A complete list of our posts addressing various citizenship issues can be accessed by clicking through the chronological list on the right hand side of this page. Alternatively you can use the 'Search This Blog' option below the Torquay Girls Grammar School Logo.

Please note that comments for pre-2013 posts have now been disabled. However, we encourage you to leave a comment on any of the new 2013 issues that interest you by clicking on 'comments' at the end of each post. All comments are moderated by school staff prior to posting.


Monday 21 July 2014

B-eat- Eating Disorders What happens if its you?

Thank you for spending the time to read my blog! I am Sophie and my blog is about making a point about Eating Disorders. This is something that I feel quite strongly about. Not many people know a lot of information or aware of how serious they are. I have chosen B-eat as my Citizenship GCSE, they help teens and adults with Eating Disorders. B-eat is the only Eating Disorder charity in the UK and the largest in the world! It helps with Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge eating disorder and EDNOS (eating disorders not other specified). It can affect psychological problems as well as physical. I think you should take the time to support what they do because it is amazing how they can help people. You can support them by donating money and doing different activities like sponsored walks, swims e.t.c.

There is an endless list that can lead to eating disorders from bullying to parents getting divorced and deaths. Unfortunately it can be a while until someone has an Eating Disorder which means it may not be as easy to get better. Some people don’t even notice themselves not eating but when other people see physical changes in weight they may become a victim of being called an “attention seeker”. When this happens to a victim it can only make them feel worse about themselves and may become bulimic which is when they force themselves to be sick.

 You may be thinking “why am I reading this, none of this applies to me” well, what would happen if it did? Or maybe to a close friend or family member? You would want them receive the right medication and support they need. Reading this can really benefit you and others and I hope I can change people’s opinions from “anorexic people are attention seekers”, to “I want to help this charity and support and donate!” It can be hard to sympathise for those who do have it because you don’t know what it feels like. Psychologically it affects them greatly because they become very quiet and not wanting to talk. They also only think about ways to lose weight or ways to not eating.

This is why B-eat help those who are struggling to cope. They offer free online calls to help those who want to talk in confidence, where someone understands them. B-eat also offer a progress tracker and message boards where people with the same condition can talk. They do numerous activities to make Eating Disorders well known. There are talks and meetings that happen where people can go along to understand them. B-eat also arrange various events like sponsored walks, car washes, dress down day to work e.t.c. to raise money and to make people more aware of what they do to help.

Thank you again so much for taking the time to read my blog. I hope you now know a bit more about Eating Disorders and will consider supporting and donating to B-eat! If you would like to find out more visit www.b-eat.co.uk


Please could you answer these questions in the comments? Thank you!

  1. Have you heard of B-eat before
  2. Do you feel more informed about B-eat and Eating Disorders>
  3. Would you consider donating and supporting them?
  4. Any queries of questions?
Please could you say your country, home town (if not UK)
Thank you again!
Sophie

Cerebra help children and their families who have brain related conditions, help from you can do so much.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog I am Megan! Learning disabilities are a very heartfelt thing for me, not many people are aware of what a learning disability is Cerebra are a charity that know the ins and outs of learning disabilities. They help families who have children with Learning disabilities to understand and cope with their situation. Cerebra have been a massive help personally to me, in my blog you will understand more about learning disabilities and the story of Jacob, my younger brother, pictured below hopefully it will entice you to find out more and support this life changing charity.

Jacob is 7 years old and takes tablets daily because of his learning disabilities. He struggles to do simple things such as get to sleep at night. Cerebra helped out my family by sending out a sleep therapist to help Jacob get into a routine that would help his body shut down. Now Jacob gets a great night sleep and copes a lot better. The link below takes you to the cerebra home page where you can find out more about learning disabilities and ways to donate.

http://www.cerebra.org.uk/English/Pages/home.aspx

Why should you care is on way to dismiss this blog and ignore it but learning disabilities are no joke, the number of people with them is ever increasing and it is time people heard about them. What if someone in your family had a learning disability? You wouldn’t know how to deal with it, without the help of Cerebra we wouldn’t either.

Thanks again for reading my blog. Please help me by posting a comment below containing your thoughts and responses. It would really help if you could answer the questions below in your comment! If you do post a response please let me know where you come from-hometown, country.

  • Have you heard of learning disabilities and hat they entail before?
  • Have you heard of Cerebra before?
  • Do you know feel more informed about the Cerebra and Learning disabilities?
  • Would you consider doing any of the following to help support children and families that are affected by learning disabilities…?
  1. Make a donation to cerebra?
  2. Start or join a fund raising campaign?
  3. Sign up to a regular email update on the activity of cerebra?
  4. Leave money in your will for Cerebra?
  5. Tell friends or family about Cerebra and try to persuade them to help out in any of the ways above?
Thank you very much again for taking and Interest in my blog!
Megan

SportsAid - Helping the sporting stars of tomorrow…

Thank you for showing interest in my blog, I’m Megan. As part of my Citizenship GSCE we have been asked to choose a charity we feel strongly about- mine being SportsAid. Some of you may not have heard of this charity before, but it’s a well worthy organisation to support, it helps the finest athletes to achieve their goals to reach the Olympics or Paralympics. Donating is easy, for more details click on the link: http://www.sportsaid.org.uk/get-involved/donate-now/

I am currently supporting SportsAid in all of their work; they fundraise for thousands of athletes of athletes every year and are Britain’s brightest hopes for future success. SportsAid is a well deserving charity and improves athletes’ potential significantly during their work. Also, it gives children cash awards during the defining early years of their career. The SportsAid awards they receive are funded by the charities partners, donors and fundraisers- recognising their achievements and potential before anyone else. The athletes are typically ages 12-18. In 2011 SportsAid invited and appointed her Royal Highness (Kate Middleton) to become their first sports patron. SportsAid spends over £6,400 on athletes sport and provides them with free equipment and top training facilities.


Here are a few examples of people who have already been helped:

Amber Hill, a 16 year old member of the British shooting team for Bracknell who has already equalled a senior world record.

Harry Coppell, a 17 year old pole vaulter from Wigan who this year became the first British male to win a world title in the discipline.

Jess Leyden, an 18 year old rower from Todmorden who is currently world number one.

