charity – Page 63 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Gloves are off: battle of the sexes for little Kai

Kai’s Charity Football Match

Kick Off ( Commence Battle) Sunday 11 October @ 2.00 pm.
Venue: Linear Park (Opposite top of Muirhouse Park)

Muirhouse Mini’s Mums v Local Men’s Team

Muirhouse Mini’s mums have arranged a charity match in aid of Kai Laidlaw, a 2 year old who is currently battling leukemia – this battle has gone on since Kai was 8 months old.

Come along and give your support to these brave lads who are about to tackle the unknown! Bring along your change and give, as you always do, and support good causes.

A coffee & cake stall will provide refreshments for spectators.

James McGinty

A call to bikers: join Poppyscotland’s Ride of Remembrance

Poppyscotland is calling for bikers to get involved in a special Ride of Remembrance in Edinburgh this weekend.

On Sunday (11 October) around 200 motorbikes, scooters, trikes and quads are expected to take part in the 2015 Ride of Remembrance, organised by Poppyscotland supporter group War Torn Troops Remembered (WTTR). The event is open to all bikers.

Departing from Straiton Park & Ride at 9am, the convoy will travel to the city, congregating at the Scots American War Memorial in Princes Street Gardens West where, at 10.30am, a Remembrance service will take place. A pipe band will play and there will be a collection for Poppyscotland.

This will be the fourth year that the biking community has come together to pay tribute to Servicemen and women who have lost their lives. In support of Poppyscotland’s current work with members of the Armed Forces community, WTTR has raised £12,615 for the charity since 2012 through this annual event and other year-round fundraising activity.

Bikers wishing to take part can find out more and register in advance by emailing wttrregistration@yahoo.co.uk There is a registration fee of £5 with all proceeds being donated to Poppyscotland.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the service in Princes Street Gardens West.

App-solutely fabulous support for Sick Kids charity!

Game on for Sick Kids Foundation

App development company NN4M has decided to celebrate its 10^th anniversary by raising funds for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation (SKFF) – the charity which provides £1.5 million each year to support the work of Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

Edinburgh-based developers NN4M will take part in the sixth Sick Kids Save Point – the biggest annual fundraising games event which will see volunteers take on a 24-hour video game marathon between 9 and 11 October.

The team of NN4M gamers will participate in this year’s event in a relay-style, playing both online and board games from 8am to 8pm on Friday 9 October. All 30 employees will take part, with employees gaming every 30 minutes in between their usual work tasks.

Harriet Phimister of NN4M, said: “We wanted to do something really special to celebrate our 10^th anniversary and felt this is something that would get everyone excited whilst raising money for a fantastic cause. One of our developers participated in the marathon previously and so suggested that we all give it a go.

“We thought we would combine our love of traditional board games and computer games to bring an added dimension to the challenge and can’t wait to complete the marathon. We’re all very excited to participate and raise funds for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation.”

Since it was established in 2010, the 24-hour video gameathon has raised more than £70,000 with more than 300 gamers completing the challenge from all around the globe.

This year, funds raised will allow the charity to fund KIDSnet Wi-Fi throughout the Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

KIDSnet is a safe internet provider within the hospital that allows to keep in contact with each other, as well as family and friends. SKFF invests £25,000 each year in this service to help children feel less isolated in hospital and ensuring their lives are less interrupted by illness. The Wi-Fi also provides a distraction in the form of games and films – essential to combating the boredom children experience in hospital.

The event continues to grow in popularity, having gathered support from a number of Scotland’s top games companies including Rockstar North and Blazing Griffin, as well as industry giants Codemasters UK, Playstation Access, Paradox Interactive and Capcom UK, who have donated prizes for entrants.

Edinburgh actor Tom Freeman, organiser of the event, said: “With plans afoot to transfer services to a flash new hospital in Little France, the work of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation will be vital in smoothing the transition from a building many people across the country will have strong emotional ties to. That’s why this year Sick Kids Save Point is pushing to have our best year ever.

“Sick Kids Save Point is the biggest charity gaming marathon in the UK. I’m proud we’ve raised around £72,000 for our local children’s hospital. This year we want to get that figure to £100,000 and show the world games are for everyone.

“Don’t believe the naysayers: playing games for 24 hours is not easy! It’s not too late to sign up and take on this unique marathon challenge, playing games past the fun barrier and raising money to support sick children and their families.”

Rachel McKenzie, head of community fundraising at SKFF, said: “I’m thrilled that the developers at NN4M have decided to join our community of fundraising gamers and taking part in our sixth SKSP gameathon.

