buy a goat or chickens

ruthie_2

When we get married this summer, we don't want our guests to bring us presents, but wanted to suggest that if they really wanted to do something, they could make a donation to charity. We had thought of signing up to one of these charities where £10 will feed a herd of goats for a week etc... which we thought would be a good cause and that guests might enjoy too. We thought we could have a list of what has been purchased at the do.

Just wondered if anyone had done this, how it went and whether anyone would recommend a charity that is:

a) Passing the majority of donation on (ie. low admin costs), so that there is a genuine benefit to others, not just a gimmick.
b) Providing good customer service...easy to donate etc...don't want it to be a hassle for people
c) Geared up to the wedding market...ie you could have a list with them.

Thanks very much! Ruthie

MsChazzer

Oxfam Unwrapped do a wedding/wish list, I would imagine many of the other charities offering that kind of donation would do this also. I'm afraid I don't know about passing on the majority of the donation but I try and avoid the 'buy a donkey' ones where you get a cuddly toy to mark the donation, I'd rather that money went on the cause rather than buying in a load of toys.

John Lewis have a charity option on their gift list, I think it goes to Charities Aid Foundation initially and then you choose a charity for it all to go to.

Alternatively, set up a Just Giving account for donations to a charity. Small-scale and local charities often need all the money they can get and struggle for donations. We helped some friends of ours do some fundraising for a small medical charity and when the £1000 that was raised went into their bank account they initially thought they were the victim of a banking mistake and that it couldn't be theirs.

ruthie_2

Just had a look on the oxfam website, and that's perfect. If you create a list, they'll send you card to put in your invites, and there's about 40 gifts to choose from. Thanks very much!

MsChazzer

Glad to be of help!

morg_monster

My friends had an Oxfam unwrapped list. They didn't have the invite slips, but just mentioned it on their info sheet. They said that they got a magnet for everything that was bought, and so their fridge is now covered in pictures of goats, donkeys, wells, etc etc, and they say it's a lovely reminder of how generous their guests were. We bought then a goat, a portaloo, and a pile of cow dung I think?! or something silly like that!

prettypoppyknickers

i personally would support a charity that i knew the money would go straight to rather than through a hundred different people.

i only support local or charities that i can actualy speak to a person and even maybe visit.

i support a charity called love light romania which is a couple who shipped up and moved to romania and built a home for orphaned children and families living on rubbish dumps and having to sell the bricks on their house to support their families.

i know people who have been there and seen it for themselves and i can email Jo any time of the day and talk to her.

i got a shoe box collection of about 70 boxes that went over to these children in romania and i saw all the pictures and could go o there is that box that johny made and o theres the presents from bob.

maybe you could think about a charity that you know really will recieve the money because it really is a lovely idea.