No advert break seems to pass without a charity from the UK or abroad begging with us to help them financially as they struggle to stay afloat and they know how to tug at our hearts. The tear-jerking images of ‘skeletal’ children crying or a little girl walking with a container of water on her back over rugged ground. The Cancer Research advert asking people to leave them money in our wills when the pull of death tolls from COVID-19 are into full throttle and we are trying to distract ourselves from the constant and depressing news that we see each day by engaging in a TV show to ‘escape’, but our minds can’t help but wander back and think can I afford to donate or not?.
I don’t blame the charities for this at all but it can become overwhelming especially if you are struggling in these difficult financial times. Charities are under pressure in the same way as everyone else. They are evolving, they are having to develop their own contingency plans, looking for unique ways to raise the income lost because of the lockdown, businesses collapsing, unable to support charities when they themselves are stretched, especially for those charities why rely on their shops or loose so much through the cancellation of events, especially the likes of the London Marathon where the smaller charities can really increase their income. Other events like treks & Race For Life sink them down to the edge of collapse.
There's a need to disconnect your thinking from associating making donations to charity and looking at ‘Charitable’ in its definition as a way in which to help others in need. Of course, if you are able to give money then go ahead but please if it is going to cause yourself hardship then look at other ways that you can help. We have listed some ideas below but I am sure you can think of more and there are things we can all do, no matter how big or small that gesture is. Being disabled or living with a long term medical condition can mean it’s the more vulnerable who feel helpless to support others but we need to turn that around into a positive mindset. Hopefully, the information below will support you and make you feel a part of the drive to keep the country ticking over. Remember the gesture can be very small and the reward big!!
‘In the past few weeks The Pituitary Foundation’s team of staff and volunteers have responded like never before, to help pituitary patients, their families and carers. We have extended our helplines to answer an unprecedented number of calls; we have answered more emails and texts for support in one month than ever before; we have updated our website daily to provide the most up-to-date reliable information we can. Our staff have donated hours and hours of free time in evenings and weekends to respond to worried and anxious people contacting us for help.
Our small team of 10 staff, supported by a team of 140 strong volunteers, care greatly about our charity and pituitary community and I sincerely thank them for their unstinting care and contribution during this most challenging time for us all.
Currently there is no UK government money for our charity either, despite the fact that The Pituitary Foundation is on the frontline supporting vulnerable people during this pandemic and helping patients where the NHS cannot’.
You can read the full bulletin at:-
Currently, there is no UK government money for our charity either, despite the fact that ponded like never before, to help pituitary patients, their families and carers. We have extended our helplines to answer an unprecedented number of calls; we have answered more emails and texts for support in one month than ever before; we have updated our website daily to provide the most up-to-date reliable information we can. Our staff have donated hours and hours of free time in evenings and weekends to respond to worried and anxious people contacting us for help.
Now comes the important bit! What can we do to help?
There's a need to disconnect your thinking from associating making donations to charity and looking at ‘Charitable’ in its definition as a way in which to help others in need. Of course, if you are able to give money then go ahead but please if it is going to cause yourself hardship then look at other ways that you can help. We have listed some ideas below but I am sure you can think of more and there are things we can all do, no matter how big or small that gesture is. Being disabled or living with a long term medical condition can mean it’s the more vulnerable who feel helpless to support others, but we need to turn that around into a positive mindset. Hopefully, the information below will support you and make you feel a part of the drive to keep the country ticking over. Remember the gesture can be very small and the reward big!
Things we could all be doing & without leaving the house or Utilising ‘Our Daily Exercise’ if possible
Look at your skill set - can you volunteer? My ambassador roles with Active Essex and The Pituitary Foundation are mostly completed through the internet and phone. Look up your favourite charity and see what you might be able to offer. Neither expects certain hours of commitment, they accept that people with disabilities, ill-health and those who are participating in high-level Paralympic sports/competition/work cannot always promise a set amount of time, so it won’t interfere with your health and well being.
Take on a challenge if you are able to and collect sponsorship money. It could be as simple as committing to doing 30 minutes of yoga a day or walking laps of your living room.
Put together some old clothes, books, toys etc for delivery to charity shops when up and running again. Tesco deliveries are now delivered in the bag for life variety instead of the crates so that social distancing rules can be applied. However, our order this week arrived with some bags only housing one of two items. A waste and not possible to use them all I thought until our brains switched to the idea that we give a lot of clothes and books to charities so this is an ideal time to start filling some bags. Then store them away until the shops are allowed to open and we’ll have another big supply for them. They can re-use the bags for customers who wouldn’t need to pay for them, but they could be charged as well. Won’t amount to much but better than nothing!