There are obviously many more athletes who are achieving their goals and improving every day.

As you can see, this is a well deserving charity and needs as much support as it can get! They will make our country proud and never stop training. The important reason I have decided to advocate for this charity is because I am passionate about sport and it’s something I feel very strongly about, which will benefit me too.

Thank you ever so much for reading my blog. I would be ever so grateful if you could please 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 SportsAid before reading this?
  • Do you now feel more informed about the charity?
  • Would you now consider doing any of the following things to help athletes…?
  1. Make a donation to SportsAid?
  2. Fundraise or campaign to SportsAid?
  3. Raise awareness e.g tell your friends and family about SportsAid
Thanks again!
Megan

Safe water should be a right not a privilege! Water aid can help!

Hi, I’m Lucy 

First of all I would just like to say thank you very much for opening my blog as this is a very important issue that needs to be resolved.

I am advocating for WaterAid as I believe that it is a very important charity that needs our help. I am trying to raise awareness of the importance that every person gets clean water and good sanitation as it is a basic need and right that everyone deserves. 

I hope that after you read this you too will notice the importance and spread to more people.you cooked also support by raising money for WaterAid so they can help. You could do this by doing bake sales or fundraising events or just simply donating.

You may think that there's nothing you can do so why bother? And it's that attitude that needs to change if this issue can ever be resolved because supporting WaterAid can help and make a difference too many people's lives. 

The knowledge that you've made a difference to someone's life feels so good and boosts self confidence. Even just telling people about the issue can make a big difference! 

Water is something people take for granted everyday but what would it be like to have to walk miles to fetch water that can be lethal and full of life-threatening diseases. Even children as young as five have to take part in this deadly water walk! This then takes time out time that they could be in school getting and education and a better, brighter future to earn a good living. All this distress is caused by no clean water source. 

The way WaterAid changes these people's lives is incredible! WaterAid help the villages physically e.g installing fresh water pumps but the real life saver is the knowledge that is delivered. This knowledge is spread from village to village saving many lives! 

You should care because this may not be happening to you, you should care enough about changing lives around the world for the better by giving something as simple as water!


Orke’s story:

Orke was a mother of two with another child on the way. She was trekking on her daily deadly water walk for unsafe water teaming with life-threatening diseases and parasites to give to her own children because it’s all she has. On the way she felt the baby coming. She tried to carry on but she was too tired. She explained “I was very worried because when the baby fell he hit his head on the stone.” 1 day later that baby died. 1 month passed when WaterAid got to her village and installed a pump into the centre of the town. She now had a 5 minuet walk rather then her usual 5 mile walk for water that is clean and safe to drink. She then gave birth to 2 more healthy children that along with the other 2 had safe water, a better education and a bright future. 


Thank you very much again for genourously taking your time to read this blog. If you could just take a minuet to leave your thoughts and responses that would be great. It would be even better if you could answer the following questions in particular. Further details of the charity and how you can fundraise at http://www.wateraid.org/uk/ so please help these people LIVE not just SURVIVE!
  • Had you heard of WaterAid before?
  • Do you now feel more informed due to reading my blog?
  • Had you supported WaterAid before?
  • Would you be prepared to do any of the following
  • Make a donation to/fundraise for WaterAid?
  • Raise awareness for WaterAid?
  • Tell family and/or friends about WaterAid?
If you leave a response please tell me where you i.e. home town and country (if not UK)
Thank you very much again!
Lucy

FORCE Cancer Charity. There For You When You Need Them Most.

Hello, I’m Molly, and thank you for taking an interest in my blog. I am a strong supporter of a great charity called FORCE, and I am trying to raise awareness off the fabulous work that FORCE does so that maybe you could become a supporter too!

FORCE is a fantastic charity that helps people dealing with cancer and its effects. It does this through counselling and group support sessions. But, instead of me just telling that FORCE does great work here, I’ll show you that FORCE does great work!

  • FORCE has been around for 27 years, and in that time it has helped around 15,000 people per year.
  • That’s around 42 people a day!
  • FORCE also uses some of its donations to fund research done at Exeter RD&E Hospital that looks into the causes of cancer.
  • FORCE     holds loads of fundraising events that present a good day out for all the family, as well as raising lots of money!
So, FORCE is a well-known charity within Devon, and helps anyone, anywhere. But why should you care? You may not live near Devon, or know anyone with cancer! But here is a brave women that could tell you otherwise…

Donna is a 36 year old woman who lives in Exeter, Devon, with her two kids Lily (6), Alfie (9) and her husband Mark. She loves to hike and go walking on Dartmoor.

But 5 years ago, Donna’s world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was seriously ill, and spent two months in hospital undergoing treatment. When Donna left hospital, her self-confidence was very low, and she was incredibly scared of having to have more treatment. She felt alone and isolated.

But then a friend of Donna’s told her about FORCE. So, on 17th March 2010, Donna visited the FORCE centre for the first time to go to her first session- Coping with Hair Loss. Here, Donna made loads of new friends who were going through the same things that she was. After this session, Donna started weekly counselling sessions with Gill, a specially trained FORCE counsellor.

Donna is now recovering from her cancer, but she still sometimes visits the FORCE centre to see friends and help out. Thanks to the confidence that FORCE gave her, Donna now goes hiking with her husband and children, and has started to work helping other people with illnesses enjoy the beauty of hiking and walking on the lovely moors. As well as helping people like Donna though, FORCE also funds vital research into the causes of cancer, which one day could make a difference worldwide. To find out more, visit:


Thank you so much (again!) for reading my blog. If you now have any thoughts or comments about my blog, or FORCE, please feel free to leave me a comment. If possible, could you maybe respond to one of my following questions?

  • Before reading my blog, had you ever heard or supported FORCE before, by donating or taking part in a fundraiser?
  • Do you now feel more informed about FORCE?
  • Would you now consider: Donating to FORCE, Participating in a FORCE Fundraiser or Telling people about it?
Just to add, if you do post a response, please could you include where you are from (and country if not UK) Thank you again for taking the time to read my blog!
Molly

Every Child Deserves to have a Smile on their Face - Help Rays of Sunshine achieve this!

