote to Rape Crisis then.

It might be a good idea to keep a list of all of these charities mentioned somewhere near at hand even if they don't make the final cut? I hadn't come across many of them and a little bit of publicity for each would likely be no bad thing.

hatchypomagain · 22/05/2015 14:05

I'd like to add www.avuk.org a UK charity that helps deaf babies and child learn to listen and speak. Their work raises expectations and supports families in their choices for their profoundly deaf children.

Queenmarigold · 22/05/2015 14:32

Children with Cancer.

Yes, children get cancer. Existing treatments are old - very old. Treatment for children is around 20 years behind treatment for adults. For ethical reasons, drug companies won't test on children so our precious children suffer more pain and more life changing disabilities as a result.

Life changing disabilities? - Yes. Paralysis, kidney. liver, heart damage, deafness, blindness, balance, poor coordination and learning difficulties. All in the name of a cure - and children get ALL of those, not just some.

Cancer in children has many, many different forms. And overall, children's cancer receives less than 3% of cancer funding - spread across all the different forms - just no where near enough to make any kind of difference to those poor kids.

Children, and in particular dead children, have no voice. So they cannot set up and take part in Race for Life or Movember, for example.

Charities such as Children with Cancer are working to give them a voice and co ordinate and shape research for new treatments and cures to mitigate the effects of the treatment and disease. They deserve all of Bill Gates money!

RowanMumsnet · 22/05/2015 17:34

BERTIE!!

Right - for cozie and anyone else who finds it useful - here's your list:

52 Lives
Abortion Support Network
Action Duchenne
ADD-vance
Adoption UK
Afrikids
Aiming Higher
Alder Hey Children's hospital charity
Amber Phillpott Trust
Antenatal Results and Choices
Antibiotic Research UK
Art and Soul
Ashley's Birthday Bank
Assist Trust
Auditory Verbal UK
Autism Wishes
Barnardos
Ben's Den
Blessings in Disguise
Bliss
Breakaway Foundation
Brunswick Organic Nursery
CAB
Calum's Cabin
Camp Amazing
Camp Mohawk
Care for the Family
Cats' Protection League
CDH UK
Charlie Grainger Fundraiser
CHAS
Chestnut Tree House
ChildAid
Children with Cancer
Christian Blanford Trust
Cleft Lip and Palate Association
COMAS
CoolTan Arts
Count the Kicks
Countess Mountbatten Hospice
Day Trippers
Dexter's Light
Ectopic Pregnancy Trust
Eden House Project
Ehlers Danlos Support UK
Erbs Palsy Group
Fawcett Soc
Folly Wildlife Rescue
Freedom from Fistula
GirlGuiding
Grandparents' Association
Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
Heartbeat NI
Homestart
Hope House Children's Hospice
Hope4Kidz
Horton Women's Holiday Centre
Hospice At Home
Hypermobility Syndrome Association
ICP support
Indie's Gift
IPSEA
KairosWWT
Khalsa Aid
Kids and Crew
Kids Company
Lauren Page Trust
Leeway Support
Lupus UK
Magic Breakfast
Manchester Action on Street Health
Martineau Gardens
Mary's Meals
Megan's Smile
Mummy's Star
Muscular Dystrophy UK
Narcolepsy UK
Nelson's Journey
Newcastle Toy and Leisure library.
NIA
NICU Appeal, Luton and Dunstable hospital
OCD-UK
Off the Record
Papyrus
Penhaligon's Friends
Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice
PLANETS
Post Pals
Preemies UK
Rape Crisis
RAVSCA (Raising Awareness of Victims and Survivors of Child Abuse)
Reach UK
ReadWell
Rebounders
Refuge
Rett UK
Reuben's Retreat
Richard House Children's Hospice
Rise UK
RNLI
Ruby's Fund
Samaritans
SANDS
Scleroderma Society
Scottish Women's Aid
Scotty's Little Soldiers
SELSAR
Sick Children's Trust
Smile Train
Snowdrop CC
SOBS - Survivors of Bereavement through Suicide
Solace Women's Aid
SOS SEN
Special Kids in the UK
Springboard Project
STEM4
Supershoes
SWAN UK
TEA Project
Team Jo Epilepsy Foundation
The Biscuit Fund
The Carers Centre
The Daisy Garland Charity
The Flying Seagulls
The Open Nest
The Running Charity
The Unicorn Centre
The Up Project
Trafford NCT's Little Bundles Scheme
Trethosa Hut Project
Trinity Hospice
TSC Mwanza
Unique: Rare Chromosome Disorder Support Group
Wanstead Playground Association
Water for Africa
West of England MS Therapy Centre
Whittington Babies
Who Cares Trust
Widowed and Young
Winston's Wish
Women for Refugee Women
Women on Waves
Yorkshire Cancer Research
Young Minds
Zoe's Place

Happy voting everyone - we really don't mind how many times you vote

MNHQ xx

southlondonbaby · 22/05/2015 17:42

I volunteer with Community Action for refugees and Asylumn Seekers (formerly Kleviskola Kola Foundation) based in tooting, south London.

I'd like to nominate them because of their incredible community-led work helping traumatised children and their families adjust and heal in the UK. Only two members of staff are paid, part-time, and the rest are either local volunteers, students or former service users. They really are amazing and all heart.

hhhhhhh · 22/05/2015 18:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WonderWomansSister · 22/05/2015 19:38

For anyone wanting to know more about The Sick Children's Trust, you can see info about their homes from home in Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Cambridge and London here: www.sickchildrenstrust.org/our_houses/index.html

The Trust was set up by two paediatricians who realised that parents of critically ill children were sleeping in cars in hospital car parks to stay close to the ward. It does an amazing job, quietly, efficiently and in a hugely supportive way.

Blaadyblah · 22/05/2015 19:45

Ooh, the Hypermobility Syndromes Association for sure - it is thanks to them that I'm able to manage my health at all. The HMSA made a massive impact and I'm perpetually amazed at how much gets done with so little. :)

Lones80 · 22/05/2015 19:52

I'd like to nominate Educate for Life, its a tiny charity having a big impact within a remote, tribal community in Rajasthan in northern India, where families have to survive on less than 32p a day. It provides education and access to reliable health care to children who would otherwise never go to school and never see a doctor. All money goes directly to operational costs in India.

mummylin2495 · 22/05/2015 19:58

I would like to nominate the same ascrystalglitz Naomi house and Jack place, a most wonderful children's and teenage hospice.

cozietoesie · 22/05/2015 20:17

I hope you have plenty of gin up there, Rowan. With that list, you'd likely need it. Grin

Krissy12334 · 22/05/2015 21:45

I would like to nominate Linbee dog Rehoming we look after dogs that no one else wants who are at high risk of put to sleep. We take dogs that no one else wants and we try to find them their forever homes. We are raising funds to help overall the kennels so they are nice for the dogs to stay in until they find their forever homes. We have a no kill policy and we will continue to love them and look after them forever if necessary we love all dogs xx any donation would gratefully be accepted and everyone is welcome to come and see our dogs xx thank you for reading you can see our page on Facebook just look for Linbee dog Rehoming Ossett x

DWic123 · 22/05/2015 21:45

Hypermobility Syndromes Association. They work hard at helping kids with heritable disorders of connective tissues to cope with chronic pain, fatigue and multi-systemic symptoms. They have set up family self-management programmes.

JoanHickson · 22/05/2015 22:27

my second vote is to HMSA too