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

[JustineMumsnet]

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.

I'd like to nominate the fund (we are not a registered charity) we set up in memory of my little boy Dexter. We lost Dexter on May 30th 2014 (almost a year ago now), he was a happy and seemingly healthy little boy who died suddenly in his sleep. When he died we had no cause of death but people wanted to donate money, we had no idea what to do with it until I had the idea of buying a sensory room for his local children's centre.
However they couldn't dedicate the space for a sensory room so we came up with buying portable sensory equipment that can be loaned out to various children's community groups, children's hospices or even taking it to individual houses.
Last week our first set of equipment arrived and we had a launch party for it as we had reached our initial target. The fundraising will be ongoing which will allow us to replace equipment as needed and add to the stock we already have www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/dexters-light-charity-reaches-target-9261975

We were contacted last week by the mother of a 6 month old little boy with visual impairment, she's aiming to create a sensory room at home for her son. She'd been told about Dexter's Light and wanted some help with ideas for fundraising. When we heard her story we just thought her little boy was a perfect candidate for borrowing the equipment. Little Jacob is going to be borrowing some of the equipment this weekend until he gets his own sensory room.
We've had lots of interest from others wanting to use it too so the demand is obviously there.
I'm so pleased that Dexter's Light is now able to provide this equipment to children, I know it's something that Dexter would've enjoyed playing with and it's keeping his name and memory alive.

Sorry for the rambling post it's just very, very close to my heart! I've already had some support from fellow mumsnetters with voting for the community award we won so thanks to those ladies x

I'd like to nominate Water For Africa. It's a small British charity founded by a single mum motivated to make a difference, Sheryl Greentree (who is a former Tesco Mum of the Year).

This is a charity that makes an immediate and massive difference to women - it is women who typically walk 26 miles a day to access clean water for their families. Access to clean water not only prevents disease, it also frees up women to build businesses and provide for the education of their children, making a real and sustainable difference for the future.

A woman from Gambia recently made headlines around the world when she walked the Paris Marathon with water on her head - try to watch the two minute trailer (Water For Africa's first big media coup - almost all its money goes into drilling boreholes) without welling up:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=syZDGVH7b1k

Unlike the other big water charities, Water For Africa actually delivers long term, sustainable clean water for Africa - it's been going for over 12 years and its wells have a 100% long term operational record, a track record that is unequalled by any other water charity in Africa.

www.waterforafrica.org.uk

I'd like to nominate the Lauren Page Trust - which does great work for women who have serious health problems during pregnancy (and in raising the profile of specialist Obstetric Physicians as opposed to Obstetricians - there are ridiculously few of them in the UK) and supporting the work of Special Care Baby Units. I've taken some blurb from them to explain better:

Lauren was one of literally thousands of extra special babies born prematurely in the UK every year. Thankfully, due to the dedication and expertise of the medical teams who look after these tiny babies, many of them, against all the odds, survive and grow into beautiful children. Unfortunately some like Lauren, despite fighting in many cases for months, lose their battle for life. This charity has been formed in memory of Lauren and all the other brave babies in the hope that money raised can offer further support and hope to not only the babies but also their parents and the medical teams looking after them.

The Lauren Page Trust is a charity set up to raise money to further the work of Consultant Obstetric Physicians who deal with women who have serious health problems during pregnancy often resulting in premature births. Also, supporting the work of Special Care Baby Units within the Greater London area, in the form of research, specialist staff and equipment.

Hello,

Could I nominate Folly Wildlife Rescue please? Likely not a very well-known charity. I know the charities nominated here are more based on children & families but I thought it can't hurt!

Folly rescues and rehabilitate any British wildlife through West Kent, East Sussex and further afield if needed - they have even had birds brought down on trains from London during rush hour!

It started in the back garden of the managers' cottage and has grown over the years, they now taken in thousands of animals every year. They only have 2 full time supervisors and with the onset of the hectic breeding season they rely on 80-100 volunteers a week to help the hospital operate.

When funding allows they plan to develop an x-ray and diagnostics room and bring in a vet to work on site instead of sending the animals out for tests.

Folly is so committed to caring for our wildlife and working to preserve and protect our national species for our children. It is run by a bunch of wonderful, lovely people who give up so much of their time & own money, get a few more grey hairs in the process but work so hard and give all they can to every animal that comes through their doors, no matter how big or small.

Rape Crisis please. Saved my life for sure. It breaks my heart and makes me furious to see how many Rape Crisis centres have shut down - they really deserve our support due to the tremendous and genuinely hepful support they show thousands of some of the most frightened and confused and hurt women and girls every year in the UK.

I would like to nominate the Erbs Palsy Group

CLICK HERE FOR LINK

they are a small group and they do some amazing work. They are incredibly supportive and helpful.

My eldest son was injured at birth when he became stuck during delivery. He sustained significant nerve damage, leading to a lifelong disability which is Erbs Palsy.

Many women are totally unaware of the risk of shoulder dystocia and when it happens it is terrifying. I thought my baby was dead. The hospital were most unhelpful and gave me no information at all. I had to go hunting.

I found the Erbs Palsy group. They really helped me during a massively traumatic time. They were invaluable in letting me know what help was out there, about physio, and just being there when I cried about it all.

As well as being an amazing help for parents during one of the most frightening times you can imagine, they run family fun days, putting people in touch with one another. They provide chances for children to get together and they don't feel so alone.

