Autumn 2017

Join the Charity Link

January ‘Sleepover’!

Christmas is coming! Check out

our cards on page 5

Poverty Action

Week 2018

Cover photograph courtesy of Matt Glover Photography

See how your support makes a difference at charity-link.org

Leicestershire 3 Peaks is ‘summit’ else!

Hello!

The second Charity Link Leicestershire 3 Peaks Challenge was a great success with even more intrepid walkers (and runners!) tackling the peaks of Beacon Hill, Bardon Hill and Old John Tower in Bradgate Park on 24th September. We walked 16.5 miles around Charnwood, Leicestershire to raise vital funds and with money still coming in we look to smash the £5,000 raised last year.

Thank you so much to all our challengers and fantastic volunteers

and to the businesses supporting the event this year, including Bawdon Lodge Farm, Charnwood Accountants, Jordans Motors, Full Square Printing and

Parkway Volkswagen (Leicester).

Social Action Project successNCS (National Citizen Service) invites young people between 15 and 17 years to take part in experiences during the school holidays to help build skills for life and work. An important aspect of the scheme is that the young people consider charities and community projects in their area.

Over the summer six NCS teams chose to support Charity Link for their Social Action Project. Each team spent a week planning activity and a week executing their ideas – with the aim of raising funds and awareness. Our teams organised everything from cake sales to sponsored walks to football tournaments to under 18s discos.

Thank you to every young person in the six teams who took part so enthusiastically and together raised over £3,000!

Sue McEniffDirector of Marketing & Fundraising

Challenge day for 2018 is Sunday 23rd September and it’s never too early to register your interest or to contact us to find out more about business sponsorship/support opportunities!

Readings raises over £6,000!

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I had a fabulous time chatting with fellow walkers on our annual challenge, the Leicestershire 3 Peaks. It is always truly inspirational to hear from others who are so passionate about making a difference to the lives of people in their local community. I would personally like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved.

I’ve always said that I won’t ask people to do things that I am not prepared to do myself (well maybe apart from a parachute jump, due to my fear of heights!). As this newsletter goes to press myself and my husband, Paul, are preparing ourselves for the Leicester Half Marathon. A huge thank you to Dominic and Tabby from 3M for joining the Charity Link team– please do wish us all luck! If you would like to sponsor me then please go to:justgiving.com/fundraising/themceniffs - thank you!

I would love to hear your feedback on any aspect of our work. Please do get in touch with your comments and ideas.

With very best wishes,

A huge thank you to the team at Readings Property Group in Leicester who have now donated over £6,000 after choosing to support our work in January 2016.

Readings gives a donation upon each successful property sale and encourages clients to match this donation. The company has raised further funds via an auction, office cake sales and by supporting our annual dress up day, Wear a Funky Scarf Day, each January. Amy Wood from the Lettings Team also joined us for our Leicestershire 3 Peaks Challenge and the company kindly supplied goodie bags for our challengers.

Thanks so much to all the team and to their clients who have offered their support so far. We’d love to hear from other local businesses who may want to work with us to help change lives. Please do get in touch!

Background photograph courtesy of Matt Glover Photography

You can change lives!Eight year old Filip has myotubular myopathy, a condition which affects his mobility and co-ordination. He needs constant help with everyday activities, including walking, dressing and toileting. He gets easily tired and was in need of one to one support at school to help him get around as his existing wheelchair was too heavy to use independently.

Filip’s physiotherapist suggested that a lightweight helium wheelchair would

be invaluable for his physical and mental wellbeing. This would

make Filip’s life much easier as he could manoeuvre it himself which in turn would help increase his fitness. However, at a cost of £3,513,

Filip’s family had no way of purchasing this expensive item

themselves on their limited income.

Filip’s school had raised some funds and a grant had been awarded. Thanks to you, we were able to raise the rest of the funds needed to purchase the wheelchair. Filip can now get around independently, keep up with his friends and participate more easily in school trips and family days out; he is even keen to join a local wheelchair football team!

We need your support for Poverty Action Week 2018!

Wear a Funky Scarf Day

Our annual awareness and fundraising week, Poverty Action Week, will take place from Monday 22nd – Sunday 28th January 2018. Poverty Action Week (PAW) aims to highlight the fact that many local people are currently living in real hardship. We believe passionately that all local people deserve a decent standard of living – with a right to adequate food, shelter and the means to keep warm, clean and rested - no matter what crisis, illness, disability or difficulty they may be facing. For those we support, including the frail elderly, victims of domestic violence or people with a mental health issue, these basic needs can often go unmet.

A key aspect of Poverty Action Week is our annual dress up day, Wear a Funky Scarf Day.

This will take place on Friday 26th January 2018 (if this doesn’t suit, please chose a date of your own) and simply involves you donning a scarf (the funkier or morefunked up the better!) and giving a donation of your choice (we recommend £2).