Hello, I’m Roisin and thank you for taking an interest in my blog about ‘Rays of Sunshine Children’s Charity.’ They are a charity who grants wishes of children living with life threatening illnesses, between the ages of 3 and 18 who live in the UK.

There are several things that I would like to prove to you in this blog:

  • Firstly, I would like to raise awareness about the kind of work Rays of Sunshine do to help seriously ill children
  • I would also like to change your behaviour so you feel just as strongly about Rays of Sunshine as I do.
  • Lastly, I would like you to support my charity because the work they do to help not only the child, but their families is amazing. You can do this by fundraising or simply just giving a small donation online.
  • Here is a link to their website, to make a donation: Rays of Sunshine.
Here is a brief story about how Rays of Sunshine helped 12 year old Thomas, when times were tough:

Thomas is 12 years old and comes from Flanshaw. He is living with Cystic Fibrosis, an inherited disorder that affects the cell membranes, causing the production of thick and sticky mucus. Despite what his illness brings to his life, Thomas likes to get on with things without making a fuss or bringing attention to himself. His hobbies include playing for the local football team and he loves cycling and swimming. Thomas also really enjoys hanging out with his friends, he is the comedian among them!

Thomas' greatest wish was to go to Disneyworld Florida.

On 26th May 2013, Rays of Sunshine arranged for Thomas, Sister Katy, Mum and Dad to travel to Orlando, Florida where they checked into Give Kids The World. Thomas and his family spent the next 7 days enjoying all that Give Kids The World had to offer as well as spending lots of time at Disneyworld!

After the wish, Thomas' mum Donna said; the wish was amazing!! The whole experience blew our minds! It completely exceeded our expectations! We can’t thank Rays of Sunshine enough for what they have done for Thomas and us. They have been brilliant.

Thomas’s wish is only one example of the incredible work Rays of Sunshine do to help the families of those whose children are seriously ill. It takes just a small donation from many people for a wish like this to happen.

So why should you care? You should care about the work Rays of Sunshine do, because they provide a smile on a child’s face, something very valuable. It might not affect you, but in the future a family member or friend could become ill and relay on the work Rays of Sunshine do. Just think. Put yourself in the position of those ill kids, all they want in life is too fulfil their wish, and that is what Rays of Sunshine do for them. Would you like Rays of Sunshine to help you during those tough times? Because that is exactly what they can do- with your help.  

Thank you so much again for reading my blog! Please now post a response with your thoughts. It would be great if you could just write a few words in answer to the following questions:

  • Had you heard of the work Rays of Sunshine have done before reading my blog?
  • Do you know feel more informed about the kind of work Rays of Sunshine do, to help the families of those who are ill?
  • Would you now be prepared to help Rays of Sunshine, by doing one of the following things?
  1. Make a donation to Rays of Sunshine?
  2. Join or start up your own fundraising event/group?
  3. Sign up to receive the latest news about their charity on their website?
  4. Make a purchase from ‘The Fragrance shop’ as 5p of every purchase goes towards Rays of Sunshine?
  5. Tell your friends or family about the work Rays of Sunshine charity do- and try and persuade them to help out in any of the ways above?
If you do kindly respond, please tell me where you’re from, ie: your home town and country.

Thank you so much for taking an interest with my blog!
Roisin!

We need to educate the next generation. Farms for City Children can help.

Hi, I’m Livvy! Thanks for clicking on my blog! I hope you enjoy reading about Farms for City Children and the things they do for underprivileged children across the UK.

When reading the title you might be thinking reading, writing, maths ect. Wrong. What I mean is farming and agriculture. Now you are probably thinking “But that isn’t important”. Wrong again. Farms for City Children is a charity that allows inner-city schools to organise a trip to let the children learn about why tending to the land and the animals is so important- and, more importantly, have fun!

When visiting one of the three farms the children get a chance to:

  • Feed livestock 
  • Muck-out stables
  • Groom horses and donkeys
  • Assist at milking time
  • Tend the kitchen gardens
  • Apple pressing (seasonal- autumn)
  • Bonfires (seasonal- autumn)
  • Lambing (seasonal- spring)
“But why should I care?” I hear you ask. You should care because Farms for City Children has made hundreds of children’s, up and down the country, dreams happen. This then gives them time in a relaxed environment away from the busy city. If we don’t act quickly, in years to come only a select few will know about agriculture and your family may not be in that few and will be uneducated. I ask you this: if you wouldn’t want your family to be in this situation why let others be in it?

Donating just £10 can pay to replace:

  • An essential child-sized shovel, fork, or rake
  • Child’s waterproof trousers
  • 3 wooden vegetable boxes
  • 2 child-sized brooms
  • 3 buckets
  • Bath mat
  • Shower curtain
Thanks (again!) for reading my blog. Please can you now post your response? Mainly your answers to the the following questions. Find out more at http://www.farmsforcitychildren.org/index.htm . Help Farms for City Children give children a once in a lifetime experience!
  • Had you already heard about Farms for City Children?
  • Do you now feel more informed about what they do?
  • Would you now be prepared to:
  1. Make a donation to ‘Farms for City Children’?
  2. Fundraise?
  3. Add your name to their seasonal newsletter mailing list?
  4. Spread the word!
If you do post any comments, please can you tell me where you come from (your hometown & country).

Thank you so much for reading my blog!
Livvy

Every day is a risk for the soldiers - We need more Help for Heroes.

Thank you for taking interest in my Blog! I’m Liberty and I believe that soldiers fighting for our country is something that should get supported for. Many people know about the soldiers but don’t take actions, such as simple donations to provide help for people like Mick in the picture below. Hopefully after you’ve read my Blog you will feel you want to help the many people like Mick.

Mick was injured in a suicide bomb attack in November 2004 whilst serving in Iraq. Mick lost both his legs and suffered serious injuries to his brain. His life had changed forever. Due to the support from Help for Heroes Mick was able to participate in the Exercise Snow Warrior (military ski training exercise for injured soldiers). Help for heroes was able to pay for his training and now he can live his dream. You can help people like Mick participate in more activities to make them much happier. Mick is now taking part in the 2014 Paralympic winter games.

Not all soldiers come home safely. Help for heroes made Micks dream come true. Just a simple donation or even fundraising can help others like mick for fill their dreams. Help for heroes cannot do it without you!

