Catch 22 believe that every young person deserves a second chance.

Thank you for taking your time to read my blog. My name is Molly and for my Citizenship GSCE I have chosen to advocate Catch 22. As a quote from their website “Catch22 is a local charity with a national reach. We work with young people and others who find themselves in seemingly impossible situations.” After reading my blog I hope you feel more informed about Catch 22. They help in a variety of areas including;

• Substance misuse
• Family support
• Health and well-being
• Education and training, including apprenticeships
• Offender rehabilitation
• Community activities
• Leaving care and advisory services
• Housing services.

So what do they do?

Catch 22 works in over 150 towns and cities, helping thousands of people in difficult situations. Many people find themselves unable to make a better life for themselves or make the right decisions. This is where Catch 22 comes in. Each year Catch 22 help more than 36,000 people to get their lives back on track. Here are some statistics;

• 9 out of 10 young people we helped with housing were settled in their own accommodation after six months.
• 7 out of 10 young people who completed our learning programmes found work or went on to find further study within one month.
• 9 out of 10 young people who had been involved in crime didn’t re-offend while on our programmes.
• 8 out of 10 young people said that with our help they found new goals and ambitions.

An example of Catch 22’s work is projected through Joao’s work;

Joao was homeless, often in trouble with the police and using class A drugs - all this before he was 18 years old. When he tried himself to reduce his use of the drug he became twitchy, hyperactive and likely to kick off at the slightest thing. Joao says he was mentally unstable and had no real relationships with his family. His social worker put him in contact with Catch22’s substance misuse service, 24/7 in Hampshire. Joao said 'Catch22 staff helped me calm down by encouraging me to focus on more positive things. Catch22 is always there, and you need that when you're coming off drugs. They were at the end of a phone and always prepared to help me through the difficult moments of recovery.' He no longer uses drugs and Joao’s life is now far more stable and less chaotic. 'I’ve got somewhere I can call a home. I have enrolled at the local college to study Aviation Operations. I also have a far better relationship with my family and have just got back from visiting my mum in Barcelona.'

How can you help?

There are many ways you can help including; fundraise, volunteer, take part in events or even sign up the news letter via email. Here is a link that you may find useful;
http://www.catch-22.org.uk/

If you could please answer a few questions and post your responses below and also if you can please state your location, I would be deeply grateful;

1. Did you know about Catch 22 before you read this blog?
2. Do you feel more informed after reading this blog?
3. Would you now consider financially support Catch 22?

Think the Salvation Army is old Fashioned – it has more use than you know!

Thank you very much for taking interest in my blog! Supporting the Salvation Army is something I have always done and would like to further advocate for all that they do. Not many people have heard of the Salvation Army, know what it is or what they do. Once you’ve read my blog, I hope that you will know a bit more about the Salvation Army and will feel that you want to help with the work they do.

The Salvation Army are often known as a church, but they are a charity as well. They do lots of work with the homeless and poor; helping them find their way back into the world. The Salvation Army was founded in 1865 as the East London Christian Mission. It was founded by William Booth and his wife Catherine. It was founded in the United Kingdom, but is now a worldwide organisation. It was founded as the East London Christian Mission. It was founded because Booth felt that alcoholics, drug addicts, prostitutes and other unwelcome impolite Christian society deserved the right to worship with god and be part of the Christian community.

The churches (they call them 'corps') are places of worship where Sunday meetings are held, but also provide a practical expression of the Christian faith during the week, when their doors are open to offer programmes and activities for the whole community.  These often vary, but could include youth activities, parent and toddler groups, drop-in centres, luncheon clubs, advice clinics and lots more.  The members will also offer emergency assistance such as groceries and clothing to individuals and families in need. This is only part of the hard work that they do.

The Salvation Army are forever at hand. At our luncheon club in Paignton, someone who was an alcoholic turned up. They did not have any other money; our leader happily gave them a meal and invited them to our Sunday meetings. Now, a few months later and they come most weeks to the Sunday meetings and are trying to get a job. If it wasn’t for the Salvation Army, they wouldn’t have a life like they have now, and they wouldn’t know what it feels like to work and earn money. This is what your donations go towards, as well as the food parcels, coats, the supportive work and various missions they aim to conquer etc.

They also, many times a week, go out collecting over various areas of the country. The Paignton Salvation Army corps, which I belong to, often go to Morrisons in Totnes to collect. The band also goes to places and concerts to perform with their uplifting and exciting music.

Here is when the Clevedon band came down to our Paignton corps to perform one evening.

I would like to thank you again for reading my blog. Please post me a response with your thoughts. In particular, it would be brilliant if you could write a few words focusing on the following questions and help in any way you can! For more information please visit http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/ Please help boost more people’s lives so they can live their life like you. If you do post a response please could you tell me where you are from (i.e. your hometown or country, if not uk).

• Had you heard about the Salvation Army and what they do before you read my blog?
• Do you now feel more informed about what they do and how your donation counts?
• Would you now be prepared to donate or organise any fundraising events for the Salvation Army?

Many thanks!
Annabel

Save lives, support Bristol Royal Hospital for children

Firstly, thank you for taking an interest in my blog. My name is Chloe and I have chosen to support Bristol Royal Hospital for children for my Citizenship GCSE advocacy.  These wonderful people save lives every day, giving sick children and babies the chance to live life to its full extent. They provide specialist surgeons for these children, saving lives daily.

Although the children may not know what is happening to them, their families will be well aware of the situation, and the pain the feel cannot be put into words. At just 7 weeks old, my brother was rushed to Bristol Royal Hospital for children for a vital operation that saved his life. He was suffering from pyloric stenosis, a narrowing of the outlet of the stomach as it empties into the small intestine. He was rushed into hospital, after eating nothing for 3 days, before the diagnosis was made and even then, the doctors could not explain the cause or severity of his illness.

The next day he was transported by ambulance to Bristol Royal Hospital for children where his sugar levels were stabilised and 18 hours later, his operation was carried out. The operation went so well, that he was let out just 24 hours later. He was a typical case, and for that we are extremely thankful.
Without this vital operation, my brother would no longer be with us, and our family would be grieving his los for many years to come. However, funding is needed to keep this service running, and to keep the family informed and up to date. These amazing people are constantly saving lives, as you read this now, they are likely to be operating, saving a life; saving the people most important to us.

Without vital funds, they will be unable to save these lives, losing these people that mean everything to us and we would do anything to protect. With your support, they may save a life close to you in the future. Please help to Save lives, and support Bristol Royal Hospital for children. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, it would be greatly appreciated if you could now answer the questions below:

• Had you heard of Bristol Royal Hospital for children before reading this?
• Do you now feel more informed about their work?
• Would you now be prepared to consider doing any of the following:

1. Tell friends or family about Bristol Royal Hospital for children and the work they do?
2. Make a donation?
3. Get involved with fundraising or other activities for them?

Thank you!!
Chloe

Down’s Syndrome Discrimination- Don’t Bother

First of all, thank you for taking an interest in my blog. My name is Phoebe and I am advocating for The Down’s Syndrome Association- a worth-while, London based charity. This is about an issue that is very close to my heart and I hope to spread the message during my Citizenship Coursework. Cases of Downs Syndrome in the UK have started to rise and therefore the services that the Downs Syndrome Association provide have become more needed than ever.

Firstly, I will briefly explain why I chose this cause. In 2010, a few days after my baby cousin was born, he was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome. This news was going to affect my family’s life forever, but we knew there were services that could be reached out to. I then found out about the Downs Syndrome association and wanted to help them. This was when I decided I wanted to help people like Monty, and this is why I wanted to spread awareness.

Secondly, I am going to outline what my charity does. The Down’s Syndrome Association is an amazing charity which gives support and guidance to individuals and families who need it most. They have help-lines and e-mail addresses for anyone that would like to contact them with a dilemma or question. They can arrange meetings, or groups that deal with the most likely issues for anyone of any age. The counselling and services they offer are brilliant quality and are helpful in all aspects of life. Around 750 babies are born every year with the condition and all of these services are beneficial to the parents of these individuals.

