Welcome back to Charity Buzz, our newsletter dedicated to the world of charities. As we embark on our second edition, we’re excited to continue sharing news and information relevant to individuals who give their time and effort to making a difference in the lives of others.
News Bytes
Check out this edition’s News Bytes blog post by clicking on the below link:
Grants for Charities
A charity can approach a foundation and request a grant to help them carry out their work or achieve a project goal and help them give back to their local community. This gives vital help and support to those who are in need of it. Most importantly, a grant is deemed as a gift that does not need to be repaid. As with most things where you are requesting money, you will need to find out if your charity is eligible and fulfils certain criteria before applying for a grant.
Every Issue we will highlight a different entity that offers charity grants.
This month’s Grab a Grant website is the Henry Smith Charity.
Established in 1628, the Henry Smith Charity is one of the largest grant-making charities in Britain, helping to combat poverty and disadvantaged people and communities. Their grants cover issues such as Improving Lives, Strengthening Communities, County Grants, Holiday Grants for Children, Christian Projects and Kindred.
Click here to go to the Henry Smith Charity website and find out more information on all their available grants.
If you want to find out more information about grants in general, who is eligible and how to apply for a grant, read our June 2023 Issue article, by clicking here.
Every issue we select a Charity to feature in our newsletter under our “Spotlight On” segment.
Today our chosen charity is Little Miracles, a cause devoted to supporting families that have children with additional needs, disabilities and life-limiting conditions.
Little Miracles charity was set up in 2010 after their founder, Michelle, and her and her son, Oliver, were refused access to a bus because Oliver was carrying his life-supporting oxygen. Michelle felt isolated and completely alone, but in her darkest hour, a fellow passenger took her hand and told her that it was going to be okay.
From that moment Michelle was determined that other families with children who have additional needs, disabilities and life-limiting conditions would not feel the way she did, that they would have access to the care and support they needed and be able to connect with each other in a safe environment and without judgement. She believed that every child has the right to a happy childhood, regardless of circumstances, and that she would provide a safe space where the children could be themselves.
Today, Little Miracles is an inspirational charity that provides activities for children across 14 branches where families can make memories and have fun. They deliver training to schools, practical support to families who are struggling to access financial entitlements and education, and emergency services like food parcels and funeral arrangements. They also provide counselling for children and family members when they are struggling, when they feel alone or when they are experiencing loss.
Mum Lauren lost two children: “Little Miracles have been amazing for me. With my newly diagnosed daughter, my mental health was at an all-time low. I absolutely didn’t want to be here anymore, but with counselling from Little Miracles I was able to be the best mum I could to Ava. They also supported me through losing my son and continue to be a huge support now. Without Little Miracles and their counselling, my daughter wouldn’t have a Mum here today”.
Little Miracles will be hosting their Annual Masquerade Ball on Saturday 11th November at the Holiday Inn West Hotel in Peterborough. Check out their their website for more details and how to support this worthy cause: Little Miracles Masquerade Ball 2023.
As well as highlighting a different charity in every issue, we are also including the report of an inspirational charity member in our “Reach to Achieve” segment.
Hardest Geezer is Running for Project Africa
This edition features the amazing Russel Cook, aka the “Hardest Geezer”. He turned his life around when he was 19 years old and moved away from drinking and gambling to start a healthier lifestyle, which included taking up running. What started as his first half marathon quickly morphed into a full marathon and in his words “I learnt the values of running, discipline and self-belief”.
Quitting his job as a self-employed cleaner and deciding to travel, he was in Kenya when he met an Italian man who was 6 years into cycling around the world and being inspired it was then that he decided to run from Asia to London. He accomplished this amazing feat in 2019, running an astonishing 73 marathons in 68 days (2000 miles) and becoming the first man to do so. Countries he ran through included Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France and then into the UK, finishing in London. When he reached London he then decided to run back the extra 50 miles to his home town of Worthing. He only had his essentials on his back along with a hammock and treated himself to a hotel stay once a week. Aside from that he would wash in rivers and sleep in his hammock.
Since undertaking this challenge, the following year he completed a 26-mile run along the seafront in Worthing, whilst pulling a 730kg Suzuki Alto – again breaking a world record for the quickest marathon run whilst pulling a car. Time achieved: 9 hours and 56 minutes almost half the time of the previous record holder!
2021 saw him being buried alive for a week with no food, sunlight, or human contact and only water, oxygen tubes and a live stream to YouTube.
His most recent challenge, and undoubtedly his most difficult to date, is running the length of Africa without rest; a distance of approximately 15000km or 360 marathons in 240 days! As the first person to ever attempt this, his journey started on April 22nd this year and he hopes to complete this amazing feat by Christmas. During his journey, he will pass through South Africa, Namibia, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, Algeria and Tunisia. Raising money for charity, half of the proceeds go to The Running Charity, which helps young people who are homeless and the other half goes to WaterAid, which provides clean water and toilets in Africa, among other places.
A true inspiration, there’s no doubt that based on his past endeavours, Russell will be successful in this challenge and show that if you put your mind to it, anything is possible.
If you would like to donate to these very worthy causes and show your support for Russell then follow the below link to his fundraising page:
https://givestar.io/gs/PROJECTAFRICA
If you would like to nominate someone for our Reach to Achieve segment, who you feel has shown incredible bravery or surpassed expectations in the face of adversity, etc. please contact us at [email protected] with details and photos where possible.
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