Why should you care? Due to the horrors of war many soldiers come back effected. Not just physically but mentally. Soldiers cannot live their lives to the full. Many end up depressed. Help for heroes can changed their frame of mind and turn their lives back on the right track. H4H do not just help the soldiers, they also help their families. It is the worst feeling ever knowing that your family member or friend is in a huge amount of risk 24/7. It is not nice I know. Help for Heroes also support soldiers and help them to for fill their dreams.

You are probably thinking “Why does this apply to me?” Help for Heroes cannot do this with donations and fundraisers, like you. You can help.



Thank you for reading my Blog! Please can you post your thoughts, answering the questions below? For more detail you can visit http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/  There is no Help for the Heroes without you!
  • Have you heard about the risks soldiers take on a daily basis?
  • Do you feel more informed about how Help for Heroes help?
  • Would you do any of the following to help improve the lives of damaged soldiers with no hope…? 
  1. Donate to Help for Heroes?
  2. Fundraise for Help for Heroes or join/start a campaign?
  3. Tell your Family and friends about Help for Heroes and what they do to help?
If you do post your feedback, please can you tell me where you come from i.e. you home town and country (if you don’t live in the UK!).

Thank you so much for reading my blog!
Liberty

The Alzheimer’s Society - Do You Remember?

Hello, my name is Jade and I first want to thank you for taking an interest in my blog! My theme is Dementia. I would like people to have better knowledge of Dementia, as it affects hundreds of thousands of England’s population, and many people have no idea how it could affect them.

I have three main aims that make up my advocacy, these are:

  • To Raise Awareness, people should know about Dementia, and understand how badly it affects the elderly population.
  • To Gain Support of the public, and encourage them to possibly donate to support vital research.
  • To Change People’s Opinions of Dementia, so they realise that it is not just another charity weaning money off the public.
Reasons to support my advocacy:
  • 1 in 3 over 65’s have Dementia
  • The number of people with dementia will double in the next 40 years
  • Dementia is a progressive disease, meaning it only gets worse
  • The Alzheimer’s Society rely on public donations to support vital research
  • There is no current cure for Dementia
How you can help:
  • Hold a small, localised event to raise awareness, gain support, and maybe even raise a little money for The Alzheimer’s Society!
  • Spread the word! Tell people about the rising issue of Dementia, you won’t regret it!
  • Join the fight!
These links will take you to The Alzheimer’s Society Website: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/ 
Dementia 2013 infographic - Alzheimer's Society

Here is the short story of how Dementia affected Malcolm and his family. Malcolm was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the age of 55. Malcolm cannot speak, feed himself, or even smile. He is now in a situation very similar to that of a newborn baby. His wife had to give up her job to look after him. All of her hobbies have had to be put on hold for him. She said, “I could not have coped with his illness without the Alzheimer’s Society, it was as though somebody had thrown me a lifebelt in very rough water.”

If you agree with my advocacy and support The Alzheimer’s Society in the fight against Dementia, please take the time to respond to these questions in the comments. (Please state your hometown/country if not UK)

  1. Had you previously known about The Alzheimer’s Society and what is does to support people with Dementia and their families?
  2. Would you consider telling your friends and family about this issue?
  3. Would you consider holding a fundraiser or donating to The Alzheimer’s Society?
  4. Did you find my post useful?                                                    
THANK YOU!
Jade :)

Growing old is inevitable, losing your memory can be helped-Support the Alzheimer’s Society

Hi! Thank you for taking an interest in my blog, I believe that the Alzheimer’s Society and being aware about dementia is vital as it is a growing problem in the UK. I hope that by reading my blog you will feel more aware of the emotional impacts of dementia and that you may feel inclined to help or donate.

Although dementia is rather well known as an illness, many are unaware of the emotional impacts to those effected and their families. The Alzheimer’s society is a charity group that works with those affected by dementia and supports them and their families all over the UK.

Dementia is a problem that I feel very strongly about as my Granddad has dementia and I know how it feels when someone close to you can’t remember your name. Christmastime is very hard for me because when I was younger I had a very good relationship with my Granddad and every year he would come over from Cyprus and they would stay for about a month. About three years ago we started to realise that Granddad would start to forget some words and was struggling to alternate from English to Greek. As the next two years passed we started to realise that his memory was progressively get worse and last Christmas he was unable to come to England and when I called him on Christmas Day I had to explain who I was to him. This was hard for me especially as we were close when I was younger. As he lives in Cyprus he doesn’t benefit from the amazing work that the Alzheimer’s society does which is a shame because, I believe that maybe his memory could have been helped if he had access to the Alzheimer’s Society.
 


Alzheimer’s society, as well as providing support sessions for those effected and their families, also raises money and funds those working towards finding a cure for dementia. This means that no one else will have to experience a family member having dementia. But, it costs money and Alzheimer’s society relies on donations for funding.

You may be wondering ‘Why should I care?’ according to the NHS it is predicted that by 2021 over 1 million people over the age of 65 in the UK with dementia, this makes it very likely that you or someone you are close to will develop dementia.

Again, thank you so much for reading my blog! Your comments and views would be very much appreciated, especially if you could write a response to the following questions and help in any way possible. Further details of what dementia is, other ways in which you can help the Alzheimer’s society and how you can donate can be found at www.alzheimers.org.uk

  • Had you ever heard of the Alzheimer’s society before
  • Do you now feel more aware of the emotional impacts of dementia
  • Do you now feel that you learned about what the Alzheimer’s society do and how they use donations
  • Finally, would you now be prepared to…
  • Make a donation to Alzheimer’s society
  • Fundraise for the Alzheimer’s society
  • Tell your friends and family about the Alzheimer’s society and try to persuade them to donate
If you do post a response please tell me where you live e.g. hometown and country (if not UK!)

Thank you again so much!

