charitable

Mother Glasgow…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

This month I’ve chosen a charity close to my heart. Refuweegee is an organisation that uses the famous warmth & generosity of Glaswegians to support refugees. Their tag line ‘we’re all fae somewhere’ perfectly sums up why we should offer a helping hand to anyone who requires it.

You can donate to Refuweegee in a number of ways, a direct monetary contribution or you can put together a welcome pack. Refugees often arrive in Glasgow with very little & some basics to combat a new life in a new climate are indispensable. Add some Scottish treats & a handwritten welcome letter to complete your pack. Full details of suggested donations below.

Refuweegee welcome pack suggestions

Refuweegee are also currently in desperate need of toiletries. As I’m sure you can imagine hygiene basics are paramount for anyone. If you can donate any of the following they would be gratefully accepted.

Refuweegee toilet bag appeal

As we near Xmas lots of folk are giving more thought to charitable giving. I hope you will consider a gift to this wonderful organisation. No one knows what the future holds or when we might need the kindness of strangers ourselves. Humanity doesn’t stop at borders, our generosity shouldn’t either.

Smiling children with text we’re all fae somewhere

It’s coming on Christmas…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves ~ 4 Comments

I’m feeling the need to immerse myself in the festive spirit this year. The tree is up, the presents are wrapped, but I want a more. Thus, I have concocted a not at all cunning plan, but I think it will be effective.

Step 1 – Up the daily merriment with lots of Christmas nail art. I always keep my nails adorned anyway, so I might as well up the glitter quotient & get my crimbo on. First up was this simple swishy tree. Rouge Noir is never not perfect.

ly h Kerr Xmas nail art

Step 2 – Spread the goodwill. As Cliff said, it’s a time for giving and there are hell of a lot of people in need. I have decided to commit to one bigish charitable act each week of December and as many small gestures as I can muster along the way. First up is the reverse advent calendar. Basically, you get a box and put a foodbank donation in it every day of advent. Individual foodbanks list what they most need at any given time, so check their websites. At this time of year I like to add some treats along with the basics. If a person can’t afford food they are unlikely to have money for Christmas present and extras. No one should have explain to their child that is Santa isn’t coming. I am by no means rolling in it, but with a little planning it’s possible to pick inexpensive items that will make a huge difference to a little one. Even chocolate Santas/coins can really help a family struggling at Xmas. We are living in difficult times, the continued roll out of Universal Credit in particular is leaving many people in financial hardship. Those of us with enough should & can give a little (or a lot) to the people our society is currently failing. Plus, it makes you feel really warm inside. It’s a win/win you feel like a lovely person, people in need feel a wee bit less bleak.

If you’re local to me here are some links to Glasgow Foodbanks & other food services. Otherwise you can search via postcode here. Sadly, Foodbanks are springing up everywhere, there will be one in your area.

Crookston Community Group & Foodbank

Storehouse Foodbank

Glasgow City Mission

Wayside Club Centre

Time to say goodbye…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves ~ 4 Comments

This week I said goodbye to my Uncle Gerry. He died before his time, but faced death with courage & humour. He lived his life with warmth & generosity; never forgetting a birthday & always offering whatever he could of himself to his loved ones & community. The packed chapel at his funeral reflected how much he was appreciated.

In his honour I wanted to pause to share the beauty I am still lucky enough experience. So often I (we) get bogged down by the stresses & strains of daily life that I forget how lovely the world can be. Sometimes it takes a loss to remind us what we still have.

Fireworks, swans, GlasgowSunset paws

Blue sky, Glasgow, lilies

In the spirit of his giving nature I also wanted to share some organisations doing incredible work. I hope you will support them if you can.

Crookston Community Group aims to develop a sense of community whilst helping those in need. The fund a number of services ranging from a food bank to children’s activities and community cohesion workshops.

Street League works with unemployed youth using sport as means to provide training & gain skills needed to find employment. They have fabulous success rates in getting young people into work. They focus on areas of high youth unemployment.

Peek want to increase the opportunities for children to reach their potential. They offer free play and creative learning services that allow children to thrive. They remove barriers by offering support & education for both parents & children.

Chin Chin, Uncle Gerry. You will be greatly missed.