Loving craft as we do, this is a daily activity in every single day and has proved to be a saviour during lockdown. Through the love of trying to be creative our card making skills, gift boxes, numerous bookmarks and gift labels we have become so adept that I enjoy sending them to friends and family. The cost of materials doesn’t really matter and you can pick them up fairly cheaply, but a homemade card always seems to be well received. I have tried out sending little packs of card, noteless and bookmarks to friends and family who still enjoy sending cards and writing properly and their feedback has given me the confidence to branch out a bit! Plus it saves them the money on buying cards, especially if they are unable to get to the shops and need a card quickly!
Following on from our creative crafting that we have produced, we are building up batches of cards to take to a craft fair when they return again in the future to raise some money for The Pituitary Foundation, but also a bonus my website logo design is on the back which will hopefully promote my writing and website, allowing us to reach out and support others and raise awareness. Another win for numerous people through one caring gesture. Imagine People at a craft fair as they purchase your treasured items and creations.
Sign up to easy fundraising - you can earn money for a given charity by shopping on certain sites, some of which you probably use already. Through this we support our swimming club and with members all pulling together £3,730.19 has been raised so far. Plus if you refer a friend then your selected charity gets an extra £5 donation.
No doubt you will have heard about Mister Tom and so it's a great place to start! h decision-makers to drive solutions’. (On hen perhaps head to change where you can support many projects through online petitions.
‘People everywhere are starting campaigns, mobilising supporters, and working with decision makers to drive solutions’. (On change.org)
You can donate the £4 suggested but you can also choose the option to sign the peition for him to receive a Knighthood in recognition of his miraculous contributions in WW2 and during this pandemic. Additionally, there are links that you can use to post on Facebook, twitter etc. Added to that you get a nice email when any of your friends sign up which is a simple idea but will make you smile! In terms of what is happening in the wider community, it will make a difference.... especially during the lockdown. Find some inspirational stories through the link below and join us on our adventure.
If you are able to manage a daily exercise, write a letter or small card and pop it into your neighbours door to cheer them up, or if you can then just stroll by a post box and make someones day. Receiving post that’s not a bill is always great to find on the doormat. In periods of isolation, this can be a great way to help and support others and whilst it’s not on the top of priorities in terms of what is happening in the wider community it will make a difference...
Do you shop at M&S? If so you are likely to have a sparks card. If not you can pick one up in store easily enough. You can select a charity to support which M&S donate an amount each time you make an order. You can choose but we have Great Ormond Street.Sign up and find out more;-
The better we do this the quicker things can start to recover and the better we can all try to find our new ‘normal’. Go easy on yourself, be sympathetic to yourself first and at the same time big-hearted and you’ll get yourself some happy feelings as opposed to giving all your money away and having nothing left for yourself. You’ll also have connected to the outside world and possibly made some plans for the future that you can look forward to. Imagine the faces of people working in charity shops when you take those bags into your chosen charity shop or the pleasure of meeting new people at a craft fair as people purchase your treasured items and creations.
Conclusion
In writing this we have realised how ‘charitable’ we actually are and certain that many of you out there are as well. You just need to delve into your mind and make the links. They could be really small but added together and with everyone doing something we can all strive to be charitable in how we live, work and play.
MOSTLY - STAY AT HOME- SAVE OUR NHS, SAVE LIVES
The better we do this the quicker things can start to recover and the better we can all try to find our new ‘normal’. Go easy on yourself, be sympathetic to yourself first and at the same time big hearted and you’ll get yourself some happy feelings as opposed to giving all your money away and having nothing left for yourself. You’ll also have connected to the outside world and possibly made some plans for the future that you can look forward to. Imagine the faces of people working in charity shops when you take those bags into your chosen charity shop or the pleasure of meeting new people at a craft fair as people purchase your treasured items and creations.
WW2 shaped our world till now and we can hope that eventually we all recover and have a nation to be proud of, who can stand strong together and work with other countries to make us great again. Perhaps we could endeavour for peace across the world although that is probably a bit optimistic it would be great to see countries rally together like never before. We are all on the same side this time fighting the same enemy, let's hope it continues because more now than ever we need each other and to be charitable towards each other.
The blogs below will be published over the next few weeks.
An introduction to Undefeatables - Exercise For All
So this is where ‘We are Undefeatables’ comes into play and would be a really good place to get started. It’s been running now since August 2019 as a national campaign, lead by Sport England and funded through The National Lottery. It highlights the fact that there are 1 on 4 people in this country who are trying to manage at least one long term health problem and are working alongside 15 health and social care charities. Make physical activity part of your life and especially during the lock down. Find some inspirational stories through the link below and join us on our adventure.
Learning as we battle
It’s very easy at the moment to see and think in a negative and unhealthy manner when the world is at war to conquer the battle against COVID-19, businesses are going under, the streets are empty and people are forced to stay inside. However, this does give us an opportunity to learn. That could be on a personal level by completing a course online that you like the look of, there may be some craft materials in the house that you’d love some inspiration to complete. This blog will take you there as we at Time To heal explore our new found pastimes and extension of others.