At this time of goodwill I thought I’d tell you about some of the charities and organisations I support and I why I do so.
I support international aid. I think the poverty suffered in developing countries is more than we can imagine in the West. Some don’t agree with the Government giving money to other Governments in aid when they are spending their budgets on other projects, for example sending aid to India when they have a space programme. I support two charities who work directly with communities to educate, improve sanitation, safety and the economic environment for those involved.
I have sponsored a child through Plan International for over 5 years. Plan started by providing care for children following the Spanish civil war and has since grown enormously. My child lives in Honduras and it’s great receiving letters, photos and updates about him and his community as well as the wider work Plan does. As Plan have bases is so many developing countries they are usually one of the first organisations on the ground following natural disasters and as they have supply chains and contacts already set up they are in a position to provide a lot of help. My Mum also sponsors a child through Plan, she had sponsored another child buy Plan withdrew from that area as they helped the community so much they were self-sufficient and no longer needed Plan’s help and guidance.
I also support Care International. They are my company’s global charity partner and provide international aid. They started sending care packages during the second world war. I also support Care international through their “lend with care” scheme. They partner with microfinance companies in developing countries to loan money to small business owners in order to expand their businesses. You can look at the entrepreneurs’ profiles to see what industry and country they’re in and what they want to do with their loan. It will tell you how much they want to borrow and how much of their loan has been met. You can then lend an amount starting from £15 or can buy others gift vouchers. You will then receive repayments on your loans every month which will go in your lend with care account, then you can either withdraw the money or lend it to someone else. You periodically receive updates from the entrepreneurs to see what they have achieved with their loans. I have made 12 loans, helped 38 entrepreneurs, helped 149 family members and created 4 jobs.
I also support my local hospice. St Francis Hospice in Havering atte Bower. This was where my Dad passed away and received excellent care from the staff and volunteers throughout his illness. Hospices support the NHS enormously and provide care and assistance in the home as well as day therapy and in-patient care. St Francis Hospice must raise over £7m a year to continue to provide care to the community. They have a number of shops and organise sponsored events as well as setting up tribute funds for those who have died and people leaving legacies in their wills. They also have a lovely memory tree where you can pay to have a loved one’s name engraved on a leaf. I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of my Dad’s friends and family who have contributed to his fund. I would sincerely hope you support your local hospice as you never know when you may need to rely on their care.
I also support a couple of vegan organisations. The Vegan Society provide educational materials and spread the word of the benefits of veganism to animals, health and the planet as a whole. I also support Viva! a vegan campaign group who campaign to reduce the exploitation of animals throughout the world. They raise issues from supermarket supplying exotic meat to plans for mega farms amount many others. It’s great to see their updates on what has been achieved.
There are many other good causes out there and I try to give one off donations when I can. As my new year resolution is to only buy second hand clothes I’m sure many more charities will benefit from my purchases!
What charities do you support? Let me know in the comments.
Plumes x
The World according to Plumes 