Giving nature a home

Hi there my name is Izzy Tyler and for my citizenship GCSE I have chosen to be an advocate for the RSPB. Before I start I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to open up my blog and read it, I very much appreciate your concerns and if you have any enquiries go to the RSPB website www.RSPB.co.uk or email me at 12ityler@tggsacademy.org and find out more .Now for those of you have not heard of the RSPB before it is a charity which supports birds and other wildlife to live a healthy life style and to be able to live on their own in the wild. Lots of you will have seen birds with small tags around their foot but this does no harm to the bird it is just used so that the RSPB can see how they are getting harmed or if they are being treated the way they should be. The RSPB is the country's largest nature conservation charity; it aims to inspire everyone to give nature a home. They protect threatened birds and wildlife so our towns, coast and countryside will live a happy life once again. They also play a leading role in a worldwide partnership of nature conservation organisations. I have chosen to work with this charity because I feel very strongly about how our wildlife is being treated and I am intrigued to know more about them and whether or not they are being successful and hopefully by the end of my blog you will feel the same way as I do.

The RSPB have come a long way since they started in 1889, from ancient woodlands and lowland heaths to the beauty of our coastlines, England is filled with wildlife habitats.  The RSPB have discovered mountains of land and helped new born animals to live in a safe, new and warming environment where no roads are near bye and so quiet that you can hear the river flowing for miles. This is the sort of environment that wildlife should be able to live in and stay there for a lifetime. But people like farmers or people from the cities aren’t as clear on keeping the environment a safe place for wildlife and people like this are destroying their habitats and the way they live for example building plantations poison the rivers in which the animals drink from and slowly killing them from the inside. No living creature should ever have to face this threat but our wildlife around us is and so the RSPB need as many people as they can get to raise money and to prevent things like this from happening to the wildlife that we live upon.

If you would like to make a response then please let me know where you are from e.g. home town and country (if you are not from the UK). Here are a few things that you can do to help support the RSPB organisation:

  • You can make a small donation to the “RSPB”,
  • You can sign up to the RSPB organisation and become a member where you will continue to get leaflets and magazines to tell you more about the charity,
  • You can simply help me to spread the word bye telling your friends and family about them.
  • You could even make leaflets of your own and try to raise awareness to the public who live closest to you.
Thank you for reading my blog and I hope that you now feel like donating to the RSPB and help to support your local RSPB organisation
Thanks again! Izzy

Help for Homeless people.

Hi I’m Flora,

Thank you very much for visiting my blog! Giving homeless people a home is something that I feel very strongly about. I hope this blog will change your views and make you want to support the needs of homeless people. Not many people in the UK know much about homeless people and I hope my blog will teach you a lot more, so you can donate to help people like Shane. There are thousands of people in the UK that are facing the same difficulties in their life, living without a home, on the streets can cause people to go into depression and can cause people to steal things so that they can go into prison. It is a very important cause, and we need people to help.

Shanes Story- Shane was a happy man, he had a good life, and he lived in a flat with his girlfriend for a few years…. But one tragic day his whole entire life turned around. On a fatal Easter Sunday his girlfriend very sadly passed away, due to breast cancer. Weeks after this sad death happen, Shane was acting strange, he could hear his girlfriend’s voice in his head, so he went to see a doctor, but the doctor just told him to pull himself together, but all of it was getting way too intense for Shane, so one day he just walked out of his flat, because he couldn’t pay his rent, and spent a few months living an unfortunate life on the streets. People were urinating on him, throwing rubbish on him, swearing at him and they were treating him like he was scum. So Shane decided to go to St. Mungo’s, and they gave him a nice, warm bed and they also gave him counselling. Now Shane is happy again and all it took was one little donation to St. Mungo’s to get Shane back on track and is now living in a home.



Thank you so so much, again, for reading my blog, I really appreciate it. Please repost a comment below about what you think about it. It would also be great if you could write a few words, answering the questions below;
  • Had you ever heard of St. Mungos before this blog?
  • Do you feel more informed about St. Mungos now you have read my blog?
  • Would you consider to help St. Mungos in any of these ways below;
  • Making a donation to St. Mungos.
  • Join a fundraising campaign/Start a fundraising campaign.
  • Join in with the marathons St. Mungos are doing to raise money.
  • Tell your family/friends/people you know about St. Mungos.
If you repost then please could you tell me, where you come from, EG. Home town, country.

“Do you care about animal welfare?’ Help the National Animal Welfare Trust care for them.

Hey my name is Emily and welcome to my blog. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this. I am trying to raise awareness for the charity National Animal Welfare Trust.

They help all sorts of animals that are homeless and take very good care of them. There are lots of different ways to support them, for example: Donating, Start/join a fundraising organisation tell you friends and family about it. NAWT help these poor animals that are starving and bring them into good care. When they are in care they give the animals all sorts of treatment to make sure they make a full recovery. Once they are fit and well again they are sent to a new loving home. They do so much for animals and all of their centres are run by volunteers so I would be so grateful if you could donate a small amount of money, and when I say small it could be as little as 50p or as much as £5.00. This kind of thing doesn’t just happen in the UK, it happens all over the world so it’s not something to ignore.

This is Justin. Justin’s past owners were terrible animal abusers. He was found burning on the 9th of May 2013. NAWT took care of him until he was able to find a new home. Justin had to undergo serious surgery, but was expected to make a full recovery.

I really feel that you should donate to NAWT because:

  • As I have said National Animal Welfare Trust do amazing things to help animals so all they need is a tiny bit of support to help them rescue more and more animals.
  • Also I know that given the choice you would not want any of this to happen so by donating a small amount you can help your dream, my dream and NAWT’s dream come true.
  • I assume that the image onscreen shocks you. It did when I found this story. It would be great if you could support NAWT so that if there were ever any other cases like Justin then NAWT would be able to help.
  • I think that donating to NAWT would benefit you because I assume that after donating you would feel happy and pleased that you have donated and helped more animals to find new homes.
If you have any pets then I’m sure you will love them very much. But can you imagine them starving and homeless on the streets
Thank you very much again for taking the time to read this I would be very grateful if you left me a response about your opinions about my blog. I would also really appreciate it if you answered the following questions. You could visit their website www.NAWT.co.uk or you could email their chief executive Claire at c.williams@nawt.org.uk for more ways to get in touch and support.

  • Had you heard about the National Animal Welfare Trust before this?
  • After reading my blog do you feel more informed about what the NAWT do for animals?
  • Would you be prepared to support NAWT by donating, volunteering or signing up to their newsletter.
If you do post a response then please tell my where you are from (home town and country if not UK).