We’d love it if you would join us and encourage your friends and family or your place of work to join in too. Cakes sales, raffles or fun scarf themed activities all add to the spirit of the day. Contact us if you’d like stickers, balloons or posters.

During Poverty Action Week 2018, one of the things we will be asking you to think about how is how it feels for those whose standard of living falls below what most of us would class as acceptable. This happens for many reasons, including family

breakdown, illness or redundancy.

To gain a glimpse into how living in hardship might feel we are asking you to consider joining members of the Charity Link team during Poverty Action Week by:*

• Going without a hot meal for a day or longer• Living on just a few pounds for a day • Sleepingonthefloorforthenight• Turning off your heating (it will be January!) • Going without power (no boiling the kettle or putting on a TV)• Joining us for the Charity Link Sleepover (see opposite)

Not only you will be showing your support for those who don’t have a decent standard of living by taking part, you can also raise funds by asking for sponsorship or donating the funds you save.

We’ll be sharing our experiences and we would love you to join in and share yours too! Facebook/charitylink Twitter @charitylink #GainingAGlimpse (*Please consider your health and safety when taking part)

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Could your local school get involved?Please ask your local school or college to get involved, we’d be so grateful (we can send a leaflet or letter template to you if required).

Thank you!

The Charity Link Sleepover - Saturday 27th JanuaryImagine not being able to afford to turn on the heating, washing in cold water or going without a hot meal. Imagine sleeping on blankets or coats on the floor. This is very much the reality for so many local people, like the young person who we recently helped who had been sleeping in a shed or the couple who camped out in a skip. We believe that every local person should have their basic human needs met.

On the evening of Saturday 27th January would you join members of the Charity Link team for our Poverty Action Week Sleepover, to show our support for those who are living in need and to raise vital funds to help? Whilst ‘sleepover’ may conjure up pleasant childhood memories, don’t be fooled; our sleepover will be slightly different!! You can join us between 8pm and 8am at our courtyard on Millstone Lane where we will be experiencing just a glimpse of the hardship which many people in need are facing. Expect little rest, warmth or comfort! (During the Sleepover there will be access to toilets, hot drinks and a soup kitchen).

Registration costs £15 with a sponsorship target of £60 per person which, due to the unique way in which we work, finding funding for people in need, would help to buy a bed and bedding for two local people. Funds can be raised through sponsorship, fundraising activity or a donation. Whilst ‘guests’ are not there to exactly enjoy the experience, we hope that there will be a great atmosphere and sense of solidarity. Places are limited so get in touch now!

You can change lives!Abbie (27) had been living in a hostel for nine months after her privately rented accommodation was sold and she lost her job in administration. She struggled during this difficult time and is currently unable to work after being diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety.

Thanks to counselling and support, Abbie is getting back on her feet

and has now moved in to a housing association tenancy. However, with no friends or family to help her financially, Abbie had no way to make her new accommodation really feel

like home.

Thanks to your support, we were able to provide Abbie with a fridge freezer, cooker and a bed to help her set up her flat, restore her self-esteem and look forward to a more positive future.

POVERTY

ACTION

WEEK

supporting

Charity-lin

k.org

Church Pharmacy donates £1,500

Laughing stock

We are extremely grateful to the team at Church Pharmacy in Leicester who recently donated £1,500. Anna

Jahimovica, Project Manager from Church Pharmacy, came to

our offices to present the donation, which was

part of the ‘Church Pharmacy Cares’ initiative to help support the local community.

Tickets for our annual ‘A Bellyful of Laughs’ event, which is part of the Leicester Comedy Festival in February, will be on sale soon. This is an evening of great comedy, company and cuisine at The Fish and The Chip on Thursday 8th February, so don’t miss out. Contact us now and we’ll send full details.

You can keep local families warm and fedCan you imagine going without heating, hot water, hot meals and warm clothing this winter? Yet this is the reality for so many local families. You can make a huge difference to so many struggling families by making a donation or donating your Winter Fuel payment to Charity Link. By doing so you will ensure that local people can be warm and fed. Go to charity-link.org to donate now. Thank you.

Christmas cards available!

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Thanks to everyone who supported our golf day, kindly sponsored by Farmer & Carlisle Leicester & Loughborough, which took place on Friday 6th October at Beedles Lake Golf Course near East Goscote in Leicestershire. The day helped to raise over £2,000. Register yourinterest for next year’s event now!

Annual golf day

Electronic Christmas card

Check out our online shop for our great range of Christmas cards or get in touch for an order form. Every pack sold helps to provide more essential items to local people in need, so they are a great way to show your support whilst ticking something off that long Christmas to-do list! Plus, with our cards a whopping 40% of the proceeds goes directly to help those who need essential items – a much higher donation percentage than most charity cards on the market.

If you could have a display at your place of work, we’d be delighted to provide you with some packs on a sale or return basis.

