Charity Gifts

Report suggests all should give 1% of income to a charity

admin — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:59:21 +0000

A report from a Hampshire social enterprise, The SCA Institute suggests that the queen should use her diamond jubilee celebrations forthcoming in 2012 to revolutionise donation to good causes.

It could be the solution to the ‘generosity gap’ where UK residents seem to only donate half that their US counterparts do.

The prime minister, David Cameron, was called to set the example and commit to the strategy to give up a segment of their pay to charity, as a response to the conservative ‘Big Society’ manifesto pledge.

If the proposal was to go through, the queen would be in the position to persuade religious heads, businesses and civic leaders and celebrities to agree to donate a proportion of their earnings to charity as well as offering their services and those of their supporters to good causes.

“It would be bigger than Live Aid, Band Aid and Comic Relief. It would be looking for a new social norm, a fresh civic revolution that would unleash £4 billion of new charitable revenues to establish a legacy for the Jubilee year – a Diamond Dividend.” They suggest.

Oxfam profits from punters last requests

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:39:56 +0000

Nicholas Newlife , an Oxfordshire man who passed away in 2009, left his entire estate to the charity Oxfam. As if this extraordinary act of kindness wasn’t enough, the estate included a series of betting slips for long term wagers with William Hill, amounting to £4420 in total. The bets were all long-term predictions and had been placed between 2000 and 2005. Now the bets are beginning to pay off, and in a way so amazing, you would be forgiven for thinking it was a book or film plot.

The first of these bets was a prediction that tennis master Roger Federer would win 14 Grand Slam’s. The payout for this bet was an astronomical £16,750, which went straight to Oxfam and on towards helping those most in need. If that amount seems large, the potential payout for his bet that Federer will go on to win Wimbledon seven times by 2020 holds a staggering £101,840 prize pot. That means Federer needs one win in the next ten years and Oxfam will be the recipients of one of the most bizarre and incredibly generous donations we’ve ever heard of. If all of the late Mr Newlife’s bets win, Oxfam is looking to gain roughly an astounding £330,000. That is enough to supply many communities with safe drinking water and help save over a third of a million people from deadly diseases.

Mr Newlife’s outstanding act of kindness (and a little luck) just goes to show how much people care about the fantastic work Oxfam do. They are one of the most active international aid agencies and require all the help and financial backing we can provide to make sure they can continue to do such fantastic work. Whether a gift for a friend, something for Mothers Day or just an act of kindness, please consider a donation to Oxfam and help support the work they do.

UK TV Megastar Denise Van Outen Sets the Pace for Charity Work

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:41:25 +0000

Denise Van Outen, famed for her appearances as a host on the cult morning show The Big Breakfast in the ninety’s , has shown us all that charity always matters, even when you are six months pregnant!

Van Outen has always been an important fund raiser for charities, especially with the awareness she has brought to Great Ormond Street Hospital and charities focusing on breast cancer support. She is currently pregnant with her first child with boyfriend Lee Mead, winner of Andrew LLoyd Webber’s hit show Any Dream Will do in 2007. This wasn’t enough to stop her putting on the jogging shoes and heading out with some celebrity friends for a Bumps and Babies run in Battersea Park, all in aid of Sport Relief. Denise was joined on her pregnant celebrity jog by TV favourite Natasha Kaplinsky, ex-EastEnder Kim Medcalf, our Olympic badminton star Gail Emms and DJ Nemon. This just goes to show the dedication of some of our nation’s treasures to helping those in need. Let’s take a leaf from their book and make 2010 a year for giving.

Sport Relief happens every two years in the UK to raise funds for the world’s poorest countries, and also to encourage children to play more sports over here. We are sure most of you remember the rather strange sight of Little Britain star David Walliams swimming the English Channel in 2006 for Sport Relief. Following on with tradition, this year the Sport’s Relief single is the amazing Morning Sun by Robbie Williams, certainly well worth purchasing!

Kasabian Rock the Post-Brits Show for War Child

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:28:07 +0000

Well the Brits are over and what a star studded night it turned out to be. As ever, the ever-interestingly dressed Lady Gaga stole the show in a white number that seemed to cover less conventional areas than most clothing. However, it was the post-award charity gig played by British Group winners Kasabian that shows yet again that the stars care just as much as you and me.

Straight after the awards ceremony, Kasabian trekked over to the O” Sheperds Bush Empire and played a stunning set, packed with hits in aid of the War Child charity. Kasabian were joined by Mighty Boosh star Noel Fielding to reprise his role from the video for the critically acclaimed Vlad the Impaler. La Roux and DJ Calvin Harris also played at the show, giving those in attendance a fantastic night in aid of a fantastic cause.