The Downs Syndrome Association needs your donations because they are running on low funds to keep up much-needed services. Clubs may have to shut down, research will become very limited, and if things carry on like this, the charity will shut down. This would be devastating to so many people and the ability to rely on these services will run out. Life would be made immensely harder for anyone with the condition, and everyone related to someone with Downs Syndrome will feel the strain.

For more information, visit http://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/

Finally, please can you answer the following questions in a comment under my blog:

• How much did you know about the Downs Syndrome Association before reading this?
• Do you now feel more informed about the condition and the charity?
• Would you be willing to do any of the following-

-Tell friends or family about my blog?
-Tell friends or family about the Downs Syndrome Association?
-Donate to the Downs Syndrome Association?
-Volunteer for the Downs Syndrome Association?

Also, could you let me know where you are from so I know how far my advocacy has spread?
Thank you, Phoebe

Cats Protection- Nine Lives, One Chance, One Charity Don’t trust a smile- trust a purr!

Hello, my name Chloe and I am campaigning to help the Cats Protection League. Thank you very much for showing an interest in my blog. Helping cats around Britain to have a happier life is something that I feel very strongly about! Only a hand full of people will know about the suffering that many cats and kittens go through. After you have read my blog I hope that you will know a bit more about the charity, and feel like you would want to help in any way possible! Remember- The human is the only creature that uses a smile as an emotional response, which means that even though a cat is smiling it does not mean it is happy! Don’t trust a smile, trust a purr!

This is the story of Stewie the cat (This is a real story). Stewie was handed in to the Cats Protection centre in Nottingham. He was with his mum and his three other siblings in a small cardboard box. He was affectionate and wouldn’t mind it when somebody tried to pick him up, so that meant that he had a home. But the man who handed them in said that they were strays. It was likely that the man had owned the mother, but when she gave birth he could not afford to keep all 5 of the cats.

Stewie needed urgent medical care; otherwise he wouldn’t make it through the night. The operation that he needed was expensive, and it wasn’t 100% likely to keep him alive, but it was a small flicker of hope for the desperate kitten. The Cats Protection paid for all of his operations, and even though it was a small chance of survival they still went on. After weeks of touch and go, he pulled through and now has a fighting chance of a happy adulthood.

If it wasn’t for the Cats Protection, Stewie would have died that same day that he was handed in. And if it wasn’t for the donations from the public then the Cats Protection wouldn’t have been able to fork out the money for the much needed operations. It only takes £15for a Cats Protection cat to be fed 2 good meals a day. And any donations towards operations, food and shelter could literally mean life or death for a cat.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. Please could you now take a few minutes to post me your thoughts? It would also help if you could write a few words to answer my questions below. For further information please go to www.catsprotection.com and help the future for cats look brighter!

• Had you heard of my issue before this Blog?
• Do you now feel more informed?
• Would you now tell you family and friends about the Cats Protection?
• You would now be prepared to do any of the following things for the Cats Protection?

• Make a donation?
• Start or join a fundraising campaign?
• Adopt a cat?
• Get the word around about the work they do?

Thank you again. When you leave your feedback please be sure to mention your home town and country!

Many thanks! Chloe

Young carers, you should know more.

Thank you very much for taking an interest in my blog.my name is Isolde and I have chosen this topic because I think that most people don’t know much about this or if they do, don’t know how to help. After my blog I hope you will be more informed.

Imagine that one of your parents or your brother or sister was in an accident which meant that they couldn’t do things that most people can easily do. Imagine that you had to look after them; you can’t go out with your friends or do all of your homework because you had to look after them. Over 175000 people under the age of 18 have to live with this in the UK.

Here are a few more facts about young carers:

• The average age of young carers is 12 but they can be as young as five years old
• One in five Young Carers miss school work because of their caring responsibilities
• Some responsibilities that young carers do are cleaning, cooking, shopping, helping someone wash or dress or use the toilet and giving the person medication and other medical care. 

Caring can be a positive experience. However some Young Carers do have some difficulties such as missing school, arriving ate or leaving early, tiredness or difficulty concentrating in class bullying and a lack of understanding from classmates or missing out on school trips and after school activities.

“I don’t always think my homework is good enough, I have to rush to get it done”

“At school sometimes people ask about my sister…why is she like this? They don’t understand. It’s difficult to explain all the time”

But there is some help for young carers. There are Young Carers groups, trips and activities and Saturday drop-ins to give young carers a break from caring. Lunchtime school clubs and private time to talk to people about anything that they are worried about  and helpers at school  to talk with the teachers about what’s happening to help with school work and school in general.

If you want any more information visit: www.youngcarers.net or www.youngcarers.com.  Please post a comment answering these questions then tell me your home town and country, if not UK;

• How much did you know about this topic before you read my blog?
• How much do you know about this topic now you have read my blog
• Would you now be willing to help my cause- would you donate money or volunteer at help groups?

End the abuse, Make a child smile again - You should help Home Start.

Firstly I’d like to thank you for taking the time to read my blog. My name is Poppy and I feel very strongly about child and domestic abuse as I am very aware how it can affect a person’s life not just while it’s happening but for the future as well. Home Start is a charity that works with families at breaking point-whether that’s Child abuse, Domestic violence or just general counselling Home Start is there to help. The charity works all over the UK but there are many local sites in the South West such as in Exeter, Teignmouth and Torquay.  It helps families with children 0-5 which although does not seem like a large amount of time it is a largely important few years.  The charity provides visits from trained volunteers who help parents care for the children in the best possible way. The support it free and confidential so the volunteers really get to know the family they’re working with. Every child has the right to be fed, cared for and most importantly loved.

When a family is falling apart the council will involve home start, as long as there was no immediate threat to the volunteers.

This is Maya’s story,
Maya lost her smile after her big brother was killed in a car accident. Her older brother Kiran lost his life when a car drove onto the pavement when he was on his way to get a pint of milk. Mum Yasmin spent a lot of time mourning alone. She blamed herself for Kiran’s death. This affected Maya’s life as she got little attention and found it difficult to fully understand what had happened to her brother. Their house was covered in memories of Kiran and every day the family seemed to mourn his death.

When Home start introduced volunteer Jess to the family their lives changed for the better. She would visit the family once every week to offer support and help the family get over the loss for their Daughters sake. Maya felt so alone. Jess encouraged Yasmin to spend time with her, even if it was just doing a puzzle or playing a game. Losing a child can change a family or individual for the rest of their lives but Home Start were there to step in and stop that happening.

It doesn’t take much money to change lives like Maya’s just enough to buy the resources and days out for the children.

Please answer the following questions:

• Do you now feel more informed about Home Start?
• Would you now consider donating to the Home start?
• Have your feelings changed towards Home Start?

Thank you so much for reading my blog if you would like to make a donation go to http://www.home-start.org.uk/donate_and_give/give and change lives for the better.

All babies need the best start in life – so help support premature babies.

Hello and thank you for looking at my blog! My name is Savannah I hope this blog will inform you with all of the information you need. Many children have died because of lack of equipment, being premature etc. Therefore, that is why I feel strongly about the issue, and want to do something about it. So I want to advocate for BLISS to tell people about what happens and how we can help. A lot of people know about premature babies, but they don't do things to help or they don't know where to go to help, so that is why I want to spread the word. Lucy - in the picture below - is one of many who was born premature and was very ill. Her story is very moving and I hope at the end of reading it you will feel more willing to donate and help children like Lucy.

Lucy's mother Clare went into labour when she was only 25 weeks pregnant. It was a very tragic time for Clare and her husband Rod. When Clare arrived at the hospital they didn’t have the right equipment to support Clare and her premature baby, so she had to be taken to a hospital 30 miles away. When they arrived at the new hospital Clare was whisked away to her own room to be scanned to see if everything was going well. Luckily, there was no need for a caesarean. However later, the baby was due and the delivery took a matter of seconds, and then Lucy arrived. This was very emotional for Clare and Rod, because they didn’t know whether their baby would be alive. As Lucy was in the hands of the doctors Clare saw her baby look at her for the first time. Lucy survived, because of the equipment at the hospital. Lucy weighed 780g and was born at 25 weeks and 3 days early, so this was really premature.

 

This is Lucy when

she was born,

and as you can

see she wasn’t in

the best condition.

