charity of the month

Side with the child over the gun…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

This month I continue to support the people of Palestine with my charitable donations. I still find it extremely difficult to believe that we are witnessing a genocide happen in real time, ignored by most of our leaders.

Watching the videos coming out of Palestine is unbearable. Palestinians are forced to live this horror, so we cannot turn away. This week I have been inspired by the amazing Robyn Boyle and her work with Gaza Genocide Emergency Committee promoting boycotts. To quote Robyn, a boycott is an easy thing to ask of people because in a sense, you’re only asking that they do nothing. Boycotts are a free and simple way to take action. BDS (Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions) are a great resource on who to boycott, with location specific information. Money talks, where you choose to spend yours can have a huge impact.

We must of course also keep pressure on our politicians. They work for us, public opinion is overwhelmingly in support of a ceasefire. It is incumbent upon us to make that clear.

Photo Credit GGECScot

For my part I have also chosen to donate to UNFPA’s ‘Mama Kit’ campaign. A Mama Kit provides essentials for women with newborns in areas affected by natural disasters and conflicts. Gaza is currently severely lacking in food, clean water and medical supplies. One of these kits really could mean the difference between life and death.

Humanitarian Crisis

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

January’s charity contribution was sadly a very obvious choice. The assault on the Palestinian people has continued despite even the intervention of the ICJ. The resulting humanitarian crisis is overwhelming.

Health care & residential infrastructure have been decimated. Most of the population are starving. Malnourished mothers are giving birth to babies who can survive only a few days. The scale of suffering is hard to comprehend. If you can please consider donating to one of these amazing organisations.

Unicef provide essential aid to combat disease, malnutrition & injury. They are focused on caring for the millions of children impacted in Gaza.

Medical Aid Palestine works for the health & dignity of Palestinians living under occupation. They desperately need help in providing urgent medical care and developing local capacity to ensure long term medical services.

Hakini is working to set up an emergency hotline for people in psychological distress. They provide specialised training for volunteers to support civilians & aid workers.

Come to the Cabaret…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

This month I am flinging my financial support behind a group that have long had all my other support. Cabaret Against Hate are an LGBTQ+ & ally group who organise counter protests to stand against hate speech in Scotland.

They combat hate with live music, song & dance. Their presence at anti abortion & anti trans protests has had incredibly positive effect. It is essential to provide an opposition to intolerance. It’s equally vital to show support to those impacted by these hideous protests. I would love to be on the front lines with Cabaret, but my disabilities prevent me. Thus I have been sharing & supporting in whatever ways I can.

The group are currently fundraising for a new PA System. Please donate here if you can.

Charity of the Month

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

Sadly, recent events in the Middle East have made the decision of who to donate to this month obvious. The humanitarian crisis in Palestine is more urgent than ever.

A terrorist atrocity should not lead to an attack on a civilian population. The international community has a responsibility to upload international law & to provide aid to Palestine.

Medical Aid for Palestine provide immediate medical treatment for Palestinian living under occupation and as refugees. They also help create infrastructure & train people to ensure the development of the healthcare system.

I’m sure you have all watched the news with the same horror as myself. Children make up half the population in Gaza. No child (or any person) should have to experience such fear & violence. If you can please donate here.

You can also find a template to write to you Mp here. If you’re not sure who your Mp you can find them here.

Charity of the Month…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

This month the change in weather & return of anti choice protesters prompted my donations.

If you know me at all you’ll be aware that I am passionately pro-choice. The rise of US style religious harassment outside hospitals & clinics are repugnant. Everyone is entitled to make reproductive decisions for themselves & safely access whatever treatment they require. I am completely in favour of buffer zones to ensure this. You can help make buffer zones law in Scotland by support Back Off Scotland . There are links to write to your Msp, sign their petition & make a donation on their website.

My second consideration was the chill in the air. I can only imagine how horrendous it is to face the Scottish winter without a safe place to call home. Homeless Project Scotland provide vital services including a food bank, soup kitchen & street teams. If you can help, any donation would be wonderful.

You can support both organisations in ways other than monetary. So, please check out the links if you want to help.

Charity of the Month…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

This month’s donation was prompted by a piece in Private Eye about Rohingya refugees. To my shame I didn’t know the details of their current situation. The article explained the World Food Programme being forced to cut rationing at Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh.