War Child is a charity, formed in 1993, which has the soul aim of providing vital help and support to children suffering from the effects of living in war-torn areas. The charity has received support from a number of stars, including the legend Paul McCartney, ex-super group Oasis, seasoned charity veterans U2 and guitar god Eric Clapton, to name but a few. Look out for the charity album War Child Presents Heroes, a 2009 record featuring some big names, including Duffy and Lily Allen, covering classics such as Live and Let Die, and Running to Standing Still.

Of course, not everyone can go and play a sell-out gig to raise awareness of these children in need; however, you can take a look at the donations on our main page and do your bit to help whatever cause you wish. There are so many people suffering unnecessarily in the world and your kindness can help turn lives around.

Haiti

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:27:13 +0000

As we at charity gifts are sure you all are aware, Haiti was recently hit by a terrible series of earthquakes. Following the huge relief effort, which showed an unprecedented level of global cooperation and compassion, stories have emerged from the devastation; stories of hope, unity and of miraculous survivals. There is a huge amount of information available online about this tragedy and we are sure you have all done your bit to help with the rescue and rebuilding missions being undertaken by helpers from many nations around the world.

Today, we are having a look just a few some of the fantastic efforts made by people, young and old, across the UK in the wake of this terrible disaster. Firstly, there has been the extraordinary tale of Charlie Simpson. This young lad, only seven years old, who decided to cycle around his park for 8km after seeing the devastation on the news. His parents supported him fully and not long after, some donations began rolling in. What is truly remarkable is what followed; a snowballing effect following some minor media coverage that soon turned Charlie’s bike ride into a national news story. Day after day, donations grew and grew until Charlie made more than £200,000! His staggering effort deserves a great deal of credit, and just goes to show, charity and compassion in the UK are as strong as ever.

On an even larger scale, we have the success of the Help Haiti song, put together by Mr Not-so-nasty, Simon Cowell. This tremendous effort has culminated in a fantastic cover of REM’s Everybody Hurts, which sold more than 450,000 copies in its first week. Leona Lewis, Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue are just a few of the vast selection of celebrities who have provided their voices for this gift to Haiti. We strongly recommend you pop online or down to the shops and pick up your copy of the single as soon as possible and show your solidarity and support for those suffering in Haiti!

Shocking Horse Cruelty Case Costing RSPCA

admin — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:26:04 +0000

The RSPCA is feeling the financial strains following a terrible case of animal cruelty uncovered and halted by the organisation. A farm in Buckinghamshire, run by a father and son team, was found to be home to hundreds of horses that were malnourished and mistreatment. RSPCA officials inspected the farm in Hyde Heath, run by Jamie and Jamie Jr Gray, and found absolutely appalling cases of animal cruelty. 32 horses were already dead and a further group of 150 plus horses and ponies were starving, weak and close to death.

Mr Gray was arrested and given 14 weeks in jail. He is also banned from ever keeping animals again. Some argue this is quite clearly too short a sentence for the type of crime committed. However, this case has also highlighted another problem with the current legal process with animal cruelty convictions; in the even of an appeal on the sentence, the animals in question cannot be re-homed until after the appeal is over. This has left the RSPCA with all the surviving horses to care for. As Mr Gray’s case cannot be heard until January, the predicted cost to the RSPCA is in the region of £1 million, a staggering sum. This cruel man, not satisfied with the pain inflicted on his animals, could now be partly responsible for the suffering of hundreds more animals who the RSPCA simply cannot afford to help.

The RSPCA has been pioneering work with animals in need across the United Kingdom for years. Take a look HERE for more information on the history and past campaign successes the organisation has had. The RSPCA needs our donations more than ever now. Through our generosity we can ensure these horses receive all the care they need.

See our other animal gifts and adopt an animal programs.