They let you know about aids and adaptations.

They also do leaflets and provide training and education for medical staff.

I honestly don't know if I would have got through the early days without their fantastic support.

Shoulder Dystocia is a risk and it's not one many people know about and as a parenting website, I think it would be a fantastic choice to support them.

Assist Trust in Norwich. They provide progression services for adults with learning difficulties and have made a world of difference to my sister. We had lots of support from schools, colleges etc. until she reached the age of 18, then ...nothing!

Discovering Assist Trust has given her something to get up for and targets to reach for. She has moved into sheltered housing thanks to their support which is something we feared she would never be able to do. Without Assist Trust she would have given up long ago, but instead she is growing in confidence and independence.

Thank you to Assist Trust for all they have done for my sister and for other people in similar situations.

Here's a link to their web-site which I forgot to add to my previous post.

assist-trust.co.uk/

I'd like to nominate calumscabin.com/index.php Calum's Cabin.

They provide holiday homes to families who have a child diagnosed with terminal cancer. A place to create some happy memories. A friend of mine unfortunately had to make use of them last year and we recently ran 10k to help raise funds.

A fantastic charity.

I'd like to nominate Rebounders in Cardiff. rebounderstramp.com/ They are a SEN trampolining club that helps children with disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, dyspraxia and cystic fibrosis. It was started by a physiotherapsit that realised there is a need for this. It has helped my son grow stronger and he has lots of friends there.

Sorry I haven't RTFT so if the short-list has already been chosen this might not be very helpful, but I'd like to mention Supershoes, who create custom personalised Converse for seriously ill and disabled children to give them a little lift during the tough times.

You know how a new pair of shoes can give you a boost and make you feel like you can take on the world? Like that, but for kids!

Even if it doesn't make it onto the short list, as I can see lots of nominations for big well known charities, please do take a look at the amazing work they do for these little super stars .

I hope the Super-Artist who posted this quote doesn't mind me sharing but when she was posting the shoes back after painting them, the man behind the counter (who didn't know about the charity) said "well they can't be that super if you're sending them back".

Her reply "Oh, they don't become super, until you DO send them back." .... I'm sure he thinks I'm loopy, little does he know, I'm absolutely correct... I did not make them super, it's the little owners that do that!

Supershoes Website

SANDS and/or Count The Kicks, please.

I don't know how you choose as there is nothing here that doesn't deserve (double negative, sorry) MN support but I'd love to throw this in to the hat as I know these people and I'm seriously impressed with their efforts.

Some local parents have moved to Sri Lanka to start the TEA project, a not-for-profit helping provide people in India and Sri Lanka. They provide practical training, support and guidance to institutions and establishments who work directly with marginalised, vulnerable children and young people from poor communities.

Rachael and Carl don't take a salary, they fund themselves by renting out their flat.

apologies for saying 'seriously impressed' - have annoyed myself

Thewhocarestrust.org.uk. A voice and champion on behalf of young people in care. This group of children have a tough start in life and a tough road ahead, with much poorer prospects that children not raised in care. The whocarestrust gives support to young people leaving care and makes sure these young people's voices are heard in developing national policy and legislation. As well as doing other stuff too. A great cause.

Then I shall also switch my Women's Aid vote to Rape Crisis.

I do want to vote for almost every charity mentioned though!

52 Lives - an organisation that changes someone's life every week of the year, using the kindness of thousands of strangers. www.52-lives.org

I would like to nominate a mental health charity for teenagers and young people called STEM4.

www.stem4.org.uk

We as parents work so hard to bring up our children to lead happy fulfilling lives, so it is destroying for families when these children grow up and suffer mental illness. The funding for mental health services is not as great as the need and services such as this fill the gap. This charity educates in schools and helps support in the areas of eating disorders, self harm, depression and anxiety and addiction.

I'd like to nominate Homestart (www.home-start.org.uk) - a charity that provides support to families with children under 5 years old. They helped me by providing home visits and friendship from a volunteer when I had PND and I don't know what I would have done without her.

OK so I've been back through and read every post and this is my list of votes. I missed that we were allowed to vote for as many as we want. Don't worry, I haven't duplicated :) I don't know who is new and who isn't, so just scratch if I've voted for one which hasn't actually been entered.

Mummy's star
Freedom from Fistula
Fawcett Society
Winston's Wish
CoolTan
Comas
Art and Soul
Sick Children's Trust
Child Aid
MASH
SWAN UK
Camp Mohawk
Women for Refugee Women
IPSEA
Abortion Support Network
Off the Record
Reach
Hope House (this seemed like a wider reaching hospice one)
Horton Women's Holiday Centre
Newcastle Toy and Leisure Library
Water for Africa
Assist Trust
The who cares trust
Homestart

If this is too many (27 so far...) please tell me what the limit is and I'll pare down the list, but you did say as many votes as we like... (Thanks for earlier clarification, BTW :))

I would like to nominate Afrikids, they are a charity child rights organisation working in northern Ghana to alleviate child suffering and poverty. My brother's girlfriend works for them and is trying to raise funds and awareness of the amazing and vital work they do.

www.afrikids.org/

Brunswick Organic Nursery in York.

It's a sheltered workplace for adults with learning difficulties, a tiny but brilliant charity.

www.brunswickyork.org.uk/index.php

I'd like to nominate Rape Crisis - their amazing and vital work is constantly under threat from Government cuts.