Thank you again for reading this. I hope I have changed you views and opinions.
Emily :)

Animal Cruelty is illegal, help NAWT stamp it out, Support the law, don’t ignore

Hello I’m Ellie and I am supporting the charity, National Animal Welfare Trust. Thank you very much for taking the time to read my blog and I hope I can teach you one or two things about my charity. I am trying to raise your awareness on this charity because it is important you understand how hard this charity works with such little donations. My charity- NAWT- saves animals in difficult situations whether or not they are neglected, abused or dying, NAWT will take these animals in and regain their happiness and health to the highest they can, and then when these animals are ready they try to sell them. How would you feel if your own pet was put in one of these animals’ positions and abused? Their work is voluntary so the only kind of money they get is from donations which are all put towards helping the animals. I believe you should definitely consider supporting or donating to this charity because these animals are often helpless and are just like us, only difference is, humans have power and can communicate. Please donate by ringing up or going on there website - www.nawt.org.uk. It could be as little as 50p, you can imagine what a hundred 50p’s could do.

This is Cody. Cody was locked in his owner’s garden for 6 days (meaning to be 2 weeks) before National Animal Welfare Trust found him and saved him. He was so thin and so hungry, they brought him to their charity base and fed his happiness to the limit and now he is living in Brighton with a very loving family who wouldn’t even dream of leaving him home alone.


 This issue on animal cruelty is majorly important;
  • Imagine if you were neglected and nobody would help you because they thought it wasn’t their problem that someone else, something else was struggling.
  • Humans need to stop thinking about themselves (or their kind) for just one moment and actually start caring about other species who don’t have power, and who can’t express themselves easily, and who have no hospitals or schools or food providers. What would happen if a mouse had Down syndrome? Absolutely nothing.
  • People need to think before they buy a pet and not just get one because their spoilt young daughter wants one. People need to consider the money loss, the time away from home and the idea of having to attend to the animals’ needs- for example going on walks, going to the vets.
  • It feels good to know that you have in any way helped animal by simply giving a little change to a charity promoting kindness.
So imagine if it was you being neglected or abused, and then imagine your pet being neglected or abused, and now imagine an animal being neglected or abandoned.
  1. Have you heard of NAWT before?
  2. Do you now feel more informed about NAWT?
  3. Would you now consider donating or supporting NAWT?
Please could you post the answers in comments, along with your country and hometown?

Thank you very much for reading my blog!
Ellie

The NDCS: They Need Someone To Listen - Because They Can’t...

Thank you very much for visiting my blog! I’m Eleanor, and I am very grateful that you have shown an interest in an issue that I feel strongly about – helping and supporting deaf children and their families. For my Citizenship GCSE, I have chosen to advocate for the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS). I would like to raise awareness of the day-to-day problems that deaf children face, gain your support for my advocacy issue, and also change any negative opinions/attitudes you may have towards deaf people. Once you have read my blog, I hope you will feel a bit more informed about everyday life as a deaf child, the NDCS, and what you can do to help/support them...

Not many people seem to be aware of the everyday struggles that deaf people face, or the amount of support that the families and children need. I feel that deaf children are very much misunderstood and stereotyped in society and would like help other people realise they aren’t ‘weird’ or ‘stupid’, they are deaf, and can’t help being that way.

This is Charlie’s story...

At 18 months, Charlie was diagnosed as profoundly deaf in both ears. He was fitted with hearing aids, and told to trial them to see if they made any improvements... but they didn’t. At the age of two, Charlie still wasn’t responding to, or showing signs of picking up any sounds. The key time for developing language, is when you’re a toddler, so not being able to hear these sounds, was impacting on Charlie’s speech... Failing to make progress with his language, Charlie was falling behind.

Charlie’s parents didn’t know what to do - finding out that your child is deaf is one thing, but receiving the needed help and advice, is another…. That was until they found out about the NDCS. After asking for information on what other choices Charlie might have (as an alternative to hearing aids), Charlie’s parents found out that there were quite a few options to try.

They decided that they would try Charlie with cochlear implants, and almost immediately, he started responding to basic sounds, picking up noises, and trying to repeat them. From there, his speech has developed significantly and, although he may still be a bit behind other toddlers his age, he is definitely progressing. He is also learning British Sign Language (BSL), which will hopefully enable Charlie’s family to communicate with him more successfully...

Not only do the NDCS say where families can receive help, but also how they can help and provide the right environment for their children at home etc. BUT... this can only continue with your help, as 95% of all the work the NDCS does, is funded by public donations. And with 800 deaf children being born worldwide every day – not even counting the amount of people who become deaf as they grow up – there is a growing sense of urgency to keep the NDCS alive. If not, then how can it continue supporting families like Charlie’s, and campaigning to make the UK (and the rest of the world) a fairer place for deaf children - and the wider deaf community...

At the moment, you may be thinking, it doesn’t affect me, so why should I care, when the truth is, that it could affect you, or someone close to your heart. Today, approximately 100 families in the UK will hear (well, maybe not hear), but be told that someone in their family suffers from a form of deafness… Tomorrow, it could be you, your child, or a close friend; would you know where to get advice from? I hope that now you’ve read my blog, you would advise that person, or remember for yourself, to check the NDCS website (http://www.ndcs.org.uk/).

Thank you again, for taking the time to read my blog, I would really appreciate it if you could post a comment with your thoughts – or specifically a quick response to the following questions… Please, don’t be deaf to deafness!

  • Had you heard about the NDCS and what they do before you read my blog?
  • Do you now feel more informed about the NDCS and the problems caused by deafness?
  • Would you now be prepared to…
  1. Make a donation to the NDCS?
  2. Sign one of their many online petitions/campaigns (e-petitions)?
  3. Start or participate in a fundraising activity – cake-sale, sponsored silence etc.?
  4. Subscribe to the free seasonal magazine?
  5. Tell your family and friends about the NDCS, and see if they will support the NDCS by helping out in any of the above ways.
Finally, please could you tell me where you live (hometown & country – if outside the UK)…

Thanks,
Eleanor x

Make Starlight's wish come true... and be the light in a child's darkness

Hello, my name is Cara. Thank you for taking an interest in my blog about Starlight Children’s Foundation! Not many people have heard or experienced Starlight's work. I hope that once you have read my blog you may consider supporting Starlight by:
  • Donating some money
  • Sponsoring a Starlight wish
  • Attend a Starlight fundraising event
  • Sponsor a friend
  • Starlight brightens the lives of seriously and terminally ill children by wish granting and also by providing fun, entertainment, laughter and distraction for over 500,000 children every year who are hospitalised for whatever reason throughout the United Kingdom.