“Sick Kids Save Point has helped raised a tremendous amount of money over the last five years and we’re extremely thankful to the individuals – and teams – who are getting involved this year as we try to raise a further £30,000 for our KIDSnet equipment.”

To support NN4M visit https://www.justgiving.com/GameathonNN4M/.

For more information about Sick Kids Save Point visit www.sickkidssavepoint.org or follow the event on twitter@SKsavepoint or on facebook at @SickKidsSavePoint.

Coming Up: One Big Weekend …

Sunday 11 October

OBW_Flyer_Edinburgh Oct2015

Port of Leith residents raise £1580 for Macmillan

Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) has raised £1580 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

PoLHA’s sheltered housing developments St Nicholas Court, Hermitage Court and Jameson Place hosted events for their residents and locals as part of the charity’s ‘World’s Biggest Coffee Morning’ initiative last Friday.

Suzie Connery, who manages the Hermitage Court complex, said:
“We are delighted so many people came along to help makes the coffee mornings a success. Without their generosity we would not have been able to raise such a vast amount of money to this fantastic cause.”

Pictured (left to right): Christine McCauldin, Irene Graham, Mary Fox and Ella Maitland

Show support for Charlie Bear

My name’s Jaymee Gorrie and I am currently fundraising for The Charlie Bear Fund – a group of friends and family raising funds for The Ronald McDonald House Charities and The British Heart Foundation on behalf of a 6 week old little boy named Charlie Campbell.

Charlie has recently undergone major heart surgery after being diagnosed with a rare condition called Di George syndrome which was a shock to everyone involved as this condition is normally recognisable at birth however until 4 weeks ago he was a happy healthy baby.

Charlie is now in the children’s hospital in Glasgow battling for his life whilst his big sister Kendal Leigh and the rest of the family are in Edinburgh. His parents Nicole and Ben, as you can imagine, are not only distraught about being given this news but now are finding it very hard to cope with being away from home

However due to the fabulous Ronald McDonald House, they have been given a home from home and are able to stay with their sick child day and night and spend every minute possible with him hence why they are desperate to give something back.

We are desperately seeking help from lovely people like yourselves in the hope that you may be able to provide us with some support and raise awareness of our cause while we start this rollercoaster of a campaign.

At the moment we are finding it very difficult to find businesses willing to offer donations and were hoping with your help we can change that. We would be so grateful for any help and support you may be able to offer, thank you in advance.

Jaymee and the charlie bear team.

https://m.facebook.com/Thecharliebearfund

Charlie Bear’s Halloween Disco – 24 October 4-6PM

at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre

The Charlie Bear Funday – 7 November 12-4 at PYCP

‘Amazing’ public response to refugee appeal

Minister for Europe and International Development Humza Yousaf was in Glasgow yesterday to support volunteers loading an aid lorry with urgent materials and supplies for refugees in the Balkans. The Minister praised Scots’ ‘amazing’ response to the humanitarian emergency.

The truck leaves Scotland later this week and will travel 1, 660 miles, bound for Novi Sad in the Balkans, where it will be received by the Red Cross and other NGOs working to aid refugees. It’s estimated materials and supplies will begin arriving at the regional aid hub in as little as 72 hours after departing Glasgow.

16 tonnes of warm winter clothing and ‘Soapaid’ hygiene bars have been kindly donated by the Scottish public to Glasgow The Caring City since the humanitarian crisis began. The soap can combat five of the seven main waterborne diseases.

Mr Yousaf said: “We have been overwhelmed with practical offers of support from people across Scotland who want to help alleviate the suffering of vulnerable people caught up in this humanitarian emergency. Scotland’s response has been amazing so far.

“The work of the refugee task force is well underway. Scotland stands ready to give the very best of Scottish welcomes to the refugees who are fleeing their homes and seeking protection, safety and security but we’re urging the UK Government to do more now and help those in need on mainland Europe.

“The Scottish Government has reiterated its support, making it clear to the UK Government that we will take a proportionate share of the numbers who come to the UK.”

Reverend Neil Galbraith from Glasgow The Caring City said: “Structuring a humanitarian response which meets the needs of people fleeing the most distressing circumstances of violence and conflict, is a skilled and professional tasks. Glasgow the Caring City charity leads from the front at times such as this. We are the conduit between the goodwill of the people of Scotland and those seeking refuge in times of crisis.

“Our people on the ground in Serbia and senior staff in Scotland are coordinating an aid distribution program which links with local statutory agencies, The Red Cross and other NGO’s to ensure that we effectively contribute to a situation which is ever changing in nature and scale with each passing day.