Since fleeing violence in Myanmar the Rohingya refugees have been reliant on food aid. The rising cost of food has impacted limited how far WFP stretch. The current budget is $8 a month per person. This allows for about 450 calories a day; half of a toddlers daily requirements. This will inevitably result in malnutrition and even more suffering. The world doesn’t seem to be paying attention, as I said I wasn’t aware of this situation. If you can please donate to the UN’s WFP. They are active in over 120 countries helping people in most precarious situations.

Charity of the Month

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

I am popping in from my rest break to do February’s charity of the month. Supporting disaster relief after the earthquakes in Turkey/Syria is an obvious choice. The news & images in the aftermath of the tragedy have been utterly heartbreaking.

I didn’t know where to donate, but after reading positive things about DEC my mind was made up. 20,000 people have already lost their lives and a further 17 million remain in the affected areas. They are in urgent need of food, shelter and medical aid. In the midst of winter conditions will only become more critical. If you can, please consider making a donation.

Give Your Best…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

Christmas is a time for giving. However, given the current economic state it’s understandable that more people than ever are unable to be as charitable as they’d like. Thus, I thought I’d offer some easy (& free) ways to help

Give Your Best is a tech for good enterprise that allows people to donate quality clothes. Clothes are shown on their website and can be shopped by those in need. The organisation supports people in the UK who are seeking asylum, refuge, have been victims of trafficking, destitute with no recourse to public funds or have precarious immigration status. The platform accepts donation of clothes, shoes & accessories and allows people to pick the items they want at no charge. It’s a simple system that engenders choice. If you have items that would be of use to someone please sign up in the website.

Smalls for All accepts donations of new pants and new or gently used underwear. They work with various organisations who disturb the items throughout the UK & Africa. Pants can be picked up so cheaply & if you’re anything like me you will have bras that you wore once and found it didn’t fit properly or didn’t give you the shape you wanted. Small for All facilitates getting those garments to people who need them.

Many charities can raise funds by recycling used stamps. All you have to do is cut them from the envelopes they arrive in and send to any of the following organisations.

RNIB

Amnesty

Oxfam

Retired Greyhound Trust

Parkinson’s UK

The Lullaby Trust

Children’s Heart Federation

Finally is you are able giving blood is an amazing way to help others. As a recipient I am eternally grateful to the people who donated the blood I needed. Uk blood stocks have been alarmingly low this year. Although they are now recovering, blood donors are always needed. You can find out if your are eligible & how to donate here.

The Home Front…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

I joined my local Facebook group during the refuse strikes because I never knew what I supposed to be doing with my bins. I had mostly forgotten about it until recently when I noticed that folk were using it to help those in need in our community. I was so impressed with how tirelessly some people work to make sure no one goes without essentials.

I hadn’t considered this way of helping out before, but it really is incredibly straightforward. You can donate clothes & items that you don’t use. Little gifts, toiletries etc that will make a huge different to families who are struggling this winter. I don’t necessarily believe in the ‘charity begins at home’ mantra, but I do hate to think of neighbours being in dire straits. We all know that this year it’s harder than ever to make ends meet, it’s good to know that we can take simple steps to help.

Please check out local community, facebook groups etc if you are having a clear out or can afford to pick up a few extras this Xmas season. There are undoubtedly families close by who’s Christmas would be greatly improved by these little acts of kindness.

Kid’s Out provide Xmas gifts for children in refuge. You can select & pay for a gift online.

Alternatively, you can’t make online donations to a the following groups.

The Trussel Trust is the UK’s largest foodbank group. You can donate online to support their work of keeping people fed this winter.

Refuge have an option to buy a Xmas dinner parcel for a family of various sizes. You can help provide a happier festive period for families feeling domestic violence.

Charity of the Month…

~ somethinginthewayshemoves

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I know there are lots of campaigns at the moment, but I want to suggest a less discussed group. METUPUK are a patient advocacy group who push to promote issues related to secondary/metastatic cancer.

In the UK 31 women a day die from secondary breast cancer. Despite this secondary cancers are often less visible. People living with secondary cancer need better drug access, more drug trials and more awareness.

I was shocked when I learned that figure. I discovered it through an Instagram friend, who is living with secondary cancer. The lack of knowledge about a disease that effects so many people is appalling. Please consider making a donation if you can.

Pink cancer ribbon with the met up uk