Starlight also provides films, pantomimes, parties, escapes, fun centres and distraction boxes filled with toys and puzzles to entertain children facing worrying medical procedures in hospital wards throughout the UK.

This is Leo’s story…

This is Leo; he was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukaemia when he was only 15 months old.

When Leo was born he was a perfectly fine baby but when he became older and started to grow there was something wrong, he was very vulnerable to infections and couldn’t fight them off. His parents went to the GP to check out what was wrong. The GP said everything was fine and was completely normal for a baby of his age. His parents thought then that everything was OK but it wasn’t. They didn’t know what to do, the thought of their child not being far from well was an unbearable thought. The only thing they could do was go back to the GP.

That was when the GP said he was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukaemia… a type of rare cancer that can be uncurable. Leo’s parents were scared and again not knowing what to do was when Starlight came in.

Starlight truly brightened the life of Leo; making it fun and somewhere he can be himself. “They put a smile back on his face” said Mum.

Leo loves football so his wish was to play at Wembley. He is a huge Liverpool supporter so Starlight organised for him and his Dad to go to Wembley stadium and play a game of football with the professionals! Leo had a fantastic day and all thanks to Starlight.

For other wish granting stories click on this link:
http://www.starlight.org.uk/category/recent-wishes/

You are probably thinking “there is no point in reading this it doesn’t apply to me” well, you never know it may happen, what if it did? Or maybe happened to a friend. Wouldn’t you someone to support and donate to help you.

Thank you very much again for reading my blog. I would be grateful if you could please answer these questions below and leave a comment in the answer box. If you do comment, it would be great if you could tell me where you come from (i.e. your home town and country) if you don't live in the UK!

  1. Had you heard about Starlight before reading my blog?
  2. Do you now feel more informed about Starlight?  If so how?
  3. Would you now consider supporting the charity after reading my blog? What would you do?
  4. Would you now tell your friends and family about the charity Starlight?
70% of Starlight’s children make a full recovery and your support could make a difference. Please make a donation
today.

Many thanks for taking an interest in my blog!
Cara

Wateraid - Drink Dirty Water or Die from Thirst?


Hi, my name is Anna and first I would just like to thank you for reading my blog!

Did you know that 2.5 billion people do not have access to clean water and a toilet? That’s one third of the world’s population!

Wateraid is a charity who work to increase the number of people who have these basic facilities. But they rely on public donations and they need your support for this important lifesaving work.

This is Mtinsunge (pictured right). Every day she has to walk 3 miles to collect water that is dirty and unhygienic. She shares it with animals and bacteria and it is also used as a toilet. Mtinsunge knows it will kill her and her family but if they don’t drink it they will perish. Most days she has to miss school because she is collecting water, supporting her family or suffering from illnesses like diarrhoea which she gets from the dirty water. She is nine years old. Mtinsunge doesn’t want to do it but she has no choice.

It’s not just the children either. Mtinsunge’s mother has to send her out every day to collect water because she has to care for her family. Her heart breaks every day feeding her children water that will make them ill, but she has no choice.

The elderly in Mtinsunge’s village are too weak and frail to collect their own water so they are forced to pay people to collect it for them. This is the money that would have been spent on medication, food and shelter. They want these human rights but they have no choice.

Thanks to public donations, Wateraid provided a water pump and toilet for Mtinsunge and her community. It is close to where she lives so she doesn’t have to walk miles each day and it’s clean, fresh and durable. She can go to school and play with her friends. She has a choice worth taking.

Imagine if you are one of these people. Every day is a fight for survival and you are constantly worried about your own survival and the lives of the people you love. You know that Wateraid can provide you with a local toilet or water pump, a lifeline for you and your family, but only if someone somewhere gives them £2 to do it. Wouldn’t you want someone to help Wateraid help you?

Wateraid need your donations to help people like Mtinsunge. Just £2 can change the life of people living in severe poverty. Visit http://www.wateraid.org/uk/what-we-do for more information. Please donate, before another child dies.

Thanks again for taking an interest in my blog! Please could you now post a comment to answer the following questions?


  • Had you heard of Wateraid before reading my blog?
  • Do you now feel more informed about Wateraid and what they do?
  • Would you now consider supporting Wateraid by:
  • Donating £2 to Wateraid?
  • Take part in a fundraising event?
  • Tell your family and friends about Wateraid and what they do?
Please could you also state your hometown and country (if not the UK).

Thank you so much for reading my blog and I hope it has encouraged you to save a life by supporting Wateraid!

Anna x

HELP!! And Get On Board with the RNLI

Hello my name is Alyssa, thank you for taking your time looking at my advocacy blog for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. I am trying to raise awareness to everyone how much the RNLI does for our country, and that they should be more well-known than they are. I am very fond of the RNLI and feel very strong about what they do for the U.K as I am a sailor. I hope my blog makes you feel like you would consider donating to the RNLI or attending a fund raiser, and make you feel more strongly about the RNLI.

The RNLI is a charity that doesn’t get government help like some other charities, they rely on donations from people like you and me. The donations really do mean a lot, for example a RNLI suit for when in actions costs just over £850 for ONE suit. Also the money will go to training more staff, who are which volunteers and do not get trained. That is another important thing to know about the RNLI is that people are so dedicated to the RNLI that they are working, to save anyone in danger, for free. But people do volunteer for

As I said before I sail in my local area and I am very fond of this charity as they would risk their lives to come and save me if I were in danger.

Why should you really care? You should care because imagine if you were in a dangerous situation where you needed to be saved by them. Or someone you are close to or know of, that needs urgent attention. Also you should care because if you were to be at sea you would know that you would have someone to come out and help you and pull you out of danger. You would also feel safer yourself, if you knew that you would be in safe hands if you needed help.