RSPB Fights for Vulture Survival

admin — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:11:06 +0000

Vultures, having become one of the world’s most endangered birds, are showing signs that they may start to breed in captivity, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. This could mark the turning point in their future, as animal workers can hopefully encourage more breeding to curb the falling numbers of the bird. The slender-billed vulture is marked as critical on the endangered species list. The bird, found in Asia, has seen its numbers fall sharply in the past decade. Estimations from the RSPB put remaining slender-bill population at roughly 1000. It is almost unthinkable that this species has gone from thriving communities of vultures, almost to the point of non-existence. Since 1992 it is estimated that the population of both long and slender-billed vultures have fallen by 97%!
The RSPB has been working alongside other bird and animal related charities to encourage breeding and conservation in the remaining vulture communities. For the first time this year, the scheme has proved successful in the hatching and fledging of two of the vultures. It is notoriously difficult to encourage birds, vultures especially, to breed in captivity. Other successes with Oriental White-backed vultures in recent years have given charity workers an insight into the conditions and behaviour ideal to encourage mating amongst the birds. RSPB workers have stated they are hopeful that the breeding will take place over the next year and within a decade we could see a resurgence of the vulture population. Chris Bowden, leader of the Asian vulture program for the RSPB, explained that this was a huge step forward in reversing the declining numbers of vultures; ‘with extinction in the wild likely in the next 10 years, we do not have a moment to waste.’
The RSPB does so much outstanding work in the prevention of the extinction of birds, they require as much as we can give to help fund the projects that bring these species back from the brink of non-existence. Please take a moment to check out some RSPB gifts and see what wonderful charity donations they have on offer. A few pounds from you helps save a whole species future!

Film Director Boyle To Help Manchester Addicts

admin — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:38:38 +0000

Danny Boyle, the film director with a knack for turning everything he touches to gold, has pleged to help Manchester’s youth suffering from drink and drug problems. Many of us know of Boyle as the multiple award-winning director of the recent blockbuster ‘Slumdog Millonaire’, which won 98 awards, 8 of which were Oscars. Boyle also directed cult classic ‘Trainspotting’ which showed his understanding of the horrors of heroin use.

Boyle has become a patron of the Early Break charity, who offer counceling for youths, support and information to help those suffering from addictions to free themselves from the daily struggle that drugs and alcohol put them through. We all know of the pain and suffering addictions can lead to. You would be hard pressed to find anyone between the ages of 15-40 who hasn’t seen at least one person they know give in to temptation at tough times in their lives and end up trying to deal with their problems with substance abuse. Boyle said of his new role with the charity, which is situated close to his hometown, ‘without Early Break many young people wouldn’t be where they are today’.

We can only hope that Danny Boyle’s magic touch has such an amazing impact on the youth of Manchester, with numbers of drug users and crime resulting from addictions rife. Please do your bit for the youth of the United Kingdom and give a donation to one of these charity stores . Even a small donation could be the incentive for a user to kick their habit and get their life back on track. Time is running out for so many childen caught up in this horrible world. Lets do our part to show them we still care.

Abandoned Dogs on the Rise

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:35:05 +0000

The recession is still ongoing in many countries of the world and, as feared, humans are not the only ones feeling the bite. An Audit Commission has discovered that hundreds more poor dogs are being turfed out, with nowhere to go, in a bid to save money during these tough times.

It has been estimated that the upkeep of one of our four legged friends can cost over £1000 a year. This is a figure worth thinking about when you consider just how many of these loyal friends are being cared for by the animal-specific charities out there. The remarkable work done by these charities and organisations gives the gift of life to so many unwanted pets. Figures are showing a 20% increase in the number of pets being given up for rehoming this year alone. As the after-effects of the recession hit every family in the UK, this figure is surely going to rise further. Groups like the Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), the WWF and the RSPB are all facing a tough time as charity donations lessen in the wake of the economic problems faced by the world. Every charity is struggling and it is so easy to forget the needs of animals when finances are tight. Just remember, a few pounds here and there mounts up and makes a huge difference.

This just goes to show, it is now more than ever that charities need your backing to keep providing essential help and support to those most in need. Take a moment out your day, take a look at the animal charities featured and spare the cost of a burger and chips, which could be enough to help save a discarded animal’s life. Lets all work to help the discarded pets that need our love.

Arctic Monkeys Go Bananas Over Charity

admin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:33:43 +0000

Pop sensation The Arctic Monkeys have decided to do their bit for charity and are working with Oxfam to raise money to assist the charity’s development programs overseas. The Monkeys have taken a huge step in revolutionising the way celebrities encourage the public to make charitable donations by giving vinyl copies of their newest hit single, Crying Lightning, to the 700 stores around the UK, with sales precedes going to charity. The really ingenious part of the scheme comes from the limited nature of the records, and the fact they also come with a code to allow the purchaser to download the track for free as an MP3.

The Arctic Monkeys were propelled to chart-topping success in October 2005 with their catchy super smash-hit ‘I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor’. Still creating musical gold, the band have also encouraged their fans to bring in all their old cd’s to give to Oxfam to help the charity bring in more money. This valiant effort from the Monkeys is sure to boost the earnings of Oxfam, providing more aide and health assistance to suffering communities in the Third World. If there was ever a reason to take a trip to your local Oxfam shop, the Arctic Monkeys have surely given us all one now. Please take a look at our Oxfam Gift page for more information on this amazing charity and the donation options they have available for you.