Lucy was one of the lucky ones, who survived, but there are many other times where babies haven’t had the right care and treatment. This is why I am asking you to post your thoughts about how you feel and if this has changed your thoughts on premature babies. Also, could you please answer the questions below, so I can understand everyone’s opinion. If you would like further details on BLISS go to their website: www.bliss.org.uk.

Have you ever donated to BLISS or a baby charity?
Do you now feel more informed why I feel so strongly about BLISS?
Would you now donate to BLISS?

Thank you very much for reading and answering my questions.  Savannah

Life can be a little too sweet. Support Diabetes UK and help dia-beat this.

Thank you for showing an interest in my blog. As part of my Citizenship GSCE we have been asked to choose a charity which we feel strongly about- mine being Diabetes UK.  Many are aware of diabetes, but a limited amount of people do something about it. Millions are suffering and with your consideration we could make a change today.

I am currently supporting Diabetes UK in their work. In 2000, according to the World Health Organization, at least 171 million people worldwide had diabetes. Its incidence is increasing rapidly, and it is estimated that by the year 2030, this number will double. I want to introduce diabetes to you in order to demonstrate how serious diabetes is as a condition.

Diabetes is a condition where the amount of glucose in your blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. This is because your pancreas does not produce any insulin, or not enough, to help glucose enter your body’s cells – or the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance). You can inherit diabetes or develop it from later causes.

Michelle, 18 years old, developed diabetes when she was 4 years old. Michelle quoted ‘some days, being a diabetic feels like a curse: nobody wants to have to inject themself everyday. I hated being diabetic and rebelled against it a few years ago, and I'm already starting to see the damage I have done to my body. I have had to start wearing glasses, and I've been catching colds left, right and centre because my immune system has had to fight against me destroying it.’ To read more of Michelle’s story and others visit: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/My-life/Teens/Fun-stuff/People-like-me/Michelles-story/. With the support from Diabetes UK and your contributions, people like Michelle are able to live a life worth living. Diabetes UK manages with insurance and finance and other health issues. They are prepared as a charity to campaign for better services and support people by helping communicate with those in the same situation.

Thank you ever so much for reading my blog again. I would be ever so grateful if you could post a response of an overview of what you have read. If you could answer the following questions (Please ensure you have put your name, hometown and country if not the UK)

• Have you ever heard of diabetes before reading this?
• Do you now feel more informed about the issues diabetics are faced with everyday?
• Would you now be prepared to do the following things to improve the lives of diabetics…?

1. Make a donation to ‘Diabetes UK’?
2. Be involved in any fundraising campaigns?
3. Sign up to receive regular information about the work of ‘Diabetes UK’?
4. Support Diabetes when using websites like Ebay?
5. Inform your friends and family in order to persuade them to help support ‘Diabetes UK’ in anyway like the above?

Christian Aid- Promoting an End to Poverty

My name is Ella and thank you for taking the time to read my blog. All around the world people are suffering from poverty. This means that they in the state of having little or no money, goods or support. Poverty is everywhere but it is extremely common in areas prone to natural disasters like earthquakes or hurricanes. When things like this happen people’s lives are left ruined; often there is little food or clean water. There are people out there who live on £1 a day, their food and water is bought with that pound. Could you do that? Could you cope with that? There are 1.4 billion people in the world who have no choice but to cope.

A community in Sierra Leone called Mo-Albert used to live under the threat of starvation as they could barely afford one meal a day. But then Christian Aid came along and set up a fishing group for the men who can now work and sell fish and to add to the value the women have been taught to use fish smoking ovens.  This means the fish will sell for more and they bought a motorized boat so now they bring in even more fish so they no longer go to bed hungry. They can feed their families as well as sell fish and even the women get involved, which they really like. Without Christian Aid, this community would have remained hungry and desperate.

Go to the link to hear a girl talk about the live below the line challenge- where they try and live on £1 a day for a week.
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/getinvolved/fundraise/live-below-the-line/index.aspx

Your donation could make other communities like Mo-Albert an opportunity to live happily and to break free from poverty. To donate go to the Christian Aid website and click donate.
Again I want to thank you for taking the time to read my blog about Christian Aid. I would be really grateful if you please posted your thoughts and responses. It would be even more fantastic if you quickly answered the questions below also if you do post please tell me where you come from. (Town and country.)

• Before you read this had you heard of Christian Aid?
• After reading my blog do you now feel well informed about what the charity is about?
• Would you now consider donating/ fundraising for Christian Aid?

If you, like me, believe that Christian Aid is a truly wonderful charity tell your friends and family about them and try and persuade them to help Christian Aid in any way possible. If you would like to help Christian Aid out then go to www.christianaid.org.uk and get involved or you could participate in a Christian Aid week event or any other fundraising event. Christian Aid week is usually in May but there are always other fundraising opportunities outside of that week. It would be great if you considered helping to raise money that will go to help people in poverty.

Thank you once again! I hope you enjoyed reading my blog.
Ella

We Must Stop Cancer, Once And For All.

First of all I would like to thank you for choosing my blog about Cancer Research UK to read. My name is Beth, I feel very strongly about helping people who have/ are fighting cancer. Every donation helps, and I hope the charity’s research will soon advance. If you can, please leave a comment below, after reading this.

In 2008, 7.6 million people died of cancer- that’s 13% of all deaths worldwide, just in that year. Cancer Research UK fund research of over 4000 doctors, nurses and scientists, who are trying to find  the cure of cancer- or even ways to prevent it. It has been proven that 1 in 3 people with develop cancer during their lives.

Above in the picture is Alex Albiston, an exceptionally brave and inspirational young man, sadly lost his battle with cancer on Saturday 13th March 2010.  He was just 18 years old. Alex touched the lives of everyone, he came into contact with; which is evident by the hundreds of tributes that have been placed on Facebook since his death and also the amazing number of people at his funeral . He was a remarkable young man, who demonstrated such wisdom and courage during his illness and he never let the cancer affect his wicked sense of humour or mask his winning smile.  For those who knew Alex, they can pride themselves in knowing such an extraordinary young man and take comfort in his memory, his inspiration and the light he brought to the world. After eight months of chemotherapy and surgery to remove the tumor, he was given the all-clear and began his summer looking forward to university life and the prospect of restarting his football career.

The charity provides support for sufferers and their families to cope throughout the emotional journey which is cancer. Cancer Research UK have many different ways in which people can contribute; take part in a fundraising event(race for life), give donations, help raise awareness about cancer and how it can be treated/ prevented and many more. Their main aim is to save lives from cancer. They do this through funding world-class research, providing information for patients, health professionals and the public and influencing public policy to keep cancer at the top of the health agenda. More people are beating cancer than ever before thanks to their work and the public’s support. Cancer Research UK can dramatically decrease that number if the support from the public continues.

Once again, thank you for choosing to read my blog. To gain evidence, i would really appreciate if you could leave a comment below, mentioning your hometown or country, answering these questions:

Has my blog enlightened you on the work Cancer Research UK do?
Would you now consider donating to the charity?
Would you take part in a fundraising event for Cancer Research UK?
If you would like to make a donation to help Cancer Research UK on their journey to the cure of cancer, visit http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/.

Many thanks, Beth

Abdicate Animal Abuse!

Thank-you for looking at my blog! I’m Caoimhe and my blog is about animal cruelty and why it must be stopped. I’ve chosen to do the RSPCA as my charity because I feel really strongly about how animals are treated.

A lot of people will think that they are looking after their pets perfectly, and maybe you are. But just think for a minute. Do you take your pets on walks, or let them out regularly? Do you feed them too much or too little? Do you play with your pets regularly? Do you groom them? Simply ignoring your pet is a form of cruelty.

Of course, just ignoring your pet isn’t as bad as these cases...
Gary, Kelly, Louis and Tulisa are 4 kittens and they were found by a pedestrian in a ditch. Some teenagers have tried to drown them in the over-flowing drainage ditch by holding them under the water. After a while, the boys left, thinking that the kittens were dead. Luckily, minutes later they were found and taken to the RSPCA. However, now they’re improving rapidly.