Thank you so much again for reading my blog. If you would like to find out more information please look at their website at rnli.org.  Please could you leave me some response with your thoughts, I would really appreciate it for your time. In particular, it would be great if you could pacifically answer these questions of your thoughts.

the RNLI because the community and people are caring and always are wanting to have a good time. The RNLI launches around 9,000 times a year and saves about 8,000 people a year.
  • Do you know anyone that has been in a situation where they have been rescued by the RLNI?
  • Do you feel more informed about the RNLI?
  • Would you consider making a donation to the RNLI?
  • Would you help a fun-raiser by attending one?
  • Would you spread the word about the RNLI to friends and family about my blog and how much the RNLI do for the U.K?
If you do decide to leave me a response please could you tell me where you come from (ie. Home town and Country)
Thank you again for reading my blog I hope I have changed your views on the RNLI and hope to hear your responses!
Alyssa

ShelterBox Needs YOU!

Hello, my name is Alice! Thank you so much for taking a look at my blog on ShelterBox. I want to raise awareness and inform you about ShelterBox, why it is so important to donate and how you can donate.

Why should YOU care?
  • In poorer countries, when disasters happen, victims lose their homes and possessions and there is no back up or resources in the country to help them.
  • Everyone should have the same easy access to shelter and resources when a disaster happens just like we do in the UK.
  • You can change millions of lives by simply donating.
  • Before ShelterBox was set up, many charities just gave medical supplies and food. But people don’t just suddenly get better with those supplies, they need shelter: somewhere warm and dry to relax and rest- to restart their lives. We had never given them shelter. Giving medical supplies and food is still very important, but you need shelter just as much.
  • ShelterBox has helped and given aid to 4,000 families affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines- But only from your donations ShelterBox can carry on doing this.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to lose your home? Everything’s gone, you have nothing…

Owen and Phil (ShelterBox members) travelled to Dagami in the Philippines, to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan. When they reached the homes of Luncia Tragura and her grandson Joseph, it was clear that they reached the homes of Luncia Tragura and her grandson Joseph, it was clear that they needed help. ‘The strong winds and heavy rains that the storm brought had left them with nothing,’ said Owen. ‘Their neighbours had helped them put together a ramshackle coco-leaf structure, complete with twisted corrugated iron roof salvaged from the storm wreckage.’

Luncia (78) earns the equivalent of £1.56 a day and couldn’t afford to rebuild their home the result of a lifetimes work.

‘We had to help them with a ShelterBox,’ said Phil. ‘It was one of those moments when it is great to be part of a Response Team, proud of ShelterBox and proud to know that together we could make the Tragura’s difficult existence considerably better. We promised that we would return with a ShelterBox and set it up for them.’

The next afternoon Phil and Owen returned with a ShelterBox for them and set up the tent. Luncia started to cry.

‘She could not believe what was in front of her,’ Owen said. ‘As we showed her the kitchen set, the groundmats and blankets, a huge and irrepressible smile broke out. She thanked us profusely while our translator tried to explain the box came from donors all around the world.’ 

They couldn’t thank the team enough!

But only from YOUR donations, ShelterBox can carry on helping these families.

Evidence
Once again, thank you SO much for reading my blog. If you want to find out more about ShelterBox go to http://www.shelterbox.org/.  Now I would like to know how successful my blog has been. Can you please post a response to the following questions:

  1. Had you ever heard about ShelterBox before you read my blog? If you hadn’t, has my blog informed you more?
  2. Would you now support ShelterBox and make a donation? Why?
  3. Would you now tell your friends and family about ShelterBox and what they do and try to persuade them to donate?
  4. Finally could you tell me where you live (hometown) and country (if not in UK)
Thank you SO much for reading my blog,
Alice

The RNLI need you to donate. One day you might need them.

Thank you for opening my blog and taking the time to read through it! I’m Alex and the RNLI is an organisation I feel strongly about. They help save lives out at sea, on beaches and in floods, on such a daily basis. They do such a good job that they save on average about 9,000 lives a year and aid 16,500 others. But because the RNLI don’t get any money from the government, they run purely on donations, and to maintain their excellent work, they need the public to help by donating.

The RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) is a well-known charity throughout the UK. The work they do is fantastic; many lives are saved because of them and families are brought together and saved from devastation.

So why should you care about the RNLI?

  • It costs around £385,000 a day to run the RNLI and all of this at the moment is donated by the public. If  we don’t donate, they won’t be able to continue running, which will mean if we ever get in to trouble in waters, the RNLI won’t be there to save us.
  • Even if you don’t live by the sea, you still may need the help of the RNLI one day. Many of us go on holidays (abroad and in our own country) and many of these holidays are based by the sea. Especially if you don’t live by the sea, you might not be aware of the dangers that there are. This is where the RNLI come in; to warn you of the dangers and to save you if you get in trouble.
  • Many of the RNLI’s crews are volunteers. As well as having an everyday job, they get called out to
    sea to help save lives. They leave everything behind that they are currently doing to do their excellent, life-saving work.
  • As well as actually physically saving lives, they mentally do as well. For many schools (mostly primary) the RNLI come in and make children aware of the dangers of the sea. Once they know this information, it is most likely to affect how they portray the sea and don’t forget that the sea is very dangerous.
  • The RNLI don’t only teach schools though, at each lifeguarded RNLI beach, there will be safety notices, a safety tent and flags to raise awareness of the fact that the beach is protected by the RNLI. This is so holidaymakers and the public are aware that the sea is guarded by the RNLI.
What the RNLI does is lifesaving and courageous. Here is a 2 minute video of parts of rescues they came across in 2013: RNLI 2013 Lives Saved

Thank you very much for reading my blog! Just to finish, please can you answer a few questions in the comments below! Also if you have any thoughts, questions or comments, please leave them in the comments as well with your name and your country-only if you aren’t in the UK!

  1. Have you ever donated or supported the RNLI before? If you have, please state what you have done.
  2. Do you now feel more informed about the RNLI? If so, what have I informed you with?
  3. Would you now think about doing any of the following things to support this organisation:
  1. Make a donation
  2. Tell your family and friends about the excellent work the RNLI do
  3. Support them whenever you use eBay or Amazon
  4. Complete a fundraiser for this fantastic charity
  5. Visit their website to find out even more information about them
Thank you so much again for taking the time to read my blog!
Alex