London is the sixth richest city in the world, yet 4 in 10 children live below the poverty line, a figure which worryingly rises to 1 in 2 in inner London boroughs. Homelessness has risen by 27% since the recession*. The issue of poverty is right here on our door step, however it’s all too easy to get wrapped up in problems like delayed buses and irritating workloads to dwell on it for too long. But we should.
We’re all agreed that street fundraisersfor charity are pretty irksome; no one wants to have to stop and smile at a good-looking, annoyingly charismatic out-of-work actor who wants your money. The good news is that helping doesn’t have to mean spending cash. This no-nonsense guide to charity will show you how.
Sometimes it’s harder to get people to donate to a cause without a gimmick, as “helping the poor” doesn’t seem to be enough. Instead you’re expected to kangaroo-skip down Everest or carry an egg and spoon on a bungee jump. Be cautious about sponsored activities and fundraising; while it is possible to raise a substantial amount of money this way, a lot of people subconsciously see these as an exercise in vanity.
They say that charity begins at home, and this rings particularly true when there’s an economic crisis on. If you and your neighbours are hard up for cash, maybe you can do things like share the cost of your wireless internet, or chip in for petrol and car-share if you’re travelling similar routes.
Don’t throw anything away, unless it’s in an unpleasant or hazardous state of decomposition. You might have old books and magazines you consider boring and dozens of CDs you’d rather forget but there is always going to be someone with questionable taste in 90s indie bands trawling the shops for music. On a more serious note, clothes that no longer fit, particularly baby and children clothes can be donated to local charity shops, or keep an eye out for collections. Not all charities accept furniture due to lack of space, or electrical goods, Barnardos and Emmaus are two exceptions.
Sign up to the Freecycle website, where people post ads for stuff they either need or don’t want anymore. You’d be surprised at how many people are looking for old chicken costumes.
\n\nUse coupons to get items for free, even if you don’t want them yourself. These might seem silly, like a bag of cotton wool or a sachet of soap, but there are charities that really need them. The Whitechapel Mission for instance, welcome donations of toiletries as well as linen, towels, sleeping bags, clothing and food.
If you’re green-fingered, try your hand at growing herbs or whatever you can fit on your balcony/garden/living room shelf. Do you know someone you could give your sproutings to?
Have you upgraded your phone? Donate the old one if it’s just getting dusty in a drawer. There are plenty who would really appreciate an early Blackberry.
Give your time. There are many many different ways to volunteer, you can officially register with a charity, such as WRVS which helps the elderly, where volunteers are needed to do a wide range of things like run errands, drive people home, or simply spend a bit of time chatting to them to prevent loneliness.
Volunteering doesn’t need to be a formal arrangement. You could simply babysit for someone you know who can’t afford childcare. If you love cooking, do a few shifts at a soup kitchen or community centre where you can take on the challenge of making cheap, highly nutritious, filling meals. If you love playing the piano you could offer to teach lessons for free, as these are usually expensive and therefore out of the reach of many.
\n\nUse your skills. Good writers can help write press releases for charitable organisations, others may need assistance with building and designing their website, looking after the accounts, and filing. Alternatively, extra pairs of hands to clean and answer phones will always be welcome.
Don’t waste food. Feel guilty about piling your plate high and then chucking a third of it in the bin when you’re bored of eating? So you should. Famine is still very much a problem, not just in the third world, but right here in London where food distribution charities have observed a sharp increase in the number of people ringing up for help since the economic crisis began. If you’ve bought too much fruit and veg this week then add them to a chutney before they go soft, but try not to throw awayfood that could feed someone who really needs it.
Are you addicted to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? So is everyone else. If from time to time you make a point of following or mentioning a cause on your timeline you’ll be helping to raise awareness with minimal effort. Who knows, in between flicking through your holiday snaps someone might decide to donate some money.
* http://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk..., www.guardian.co.uk...