Solo is a ginger tom-cat that was found with his right eye hanging out after someone had shot him, with an air gun, in the eye. After some recovery, he was introduced to other cats and humans, the vets soon saw that he didn’t pick a fight with another cat or person because he is so caring towards the other cats. Whoever shot him did it for no reason at all. Luckily, he was found and is in special care at the RSPCA now. However, just days after Solo was shot, another cat was shot and killed by an air gun. Some relatives of the owners were looking after the cat whilst the owners went on holiday. The cat, Lalla, spent most of her time indoors but she was found dead under a hedge. The air pellet had caused her lungs to collapse.

Imagine someone doing that to your animals and enjoying it? The RSPCA and the police work together to stop these people, but they are funded by the public so if people don’t donate, they can’t stop the behaviour of some disgusting people.

Please answer some short questions below…

1. Do you have any pets?
2. If so, what animal are they?
3. Have you ever donated in any form to the RSPCA?
4. After reading this blog, do you now feel more informed about the RSPCA?
5. After reading this blog, would you consider donating or volunteering for the RSPCA?

Please comment below with your full name, country and town/city, and what you think of my blog!

Thank-you!
Caoimhe Taylor
http://www.rspca.org.uk/home

You could be a life saver- become an Organ Donor.

Firstly I would like to thank you very much for taking an interest in my blog. My name is Becky and my aim is to make people aware that we can give others life after our death. Organ donation is the gift of giving and receiving an organ which enables a new life. The donors and family’s generosity means that lives can begin again. But it is not enough to help all. At the moment more than 10,000 people in the UK currently need a transplant. Of these, 1000 each year – that's three a day - will die waiting as there are not enough organs available. A person in need of a transplant can be on the waiting list for many years and sometimes not receive an organ before it is too late. Surgeons and doctors are improving techniques all the time to help more people but they do not have enough organs to go around.

The current system is an ‘opt-in’ system of Organ Donation – where individuals are asked to give their agreement by registering to be a donor after their death but we are campaigning for it to change to ‘Opt-out’. This means that everyone is automatically an Organ Donor but if they wish they can be removed from the list. It is often suggested, that due to the serious shortage of Organ donors and waiting lists for transplant operations, the approach to Organ donation is in need of review. At the current time research in the UK shows that up to 90% of people support organ donation but only 29% have joined the ODR (Organ Donor Register) under opt-in. This means that if the law is changed to ‘opt out’ then we would have 61% more people on the Organ Donor Register. This would be a big difference and not only help and save the people who are in need for an organ lives but also their family.

A thought for yourself.
Just one donor can save the life of several people, restore the sight of two others and improve the quality of life of many more – and you could be that life saver.

Saturday, 21 April 2012
Since 1 April 2011
275 people have donated organs
An additional 668 people have donated cornea
735 people have received the gift of sight
689 people have received transplants
7,524 people are still waiting for transplants

If you believe in Organ Donation, Prove it.

Any age can join the register. You will have to have Adults permission though if you are under the age of 18. You can join by either filling out a form online or calling the NHS Donor Line. Visit online at http://www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23 to register or to answer any questions you may have. You can also talk to your GP and pick up information packs.

Just think about it… If you could be a life saver would you?   You are more likely to need an organ than become a donor and you would take an organ if you needed one wouldn’t you? So why not gives others the chance?

Thank you for reading my blog and I hope you now feel as strong as I do about the issue. I would be extremely grateful if you could please answer the questions below.

1. Are you now more aware about Organ Donation?
2. Do you support the change from the ‘opt in’ system to an ‘opt out’ system?
3. Are you prepared to talk to family and friends and make them aware them about Organ Donation?
4. Will you now consider becoming an organ Donor? Please say if you are already on the Organ Donation Register.
5. Please could you also  say where you live.

What could you do in 60 seconds that could make you a life saver? Thank you so much.
Becky

Why should you care about dog fighting- we must stop it now!

Thank you for visiting my blog, My name is Bronwen and I hope the following will change your attitude towards dog fighting and about a charity that can help prevent this, the League Against Cruel Sports. Dog fighting, although illegal, is a widely practised blood sport in the UK injuring and killing many animals every year as many people don’t give their dogs veterinary treatment in fear of being put in jail. In the next paragraphs I would like to explain to you what an issue dog fighting is to the public and how and why the LACS can help and the work they do. People need to be exposed to the problems this causes as many people aren’t aware that this is still happening and I hope I can do this through my blog.

Around 20,000 dogs are killed every year from injuries related to dog fighting and authorities suggest that it has seen a 400% increase in recent years. This can happen from cities to small suburban sites. It can be very damaging to a community as it involves many gang members and can be attractive to young people as they may gain ‘street credit’. However, there are many other issues such as the training dogs have to go through. Every day they undergo a number of strenuous activities to improve their abilities, the most popular being using an older dog, tying it up so it can’t move and letting younger dogs attack it.

The LACS, which operates throughout the UK, are a pressure group dealing with many other blood sports such as this one that was established in 1924 when RSPCA members were tired with nothing being done to stop hunting. Since then they have expanded their campaigns to things such as dog fighting. They use a variety of different direct and indirect techniques to prevent this from going on. Every year they hold a Fighting Dogs Conference in which they invite a number of people such as the RSPCA, Magistrates Association, police forces and many other people to listen to a range of people’s perspectives on the topic. The LACS also run a Fighting Dogs Crimewatch telephone service where they work with the public to prevent this. They also raise awareness through their website, http://www.league.org.uk/content/299/Dog-Fighting, films and literature to express to people how cruel these acts are and that they are illegal. The work that they do with MP’s, the Police and the public etc., is all to stop the illegal sport, dog fighting, from continuing on our streets. The consequences of this can be many dogs behaving oddly towards humans, for example attacking humans.

Thank you once again for reading my blog and it would be really helpful to me if you could answer some questions below. If you do answer these questions could you also tell me what town you come from and what country, if not the UK.

• Have you heard about the problems dog fighting causes before reading my blog and do you feel more informed & why?
• Would you now consider donating to this charity or supporting the campaign & how would you do this?
• Have I changed your attitude towards dog fighting and if so how?

RNLI- Sea the future in their eyes; wave goodbye to deaths at sea

Hello, my name is Grace and welcome to my blog about the RNLI otherwise known as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the amazing work they do to make the sea a more enjoyable place. Firstly, thank you for taking an interest in my citizenship blog. I hope that you will gain some new knowledge from it. At the end of my blog my aim is that you will know a bit more about the RNLI and be able to raise awareness to others that are not so much informed.

The RNLI is already a very successful and functional voluntary organisation. The RNLI are great at raising awareness of their causes and raise their publicity factor. As a result of their campaigns I am almost certain that the majority of the public will have heard of the RNLI in anyway, however, think, do you really know the facts and what they risk to save peoples that are in critical danger? If you said no to these questions than please read my blog as I am sure that this will inform you more. The RNLI is a voluntary organisation – this means that they completely rely your donations to have such a courageous aim and to carry on making the U.K’s waters a safer, more enjoyable place. The RNLI have been saving thousands lives at sea since 1824! However the RNLI has expanded their charity to many other rescue services. The RNLI have a seasonal lifeboat search and rescue service which covers the Great British, Irish, the Channel Islands and the Isles of Mans coasts. They also provide flood rescue and lifeguards! They help whoever is in need of their help, despite their religion, age, gender etc or type of transport they are using. Many people also are unaware that the RNLI is a 24/7 rescue service so they are there whatever the weather, season or time of day. The RNLI
The RNLI’s vision is clear- make the sea a safer and more enjoyable place!

You and the general public must do more to raise the awareness about the dangers at sea and the amazing services the RNLI give free of charge! Help the RNLI to do their job. Even simply changing attitudes of someone that may be against the RNLI. Or just by raising awareness by telling one person about the RNLI could potentially save someone’s life! In the last two years the RNLI’s work has dramatically increased; because so many people are investing in leisure boat and getting into trouble at sea. Even by giving just £1 given to the RNLI: 81p is spent on providing a rescue service, 3p is spent on preventative safety programmes, and 16p is spent on generating voluntary income! Every penny counts!