In the last six months you have given:

203 beds

446 cookers

274 fridges & freezers

1111 families clothing

309 people helpwith food and utilities

50 people mobility equipmentC O L O U R F U L B E T H L E H E M

Images Courtesy of Image Source

Each year we help over 8,000 local vulnerable people

and children who are experiencing poverty.

We help by providing basic items that we all need, such as beds,

cookers, clothing and, in emergencies, food.

40% from the sale of these Christmas cards will be donated to help

more people in desperate need. Thank you for your support.

Charity number: 1078271

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Only £2.50per pack

(RRP £3.90)40% proceeds

donated

R E D N O S E R E I N D E E R

Image Courtesy of Advocate Art

Each year we help over 8,000 local vulnerable people

and children who are experiencing poverty.

We help by providing basic items that we all need, such as beds,

cookers, clothing and, in emergencies, food.

40% from the sale of these Christmas cards will be donated to help

more people in desperate need. Thank you for your support.

3000ELX 14008 B

*3000*

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08/07/2015 11:05

A C R O S S T H E R O O F T O P S

Images Courtesy of Image Source

Each year we help over 8,000 local vulnerable people

and children who are experiencing poverty.

We help by providing basic items that we all need, such as beds,

cookers, clothing and, in emergencies, food.

40% from the sale of these Christmas cards will be donated to help

more people in desperate need. Thank you for your support.

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*2999*

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08/07/2015 11:04

If you prefer to send some festive cheer electronically then we have created a Christmas e-card for you! Forward our card onto friends, family and colleagues; the card lets them know that you are sending seasonal joy and that you have chosen to make a donation to support local people and children in need. You can download the e-card from our website or email Rachel for a copy to share:

Rachel.markham@charty-link.org

You can change lives!Ronald (79), who sufferers from mobility issues, was strug-gling with life after his partner passed away last year and he was the victim of an attack which left him with limited vision. It was when paramedics returned him home after his stay in hospital that it became apparent that Ronald’s cooker was unusable and he was trying to get by using a steamer.

His washing machine had also broken and he was unable to access the laundrette

due to his health issues. All of Ronald’s clothes were dirty and

his support workers were concerned about the implications this had for his health and dignity. Living on a state pension and Disability

Living Allowance Ronald couldn’t afford to replace these

much needed items.

Thanks to you we were able to raise the £486 needed to provide Ronald with a cooker and washing machine to help improve his wellbeing as he tries to rebuild his life.

Name:

Address:

Email:

Phone number:

Quantity of packs: £ Amount

Free collection from Charity Link£1.20 postage per orderTotal amount to pay £(plus postage if applicable)

10 cards per pack including

envelopes

Christmas cards £2.50 per pack

Please make cheques payable to Charity Link and send to the address below with this form.

You can change lives!

You can get involved in lots of different and fabulous ways all of which will help ensure that local people and children in need are dry, warm, clean, safe and fed.

You can change

local lives

Wear a Funky Scarf

on 26th January

You can support Poverty

Action Week 2018!

You can buy Christmas cards and

40% goes to help local

people

Join us for comedy at‘A Bellyful of Laughs’

8th Feb

Donate now to help

local people at Charity-link.

org

Join the Charity Link

January ‘Sleepover’

27th Jan

20a Millstone Lane, Leicester LE1 5JN

email: info@charity-link.orgTel: 0116 222 2200 Fax: 0116 222 2201 Web: www.charity-link.org

Follow us on twitter @charitylink or on facebook.com/charitylink

Leicster Charity Organisation Society is a registered charity, no. 1078271 and a company limited by guarantee, no. 03761954

Order form

Thank you.

C O L O U R F U L B E T H L E H E MImages Courtesy of Image Source

Each year we help over 8,000 local vulnerable peopleand children who are experiencing poverty.

We help by providing basic items that we all need, such as beds, cookers, clothing and, in emergencies, food.

40% from the sale of these Christmas cards will be donated to help more people in desperate need. Thank you for your support.

3001ELX 26035 B *3001*

3001__1-2 26035 B.indd 2-3 08/07/2015 11:06

R E D N O S E R E I N D E E RImage Courtesy of Advocate Art

Each year we help over 8,000 local vulnerable peopleand children who are experiencing poverty.

We help by providing basic items that we all need, such as beds, cookers, clothing and, in emergencies, food.

40% from the sale of these Christmas cards will be donated to help more people in desperate need. Thank you for your support.

3000ELX 14008 B *3000*

3000__1-2 14008 B.indd 2-3 08/07/2015 11:05

A C R O S S T H E R O O F T O P SImages Courtesy of Image Source

Each year we help over 8,000 local vulnerable peopleand children who are experiencing poverty.

We help by providing basic items that we all need, such as beds, cookers, clothing and, in emergencies, food.

40% from the sale of these Christmas cards will be donated to help more people in desperate need. Thank you for your support.

2999ELX 11008 B *2999*

2999__1-2 11008 B.indd 2-3 08/07/2015 11:04