“Glasgow’s charity is matching the goodwill of the Scottish people with the needs of those in their greatest hours of need. Our aid will be sustained and will cover a large geographical area including Serbia, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia and northern Greece but vitally, it is coordinated by our staff on the ground and highly experienced partner agencies.”

People who wish to donate to the crisis are being asked to raise money so that it can be deployed through charities to reach those most in need.

Members of the public are also being encouraged to visit the Scottish Government’s dedicated website: www.scotlandwelcomesrefugees.scot

D Mains P7s support Macmillan coffee morning – and Sainsburys gave a helping hand too

Friday 25 September was the MacMillan coffee morning and Sainsburys Blackhall went along to Davidsons Mains Primary school to support the P7 children with their coffee morning.

The P7 children did all the home baking and Sainsburys colleagues Leaanne Cairns and Gail Wilson provided the teas and coffee. Left over cakes were then sold to colleagues at Blackhall store. Over £930 has been raised so far from the coffee morning. Well done, Davidsons Mains!

Get ready to glow!

Good morning,

In the next 15 minutes, someone in the UK will be told: “you are losing your sight.” RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) is here for everyone affected by sight loss, for practical and emotional support, and to help more blind and partially sighted people to face the future with confidence.

I’m a volunteer with RNIB and I’m really hoping you can help me to promote this fun event, on your website, social media or in print.

RNIB is holding the Glow Neon 3km Fun Run on 31 October at 7pm at Meadowbank Sports Centre.

Participants can run, dance, hop, skip or walk their way around a 3km track covered in glowing neon paint to raise money for RNIB. Live DJs and cannons filled with luminous glow water create the party feeling at our Glow Neon Fun Run. Glow is open to everyone aged ten and above and is fully accessible to people with sight loss.

Help us raise money to make every day better for everyone affected by sight loss.

For more information and tickets, go to rnib.org.uk/glow or see https://www.facebook.com/events/699643393514015/ or Twitter #GlowNeon

If you’d like posters or flyers sent to you, or to talk to someone about the event or the work of RNIB in this area, contact Emma the local fundraising manager on the number below or emma.baldry@rnib.org.uk

Janet McFarlane (Volunteer, East Scotland RNIB

(Royal National Institute of Blind People)

Eid Mubarak!

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has sent his best wishes to Muslims celebrating Eid al-Adha

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said: “I would like to send my best wishes to Muslims across the world who are celebrating Eid al-Adha, marking the end of Hajj, the holy pilgrimage to Mecca.

“We remember all of those killed and injured in the terrible accident at the Grand Mosque and our thoughts are with their families at this time.

“As Muslims gather with their families I wish you a peaceful and joyous Eid al-Adha.

“Eid Mubarak.”

Advice from the Charity Commission on how to give safely during Eid-al-Adha

Eid-al-Adha is a time of very generous charitable giving. People have a right to feel confident that their generosity is not abused and that their donations are being used for legitimate charitable purposes.

https://youtu.be/_apevyHxpP8

As part of its campaign #changethepicture the commission has produced a video for encouraging people to check before they give. It illustrates how people can help make sure their generosity makes a real difference to those in need by giving to legitimate, registered charities.

Top 10 tips from the commission to make sure you give safely:

Before giving, check the charity’s name and registration number against the online charity search tool: Find a charity – register of charities
Fundraisers require a licence from the local authority (or the police in London) to collect in a public place. Check that they have this. If the collection is in a privately owned place, check that they have the owner’s permission.
When approached by collectors, check whether they are wearing a proper ID badge and that any collection tin is sealed.
If in doubt, ask the collector for more information – a genuine fundraiser should be happy to answer questions and explain more about the work of the charity.
Genuine fundraising materials should feature the charity’s name, registered name and a landline contact number. Be wary of those that list only a mobile number.
Make sure when you give to radio and television appeals that the process is secure. Ofcom lists the rules for radio and television charity appeals on its website: Licensing – Ofcom website.
Take care when responding to emails or clicking links to a charity’s website to ensure that they are genuine. Instead, search online for your chosen charity to check you have the right web address. For further guidance see: Guidance for donors – Get Safe Online.
Carefully review collection bags for clothing and household goods to ascertain whether they are from a genuine charity.
After making these checks, if you think that a collection or appeal is not legitimate, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 and inform the Charity Commission: Action Fraud – Police.
Don’t be pressurised to give to a collection immediately. If in any doubt, donate directly to charity.

Change_the_pictureCity