Thank you once again for reading by blog. I would really appreciate if you could please post a response as this will greatly help me with my evidence. Please in your response answer these questions.

Had you heard of the RNLI before?

Do you now know feel more informed about the issues?

Would you be prepared to consider doing anything from the following...

i. Tell a friend or family member about the RNLI and its work?
ii. Make a donation?
iii. Get involved with the RNLI and their campaigns?

If you post a response, please can you tell me the country that you are currently living in!
For more information about the RNLI and their work visit their website for great, truthful information!
www.rnli.org.uk/

 

Thank you very much for reading my blog!
Grace.

Elephants wear ivory-let’s make sure it stays that way!

Hi, I’m Ashleigh. I’m very glad you area reading my blog! Elephants are such magnificent animals, but they don’t gain the respect they deserve! Whilst elephants are helping us and the environmental world around us, we aren’t helping them, alternatively we are causing their death rates to increase! This is all down to poaching and the Ivory Trade. This is an issue I feel very strongly about. What have they done to deserve this torture? 
I hope that by the time you have read the very last word on this page you will feel as strongly as I do about the ivory trade and be more informed about the situation and thinking of ways to help!

Here is a true story.
A young elephant named Kanjoro is now happy and enjoying life at The Davis Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. But he hasn’t always been happy.  At just 20 months old Kanjoro was found on his own near Kanjoro Lugga in Ol Malo Ranch. He was seen alone by a Samburu Scout for 2 days, and as he was too young to survive without his herd, he needed to be rescued.
The reason Kanjoro needed rescue was due to poaching, as many elephants are.

Poaching scars all elephants for the rest of their lives. Elephants are social herd animals and mourn when a member of their herd dies.

That’s where The David Sheldrick Trust comes in to give young elephants the best start in life, and turn their frowns upside down!

It’s predicted that if elephants continue to be poached at the current rate they will be extinct by 2020!!!!!!!!!
Poaching has doubled in the last year and has reached the highest levels in over 2 decades since the ivory ban!!!
Poaching not only effects the elephants but also the community and world around them!

Thank you so much for taking interest in my blog I hope this has appealed to you. It would be much appreciated if you would post me your thoughts. If possible please could you answer these questions in your response:

• Have you heard about this organisation before?
• Do you now feel more aware about the devastating effects of the ivory trade?
• Would you now consider helping the trust by donating, fostering an elephant, persuading others to take action?

Please could you also tell me where you come from i.e your town and country!
For further information on the organisation go to http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/ Please help make sure that only elephants wear ivory!

Thank you for your time and taking an interest to my blog!
Ashleigh

Organ Donation, What Could You Do?

Hello my name is Brittanie, welcome to my Blog, and thank you for taking an interest in my advocacy. I have chosen to advocate the NHSBT- National Health Service Blood and Transplant but in particular organ donation.
Please may you take a few minutes to read my blog?

My aims are to

• Raise more awareness about my cause (what it does and how much one person could help)
• To help gain more support for the cause and also for those suffering from a deteriorating organ and the families affected by it.
• I would like to change the public’s behaviour by getting more people to carry an organ donor card.

Horace Hibbert’s Story

When Horace Cleve Hibbert came back from the 2001 World Transplant Games in Japan clutching a gold medal it was a remarkable victory - for him and medical science. Ten years earlier Horace was in a coma and close to death after his liver ceased to function as a result of cryptogenic cirrhosis. Horace was given a transplant in January 1992, but his body rejected the new liver, soon after the operation.
"I was living on the edge. Most people didn't think I would make it," said Horace.

But in July 1992 he was given a second liver - and the operation was a complete success.

"From the day I walked out of the hospital I have been really fit, apart from the occasional cold," said Horace

When he returned to the hospital for a check-up, someone mentioned the transplant games and suggested he should go along. Horace won a place in the 1997 World Games in Sydney, and returned with bronze medals from the 100 and 200 metres, and gold from the relay. At Budapest two years later he won two silvers and gold in the same three events. Then in Japan, he became the world long jump champion, clearing 5.86m, and won silver in the relay.
Horace went from lying on his death bed to becoming a worldwide athlete in the space of 5 years thanks to the work of the NHSBT- organ donation

The NHSBT is part of the NHS, but is mainly run on volunteers whether it is the nurses or the donators, they need our support.

So why should you care about those who are suffering...............

• Their lives are just as worthy as ours but they are the ones who are suffering.
• They won’t see their children or even grand-children grow up.
• People like you or I are suffering from a deteriorating organ and there is nothing they can do about it.

So please help!
Please take a few moments to answer these questions.

1. Do you now feel more informed about the NHSBT?
2. Have your feelings now changed towards the NHSBT if so what are they?
3. Would you now be willing to become an organ donor in the future?

For more information go to http://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/ukt/default.asp
Thank you for taking time to read my blog!

A Miserable Death or An Enjoyed Life? Rowcroft Hospice

Thank you for taking time to read my blog!  If you had a life shortening illness you want the best quality of life for the years, months, weeks or even days that you have left.  I’m Hannah and I feel very strongly that people should be given this opportunity and as luck would have it this is what Rowcroft Hospice do!  I don’t know whether you have come across Rowcroft before but a most people don’t know about the wonderful work that the volunteers do there to help people like Rebecca.   By reading my blog I hope that understand a bit more about the work that is done for more than 1800 people and their families a year.  Also after reading this blog I hope you will donate to Rowcroft Hospice.

Here is a brief summary of Rebecca’s mum’s story. On February 11th Rebecca’s mum was taken to hospital with breathing difficulties. She had to complete an intense course of radiotherapy to then be diagnosed with thyroid cancer.  The next day she discovered that her quite aggressive cancer had spread. She asked the consultant if they would be able to operate while hoping for a good response.  But sadly there was nothing that could be done.  Shockingly Rebecca’s mum was told the day after, that there were tumours in her lungs and chest.  The cancer was spreading fast.  All she wanted to do was spend as much happy time with her family as possible.  Luckily Rebecca managed to get a space at Rowcroft Hospice for her mum and was looked after with extreme care and love.  The volunteers there made sure she was always happy and comfortable.  She was allowed to see her family as much as she wished.  Rebecca’s mum was very cheerful for every minute of her remaining time.  This is a piece that her Rebecca wrote. ‘She swam 2 weeks before she died, she went to ballet just over a week before she died, she climbed the stairs the week before she died, she smiled the day she died.  She lived till she couldn’t live anymore!’

Rowcroft Hospice made Rebecca’s mum’s life wonderful. Even if it is only a small donation every penny counts and adds up.  Your donations would buy food, clothes, books and newspapers,  new bedding, new plates and cutlery, resources and equipment (eg. for hairdressing and cooking), and for plants in the gardens. Rowcroft need you help from donations, going to charity events and sponsering other people to do amazing things like the Sponsored Sleep Walk.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog.  Please now may you post your thoughts below. I would be very greatful if you if you could also answer these questions for extra feedback.  If you would like anymore information or you are interested about donating you could go to Rowcroft Hospice’s officail site at http://www.rowcrofthospice.org.uk/ please help those who need, to have the best quality of life for the time that they have left.  If you do post anything below, please can you tell me where your from i.e. you home town and country (if not in the UK).

• Had you heard about the wonderful things that Rowcroft Hospice do before?
• Do you now feel more informed and understand about the use of Rowcroft Hospice?
• Would you now help by…

1. Making a donation to Rowcroft?
2. Sponsoring other people doing challenges raising money for Rowcroft?
3. Doing a challenge yourself and getting sponsored?
4. Going to Rowcroft charity events and fetes?
5. Becoming a volunteer at Rowcroft yourself?

 Many Thanks!
Hannah

Animals abused in cruel sports – help put an end to the suffering. FULL STOP.

Hello, my name is Haneen and thank you for showing an interest in my Blog. I feel very strongly about animals being used and abused in cruel sports. They do not deserve it. What have they ever done to us?  I want to spread the word about the cruelty and the neglect. Also, why this matters to you.

