New Site Charity Nominations Now Open

tawnyowls

I'd like to nominate two sight charities.

First, SightSavers International. Although they do big-money projects such as ships for cataract operations, the bulk of their work is geared towards low-cost projects to save people's sight, such as tubes of very cheap tetracycline ointment to cure trachoma, a horrible eye disease where the eyelashes grow inwards and scrape the eyeball. More details here: http://www.sightsavers.org.uk/

Second, Vision Aid Overseas: https://www.vao.org.uk/. As so many of us have been buying cheap specs, our old ones have probably gone to developing countries courtesy of VAO.

As there is obviously no incapacity benefit in most developing countries, a blind person is often a huge burden on their families, and so many cases of blindness can be prevented by simple remedies, and a huge difference made to people's lives by a used pair of specs.

Smashing

I'd like to nominate Samaritans

http://www.samaritans.org/index.shtm

Samaritans is available 24 hours a day to provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide.
You don't have to be suicidal to call them. They are here for you if you're worried about something, feel upset or confused, or you just want to talk to someone.
Samaritans is a registered charity funded almost entirely by charitable donations

Relevance? Many of us have experienced feelings of depression, desperation and stress due to our personal circumstances. These may be for financial or other reasons. Listening to someone doesn't cost a penny, yet it is something few people make time for these days. Samaritans provide this for anyone, day or night and ask nothing in return.

D&DD

I am one of many parents on here who has a child with autism.A lot of us because of our childrens conditions have to leave work and become drawn into debt.The NAS have been a godsend to me and many others as the statistics show Autism is on the increase with as many as 1 in 82 children affected to some degree.
http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=10

I hope this link also helps other parents to find the support they need.

LeanneG_2

I would like to nominate MIND. This is a mental health charity. My reasons for this are personal - A member of my family commited suicide and this charity would help a lot to those who have mental health issues that could lead to suicide. I believe that MIND is underfunded and is not as publicised as some because of its status. Suicide is a serious problem worldwide, you dont realise how many people are victims of it until you become one.

Please see http://www.mind.org.uk/

divadee

I would like to nominate the salvation army

http://www.salvationarmy.co.uk

I think it should be nominated because of the sheer vast scales of the amount of work they do. The different areas they work in vast and varied, and is greatly underestimated by the public.


The Salvation Army is one of the largest, most diverse providers of social services in the UK after the Government. Founded in East London in 1865, we are now working in 111 countries worldwide.

As a church and registered charity, we demonstrate our Christian principles through social welfare provision. Worldwide there are over 1.6million members, with programmes including homeless centres, drug rehabilitation centres, schools, hospitals and medical centres, as well as nearly 16,000 church and community centres. The work of The Salvation Army is funded through donations from its members, the general public and, where appropriate, local authority and government grants.

The Salvation Army also supports the work of the emergency services by providing refreshments, shelter and counselling at major incidents. Recently this has included the 7th July London bombings, the devastating hurricanes in Southern USA, and the severe floods in Carlisle and Boscastle.

Jnelhams

I would like to nominate RETHINK

The new name for NATIONAL SCHIZOPRENIA FELLOWSHIP

http://www.rethink.org/index.html

RETHINK is my nomination because Mental Health issues will strike 1 in 3 people during their life time, Mental Illness is such a terrible experience both for the perspn and their families, and society is quick to turn their back or worse laugh at the afflicted. It affects every aspect of your life and even after succesful treatment it effects others attitudes towards the sufferer.

jules372

I would like to nominate the International Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva Association (IFOPA) My reasons for this are personal as my 12yr old son suffers from this condition.

https://www.ifopa.org

The International FOP Association, or IFOPA, is a nonprofit support organization for families dealing with a rare genetic condition known as Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP). Simply stated, FOP causes muscles and other connective tissue to turn into bone, eventually causing immobility as FOP bone fuses joints.

This is an extremely rare condition and a great deal of the funds needed for research are raised from fundraising or by donations. Being so rare, few people in the UK have heard of this condition, so even if this just helps to raise it's profile and educate people about the disease then it's all good!

thanks
Julie

V_Chic_Chick

I think we should have a good range of charities, such as a human health charity, a debt charity, an animal charity and a poverty/human rights charity.

Anyway, the one I would like to nominate is the Battery Hen Welfare Trust.

www.thehenshouse.co.uk

The BHWT is dedicated to education about an the rehoming of battery hens.

The BHWT rehomed 11,457 hens in 2005 to loving new homes where they can live out their dotage. This is a charity very close to my heart because I have hens at home and I know what lovely creatures with such inquiring minds they are. The thing is, in all our moneysaving, we buy eggs that don't say organic, free range or at the very least barn on them, and so commit more hens to a year of pain and suffering, followed by a trip to the soup factory. The BHWT is unique because they don't condemn the battery farmer, but redresses the balance when blame is placed on their shoulders.

These hens give so much, both in cheap eggs and also in love and affection to their new owner, yet ask so little.

So, please let more hens this year and next get out of a living hell with just a few pence extra at the supermarket, and your vote for the BHWT.

Helena xxx

Nile

I would like to nominate the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Their website is www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

The Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice, and by influencing policymakers. Every Citizens Advice Bureau is a registered charity reliant on trained volunteers and funds to provide these vital services for local communities.

I never thought I would need them but they recently gave me excellent advice and support.:A

tired_mum

I would like to nominate the association for Post Natal Illness as a sufferer in the past i know that they can help get you out of this state with support and advice and as most of us know having a baby is an expensive time at its best but this illness can cause extra pressure as the other parent may have to give up work to look after mum and baby causing massive financial pressure on an already strained relationship
https://www.apni.org/