For my blog, I have taken an interest in the League Against Cruel Sports (L.A.C.S). The League was started by members of the R.S.P.C.A who felt strongly that cruelty inflicted in the name of sport was particularly barbaric and upsetting. It is an animal welfare organisation against all blood sports, such as greyhound racing. They think that animals should not be used as targets or objects to be chased for someone’s entertainment. The League has developed effective ways to thwart such sports, gaining public support and causing difficulty for the people inflicting the cruelty.

The League Against Cruel Sports have had many achievements since the founding of the campaign in 1923. The most recent achievements are that through their investigations and legal team they have worked closely with the police and CPS to ensure those who illegally hunt animals for sport are brought to justice.  To date there has been at least one conviction every two weeks since the ban began in 2005. They are also, working as part of a coalition to gain a ban on bullfighting in Catalonia. In addition, Hare coursing has been banned in Northern Ireland following years of campaigning by the League. The previous achievements are, getting hunting banned in 2004 after 80 years of pressure and exposing the cruelty of game bird shooting for sport and preventing it from being allowed on Sundays. The leagues campaigns now are to prevent dog fighting, shooting, snaring, greyhound racing and trophy hunting. The organisation provides a safe haven for the hunted animals. The League owns 36 areas of land across Somerset and Devon, which are maintained as wildlife reserves and enable us to monitor and investigate hunting and shooting activities.

However, why should you care? It’s a sad fact that animals are dying every day and that trying to protect them comes at a high price. To help win the fight for example, illegal fox hunting, we need your support because it is vital and to raise money. Also, to be able to purchase essential evidence-gathering equipment. In order for the dedicated team of hunt investigators to be able to capture footage to build a case to help prosecute hunters breaking the law, they need your money to provide the right equipment because as you know this can be very expensive.

Are you now more informed? Are you willing to donate to the campaign? Will you spread the word to your family and friends? Do you want to findout more about the campaign?

Thank you again for taking your time to read my blog. I hope that you have now taken an interest in my campaign and have a better knowledge of what and why the campaign does all this for the suffering animals. If you want to find out more about whythe campaign does all this then why don’t you visit the website on this link: http://www.league.org.uk/.

If you want to write a letter to the L.A.C.S then this is the address:
League Against Cruel Sports
New Sparling House
Holloway Hill
Godalming
Surrey GU7 1QZ

Also, you could telephone the campaign: 01483 524 250.

Thank you again for taking the time to read my blog. I hope, by reading this, it would have made you more aware of the suffering and neglect many animals are going through every day.

By Haneen

Cancer’s deadly- helping is not, please support Cancer Research

Thank you for taking your time to read my blog all about Cancer Research. I am called Emily. Even though most people know how deadly cancer is they do not know how much can be done about it. The majority of people read about it and then they just move on. Hopefully, my blog will help you to realise how important it is to help charities like Cancer Research and what a small amount of money can do for people with cancer.

Here are some facts and figures to show you how serious cancer really is:

-In 2009, there were more than 156,000 cancer deaths in the UK.  –About 28% of all deaths in the UK were due to cancer.
-Over a quarter of the world’s population has cancer.
-More than 1 in 3 people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime.

As you can see, cancer is not just some disease that doctors can cure and the victim can just move on. It is a worldwide killing disease and probably one of the worst, if not the most. Some cases of cancer are curable, as I am sure most of you know, however some are not and are terminal. There is no way out of this type of cancer.

Most people under the age of 15 don’t really think about the possibility that they could get cancer. Most children are aware of this I am sure, but not many people like to think about it, and when people think of cancer patients, the majority of people think of adults. But children are victims as well, and a lot of children can be affected! Around 1,500 children (under 15s) are diagnosed with a childhood cancer each year. Almost 8 out of every 10 children are diagnosed with cancer will live for at least 5 years (majority cured). It is the most common cause of death from illness in children between the ages of 1 and 15. So as you can see, even children that are so young can die from this disease.

Just imagine you had terminal cancer. Imagine you were lying in a hospital bed and you knew that you had only a few months left of your life. Wouldn’t it make you feel so much better to know that somewhere out there people were donating money to help you? Wouldn’t that make you feel as though the whole world were on your side? Maybe it even comforts some people with the knowledge that they aren’t alone. You can do that for someone with cancer. You can help someone and even if it’s the smallest bit of help possible, wouldn’t you feel great knowing that somebody will benefit? That somebody out there is feeling grateful for the help that you have given them. I know I would, and I’m sure that you would to. You can make a difference.

Thanks again for reading my blog.
Emily.

The Stroke Association – They need help – You need to know

Hello I’m Amy and welcome to my blog, thank you for taking an interest in not only my blog but my charity. The stroke association is a charity very close to my heart for many reasons. People all over the world are having strokes every year and it is the cause of 4.4 million deaths a year. When you have finished reading my blog I hope that you will feel more informed about the stroke association and what they do and feel that you want to help.

A stroke can happen to any one young and old, here is an inspiring example:

We had no idea that it could happen to children. Jacob was three, almost four, and he woke up in the night feeling sick, and we thought it was just a childhood illness, so we cleaned him up and he slept with me, very heavily. When we woke him he was semi-conscious, drowsy and sleepy. We were getting worried, and we rang the doctor, and between the call and the doctor arriving he deteriorated and was staggering around. The doctor took one look at him and decided to get him to hospital. No one had a clue what was wrong with him. The doctors thought it was encephalitis, then he went for an MRI scan, and later an angiogram. He had the stroke on October 12, and we didn't get the exact diagnosis until Christmas. It was a relief - at least we knew what it was then. He was paralysed down the right side of his body, and he was as helpless as a new-born baby. A social worker put us in touch with a specialist brain injury unit.

My husband and I learnt the techniques, and we worked hard with him every day. The therapy was intensive. I spent every minute of every hour working on him. He was only three, so I had to make it fun - we'd play games all the time. I'd dip his right hand in chocolate spread, and ask him to lick it off! The therapy helped him enormously. It took four or five weeks before we saw any sign of recovery; when we saw the tiniest sign of movement, it was amazing. Nowadays, he's very active, very chatty. He's sociable and has lots of friends, and is so easy-going - he's a real charmer and very caring. Now he has weakness on the right hand side of his body, but he can play tennis and run and walk. A year after it happened he started mainstream school. We were determined that he would do that. He's won a national Child of Achievement award and a Life After Stroke award too.

It just goes to show what can happen and that it can happen to anyone even those who have already had a stroke.
Thank you again for reading my blog, please post your thoughts. Also it would be great if you could answer the following questions if you do please can you inform me of your town and country (if you don’t live in the uk)

• Had you heard of what a stroke could do before?
• Do you now feel more informed?
• Would you be prepared to do one of the following…

Make a donation
Start or join a fundraising campaign
Tell your friends and family about the Stroke Association
Become a volunteer

You can find out more info available at http://www.stroke.org.uk Many thanks Amy

You don’t have to be blind to appreciate the benefits of Guide dogs for the Blind.

Hi, my name is Fern, and I would like to thank-you for taking your time to read my blog and showing a great interest into my moving topic. My aim is to hopefully raise awareness and money for my worthy cause. I believe that Guide Dogs for the Blind Association’s work should be recognised and promoted, by addressing these issues it will help facilitate a better quality of life for blind and partially sighted people, enabling them to take part in society on a more equal basis. My advocacy will have 4 aims; 1) Raise awareness of Blind issues, enabling a better understanding how being blind effects everyday tasks such as shopping. 2)  Try to gain support for voluntary work/charity fundraising for Guide Dogs.  I would like to inspire my readers to support Guide Dogs.  Working together everyone can raise sufficient funds to make a real difference to blind people.  It costs Guide Dogs for the Blind £5,000 a year for each dog, for the life of the dog to enable them to offer this basic right of independence. 3)  Raise awareness of attacks on working Guide Dogs by other dogs; the psychological effect on the blind owner and working dog, with most dogs having to be retired as a direct result. Myself and mum have already campaigned to our local MP to change the law to make the attacking dog’s owner responsible for compensation to the owner and Guide Dogs for the Blind for the full value of the working dog, and a lifetime ban on owning another dog.  4)  Attitudes to working Guide Dogs.  Many support Guide Dogs, but I have met others who disagree with having working dogs.  Through talks and explaining a typical day for a working Guide Dog, it can be made clear that a working dog’s life is a happy life.

Funded by solely fundraising; no money from the government, the charity has to raise enough money to train and maintain the special dogs. Without any donations from the public Guide Dogs wouldn’t be able to run and the charity will eventually collapse and then no one would benefit. This is concerning as the number of blind people are rising, Guide Dogs’ biggest clients are people retired and evacuated from the forces. This is why I need your help, to help raise a little puppy to become a life changer!

A true story
Here is an example; Lance Corporal Craig Lundberg lost his eyesight fighting for his country in Iraq. Craig lost his sight during a battle in Basra. Targeted by a rocket-propelled grenade, he was lucky to survive the blast which resulted in an open wound on his arm and the loss of his left eye. This left him blind. When Craig lost his eyesight he lost his courage and bravery, he stayed in his home, scared to go outside. So Guide Dogs decided to help. They paired him up with his trusty companion Hugo; Hugo gave him the strength and confidence he needed to overcome his fear of going outside.They paired him up with his trusty companion Hugo; Hugo gave him the strength and confidence he needed to overcome his fear of going outside. Thanks to Hugo Craig endeavored to keep active and climbed Kilimanjaro. He also threw himself into his football; playing for Hereford United blind football team he received tips along the way from fellow players David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and John Terry. These clearly paid off as he was honoured with the Player of the Year Award in 2010.

Some people mistake the focus of a working dog as glum sadness, the actual time working in a day is very short, they enjoy a life with constant companionship of their owner, not waiting at home 8 hours a day for an owner to return from work, and all working dogs have a minimum of 2 extended free runs each week.

I, myself, have witnessed the effects and changes to the blind people.

Guide Dogs’ for the Blind is an organisation that treats people that suffer from being blind and helps to support them through the process. As it’s an establishment that relies on people’s donations and fundraising because without them Guide Dogs for the Blind wouldn’t be what it is today. You can do this by going on their website:
http://www.guidedogs.org.uk

Thank-You for reading my Blog, I hope it changed the way you feel towards Guide Dogs and that you feel as strong as I do. I would be extremely grateful if you could please answer the questions that follow;

1. Are you now more aware about Guide Dogs for the Blind?
2. Do you support their views?
3. Are you prepared to tell others about the organisation?
4. Would you consider donating your time or money?
5. Please could you also say where you live (i.e. town or country)

Thank-You very much!
Fern

Too many ponies or too little moor?

Thank you for noticing and taking the time to read our blog, we are Izzie and Eleanor and we hope you will gain some knowledge about our charity- ‘The Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony’, registered charity number- 1141045 .  Helping ponies on Dartmoor is a topic we both feel strongly about; as we think it will affect Devon’s future. We hope that by the time you have read this blog, you will be informed and ready to take action.

One of the ponies on site is Puff the magic dragon!  Even though he wasn’t one of their branded ponies, he regularly visited the site as a foal on the moor. They soon found out he was a long lost relative; his mother was one of their own ponies. He had got lost and not been branded (recognizably marked). He was afraid of everything and puffed when he got nervous, therefore they called him Puff. After hard work and determination, they took the first steps towards training Puff. He soon learnt that humans were to be trusted and even let them put a cart-pulling harness on him. His confidence grew and grew and he is now one of their most trusted and strongest ponies.

If Puff hadn’t of been found and trained are left alone on the moor, he would have been taken away and slaughtered for meat at zoos. This is what happens to vulnerable ponies because their population is growing. But ‘The Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony’ can help. They take the ponies and castrate the males and give the females the ‘pony pill’! This is to prevent unnecessary foals being born and put a stop to inbreeding.

Thanks again for taking your time to read our blog, we hope you have learnt something new and hope you will attend fundraising events we will do in the near future

Please write a comment and answer some of these questions: How do you feel about this charity? Will you support them? Would you feel happy about donating? Have you learnt anything about this charity from this blog? Where do you live (town and country if not UK) ?

Thanks again, Izzie and Eleanor, 8B

Campaign Kidney

Help Exeter Kidney unit and their patient association …

My name is Ellen and first thank you very much for choosing my blog. This unit helps thousands of people with different kidney problems all across Devon and some of Somerset. I have a strong interest in Exeter Kidney Unit as my grandfather was treated there. People often haven’t heard of the unit or the many diseases they treat there. Once you have read my blog I hope to have raised awareness of my cause, Exeter Kidney unit.

I would first like to tell you my grandfather’s story. He had kidney failure and therefore had to have treatment from the unit for more than 4 years. The treatment was vital in keeping him alive without he would not survive. He went to dialysis three times a week for hours on end. Government funding is barely enough for the unit and it is compromised for bigger institutions. We need you support. With over 40 years of helping people all they ask for is a little help.

Thank you for reading my blog and please tell others of my cause. Your response is vital to me so please write your thoughts. Just a few fantastic words will help, if you decide to help the unit and need advice please don’t hesitate to contact me or here is the website for the Exeter unit patient association: http://edkpa.org/default.aspx. If you do post a response please tell me where you come from e.g. town and county also you country if not from the UK. Here are some questions that you may want to answer in your response

• Had you ever heard of the unit and the work they do before reading my blog? If so how?
• Would you help support the unit financially or by raising awareness? If so which one?
• Would you like to know more about the unit and the work? If so what specifically?
• Do you feel informed of my cause? If so please tell me what I could have done better.

Thanks again,
Ellen

Richard’s Wish, wishing away Cancer

My name is Rebecca and thank you for taking your time to read my blog. Richards wish is a local Dawlish based charity which aims to help cancer sufferers and their families. Sometimes they aim to make their life easier; other times just aim to bring families closer and hopefully ease off coming pain. By the end of my blog I hope for you to know more about Richard’s Wish, more about what they do and hopefully make you willing to support them.

One person whose life was made better is a young girl (I will withhold her name for privacy), aged 4 has cancer on her optic nerve, leaving her blind in one eye and very poorly sighted in the other.

Her family’s TV had a small screen, so small that she could not watch it or her favourite programs, so her mother asked Richard’s Wish if they could buy her a larger screened television so that the girl could watch TV.

Richard’s Wish bought her a large flat screened TV so now the girl can watch her favourite programs all she likes.

Young girl receiving her television from Richard’s Wish (she is just holding the box as the new TV is set up behind her)

Thank you for reading my blog and now it would be really helpful if you could please help me again by posting a comment about my blog by answering the following questions;

Had you heard about Richard’s Wish before reading my blog?

Do you now feel more informed about what they do?

Would you now be willing to support Richard’s Wish/make a donation?

Would you be willing to host/be part of a fundraiser?

Finally please could you state where you come from/live (home town and country)

Thank you again for reading my blog Rebecca

 If you wish to know more about Richard’s Wish and how it came about you can visit its Facebook page or www.richardswish.org

Crisis for the farmers, help the Farm Crisis Network keep food on the table.

Hi, I’m Joanna, thank-you very much for showing an interest in my blog. Firstly, I think you should know a bit about what my campaign is. Basically, farmers are not being treated fairly enough; they suffer from financial, physical and mental problems and do not get enough support from the government and general public. I hope that once you have read my blog you will understand the problems farmers face, what the FCN do to help the farmers overcome their problems, and possibly consider donating to the FCN or going along to a fundraising event, or simply spread the word. My blog is mainly based on dairy farming as my parents and family farm on a dairy farm so I have experienced all the problems myself and know most of the side effects.

An example of the FCN helping someone is this case. A man’s wife was suffering from cancer, he had to do all of the paperwork that she would have normally done, plus all of the manual work he originally did. Because of all the stress he was going through, he began to make mistakes in the paperwork and got into trouble with the Single Farm Payment Agency. Someone referred him to the FCN, they talked to the Government and he now receives the appropriate benefits he deserves. Without the FCN he wouldn’t have been able to cope which would result in him having to close the farm because there would have been too much stress to handle.

The FCN provide volunteers in each county who walk along with the farmer until their problem is resolved. They do not just abandon the farmer however; they can carry on seeing them for further reassurance and guidance. They can liaise with professionals such as accountants and the government, the FCN give them friendly back-up and can help organise their way of handling all of the many issues around the farm.

One of the biggest problems is the milk price; on average, it costs more to produce a litre of milk than the companies pay for it. This should change. You may be thinking how does this affect me? Many farm businesses are going bust because of the profit loss, resulting in less milk and other dairy products to be available. Soon there will be hardly any left; all of the larger businesses such as Dairycrest where the milk goes to once it has left the farm will not gain enough profit, therefore they will close down leaving plenty of unemployment.

To find out more about the Farm Crisis Network, visit http://www.farmcrisisnetwork.org.uk/.

Please answer the following questions in the comments so I can tell how your thoughts have changed and how effective this blog has been.

1. Were you aware before of how many problems farmers face?
2. Had you ever heard of the FCN before now?
3. Do you now understand more about what the FCN does to help farmers?
4. What is your opinion of the FCN?
5. Would you now be prepared to:

• Make a donation,
• Fundraise for the FCN,
• Attend a fundraising event for the FCN,
• Or just spread the word about the FCN to your friends and family.

Thanks again for taking the time to read my blog,
Joanna.

Animals are not Clowns – Please Support the Captive Animal’s Protection Society!

First of all, thank you so much for taking an interest in my blog. My name is Susie and I am currently undertaking my GCSE Citizenship. For this, he had  to choose a charity or organisation we are passionate about, and advocate for this organisation. I chose the Captive Animals Protection Society, a charity that works all over the globe to help diminish the exotic pet trade, illegal and abusive zoos, and animals in circuses. I have focussed my advocacy on animals in circuses. This is a charity that is close to my heart as a) I am a huge animal lover, and b) I hate to see cruelty in action.

Take Anne the elephant, for example. Anne was held captive all of her life, until shocking footage of her being ‘taught to behave’ was released on the internet. During these videos, Anne is whipped, kicked and smacked, so hard you can see her entire body ripple in pain and the sound echo throughout the cramped room where she was chained by her legs.

Anne faced this torture every day of her life since she was bought by the circus in the 1950s. Until this footage was released. Campaigners immediately sprang into action, lobbying the government, and with the help of an article that was published in the daily mail asking for donations, Anne the elephant was moved to Longleat Safari Park in Bath. Earlier this year, I went to visit Anne. I was happy to see her having fun in her new sand pit, but was shocked to see the scars still evident around her body. Longleat hope to be able to buy her a companion later this year, so she can be able to live her last years in peace.

To support my advocacy, I am not going to ask you for money or even time. All I request is for you to spread the word. Tell your parents, siblings, friends, enemies, about how the torture of animals in circuses should end. Also, if a circus happens to be in town, then please, before going to it, check to make sure there are no animals involved. If there are animals performing, this is illegal. Although there has been a recent ban put in place to stop animals being used in circuses, it is believed that there are still around seven of these torture chambers travelling around the U.K.

I would be very grateful if you could please answer a few questions for me, in the comment sections below:

• Have you ever heard about the issue of animal circuses before reading my article?
• Would you boycott an animal circus if one came to town?
• If the opportunity arose, would you consider donating money to CAPS?
• Please can you tell me your town (and country, if not in the U.K)?

Thank you once again :)

The Torbay Holiday Helpers Network – Making terminally ill children’s lives worth living.

My name is Ella and firstly I would just like to thank you for taking the time to read my blog and for taking an interest! I am currently trying to raise awareness for a local charity in the Torbay area that I feel very passionately about. By reading this blog you will find out more and hopefully by the end of it will feel just as strongly as I do!

Children suffering from terminal illness’ go through a very hard time, as do their families. The children don’t get to experience lots of the things that others do their age and a lot of their time is spent in hospitals and at specialist units, along with the rest of their family. Their time together is precious but not very much of it is actually spent having fun or getting to enjoy each other’s company due to their child’s illness. These families often spend their money on whatever treatment is available and therefore have little money left to do things like go on holiday.

The charity I am advocating for, The Torbay Holiday Helpers Network  is a Torbay based charity that invites families with terminally ill children from all over the UK to come down to Torbay for a free holiday. This gives the families a chance to relax and spend quality time with each other, whilst having lots of fun at the same time! The families spend about a week down in the Torbay area and whilst they are away, their stress and worries from back home are forgotten. They are given the chance to spend time at some of Torbay’s top attractions and at Torbay’s glorious beaches. And all for free due to the generosity of local businesses and attractions.

Restaurants and cafes etc. let families who are taking part in the Torbay Holiday Helpers Network holidays eat for free and attractions like Woodlands donate free tickets to the charity. Other businesses donate gifts for the families to enjoy. The generosity of the businesses and attractions enables the charity to operate successfully and improve the lives of many families who often come back for holidays more than once. Without the help and support from the general public, the Torbay Holiday Helpers network wouldn’t be able to survive.

This is Connor and Charlotte Bragg, 2 children who benefited greatly from the work of the THHN! Charlotte is only 6 and is currently beating cancer for the second time in her short life. Her 8 year old brother Connor is the most empathetic and caring boy in the world. Their free week in Torbay was        fun-filled, exciting and a very special treat and they loved every minute of it! Families from all over the UK benefit from special holidays just like the Braggs did.

Thank you again for reading my blog, I would be extremely grateful if you could please take the time to answer the questions below and leave a response on your thoughts. If you would like to find out more about the charity then please follow this link to their official website: http://www.thhn.co.uk/

• Had you ever heard of the Torbay Holiday Helpers Network?
• Do you now feel more informed about the Torbay Holiday Helpers Network after reading my blog?
• Would you now be prepared to help the Torbay Holiday Helpers Network by spreading the word of the charity, donating money or getting any local businesses that you know of involved with the charity?

Thank you very much!
Ella

ShelterBox – One Box Saves A Thousand Lives

Hi, I’m Amanda and I am currently in the middle of preparing for an upcoming Citizenship GCSE. Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read my blog on ShelterBox. ShelterBox is a worldwide charity based in Cornwall, Devon, which aims to help everyone and anyone, no matter what their race, culture or religion, who are affected by natural disasters. The aid is given in the shape of a box (one per family) which contains many pieces of equipment, essential for survival.

Without ShelterBox, it is certain that many innocent people would have to face death, in brutal savage ways, due to natural disasters. When natural disasters strike, nothing can get in their way. Floods, cyclones, earthquakes, hurricanes and many others will destroy anything and everything in their path, including humans. This is why most of the people affected by these disasters, are left with nothing; no home, no belongings, no nothing. How can we actually let all these people live without anything? How can we let them spend their days in agony, with no food, no shelter; nothing? We can’t let this happen.

ShelterBox is a cause well worth supporting, and one person who definitely agrees with this statement is Ferry, a man who was aboard a surf charter ship during a tsunami. His story begins the night of the tsunami, when the ship was anchored and the captain reported that he felt an earthquake. The crew simply continued with their night, thinking nothing of it, saying it was only the vibrations of the generator. However, within seconds, the crew heard the sound of a wave coming towards them. It was too late for them to even make a move; the wave hit the boat only moments later. Passengers were beginning to jump of the ship, just as it caught fire. Ferry and a few of the crew members tried to extinguish the flame, but it soon got out of control, due to the fuel in the engine room. At this point, Ferry jumped out the ship, but couldn’t grab hold of anything. He kept trying, but soon enough the surge was too strong and it took him 200 metres inland. However, Ferry was lucky enough to grab hold of a palm tree when he neared the shore, from where the ShelterBox crew found him. But it was a close call, and he could have been killed; clearly showing just how vicious these disasters are.

ShelterBox is doing really well to save innocent people such as Ferry from natural disasters, however the need for funds doesn’t disappear; much more money is needed to save more lives.

Thank you for reading my blog, I hope it benefited you in understanding just how brilliant this charity is. It would be extremely helpful if you could leave a comment below, answering just a few questions. Also, please leave your town and country if you live outside the UK, as this will also help me in my upcoming GCSE.

-    Had you heard of ShelterBox before reading this blog?
-    Do you now feel more informed about the topic and everything it does?
-    Would you now be willing to support ShelterBox, by either donating or telling your friends or family?
-    Any other comments, things you’d like to mention?

Thank you once more for reading my blog. – Amanda