Which Two Charities Should We Support in the Coming Year? Vote Now!
We have recently come to the end of our current fundraising year and thankfully back to a full events calendar which included cake and coffee mornings, a spinathon, a raffle, and the main event – our Summer Ball. These were all wonderfully supported by members, staff and Club alike. As a result of this fantastic support and generosity we are thrilled to report that we raised a record £13,696.34 for two local charities: the MS Therapy Centre and the Tibbs Dementia Foundation! This money will make such a difference to local people.
It’s now time to vote for the two charities that we will support for the next twelve months.
In July we asked all members, to nominate the local charities that you thought we should support. We’ve collated these nominations and they are listed below. There are 15 in total so please do look at the whole list. We’ve included a short description and a weblink for each should you wish to find out more.
Each member can now vote for the charities they would like us to support. Each adult member (aged 18 and over) gets up to three votes (they can’t be used for the same charity), but you can choose to vote for only one or two charities if you prefer.
The two charities that receive the most votes will be the ones chosen for our support over the next 12 months.
Please send your (up to three) votes to [email protected] and voting closes on the 31st August.
Bedford Blues Foundation
Blues Foundation is the charitable arm of Bedford Blues Rugby Club. Working across Bedfordshire and neighbouring areas, their mission is to inspire our community through the values of rugby to promote positive and informed lifestyle choices. The Foundation promotes community participation in healthy recreation by providing facilities for playing sport and physical activity. It also provides opportunities for education, sport, recreation or other leisure time occupation for disadvantaged or vulnerable people across the community.
Bedford Daycare Hospice
Bedford Daycare Hospice aims to provide individualised holistic care to patients suffering from a life-limiting condition from the point of diagnosis through treatment to remission or palliative care. They are an independent charity working with other organisations providing care and support for patients with life-limiting illnesses in North and Mid-Bedfordshire.
Bedford Foodbank
Bedford Foodbank’s volunteers work with referral partners to provide a minimum of three days emergency food and support to people experiencing crisis in our community.
Bedfordshire Opportunities for Learning Disabilities
Bedfordshire Opportunities for Learning Disabilities (previously known as Beds Garden Carers), was set up in 1997 to offer work experience for adults with learning disabilities.
Throughout the last 25 years the project has flourished and developed a wide array of work experiences, educational and social opportunities, workshops and meaningful day services for people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour along with a diverse range of additional disabilities.
Website.
Bedford Samaritans
Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy, and Samaritans’ vision is that fewer people die by suicide. They believe that suicide is preventable. Samaritans is there for anyone struggling to cope – day or night, 365 days a year. They take action to prevent people reaching crisis point, helping people find ways to cope and learn the skills to be there for others and they campaign to make suicide prevention a priority.
Carers of Bedfordshire
Carers of Bedfordshire are there to help unpaid carers of all ages, right across Bedfordshire, with information, support and advice. Their mission is to give carers access to the support, information and skills that enhances their wellbeing and enables them to remain in a caring role for as long as they choose.
Elisabeth Curtis Centre, Riding for the Disabled.
The Centre has been based in Bromham since 1975 and provides therapeutic riding sessions for disabled and special needs participants. Mainly catering for young riders, the centre can offer new skills, fitness, confidence building, postural therapy and most importantly fun! The Centre has a growing waiting list of new participants and needs funding to be able to train new coaches to help them. In the coming year they hope to introduce carriage driving as a new activity to cater for those who can’t physically ride a horse.
FACES
FACES (Family and Children’s Early-help Services) is a well-established, local and ndependent charity offering practical and emotional support to families under stress. They support local children and families faced with difficult issues such as mental and physical health, domestic abuse, poverty, child sexual exploitation and behavioural issues via a range of quality-tested services and family support groups, many led by a team of dedicated volunteers. They do this by recruiting and training volunteers who work alongside their Practitioners in delivering a unique menu of tailored services directly to a family, in their own home.
Forest of Marston Vale
The Forest of Marston Vale charity plant trees and use woodlands to make life better for people and wildlife in the Marston Vale. Their challenge is keeping the balance between the environment and new developments like housing and warehouses. They are working towards 30% tree cover, which is another 5 million trees. Every time a new development goes ahead, they work hard to make sure that, overall, there are environment benefits – i.e. there is a net environmental gain.
Mind BLMK
Mind BLMK works across our communities to support positive mental health and wellbeing. Working closely with a range of partners, they offer a number of activities from wellbeing centres and local venues to make a difference to the mental health and wellbeing of people in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes. Their aim is to make sure that no-one has to face a mental health problem alone.
Samsons Academy
Samsons Academy is a support network and base for training and self-growth. They are community focused organisation working in partnership with professionals and other local agencies to support young adults and some older adults who are living with mental health impairment and illness. The Academy is also an Amateur Boxing Club affiliated to England Boxing. Using the ethos of combat sports, they help to improve the lives of those that might be socially excluded. They offer a welcoming and inclusive environment for all the community to learn boxing regardless of ability as well as Muay Thai, Yoga, Pilates, Boxercise, K1, Kick Boxing and other combative sports.
Sight Concern Bedfordshire
Sight Concern Bedfordshire is a local, independent charity with offices in Luton and Bedford, founded in 1999. They work with visually impaired people, their families and carers throughout Bedfordshire and Luton to provide services to enable them to live full, active and independent lives.
SMART
SMART helps people to help themselves. They are a charity actively working to prevent homelessness, working with vulnerable people and communities to help with early intervention to prevent them from ever getting to the point they are homeless or thinking of sleeping rough. They also provide safe spaces to work with vulnerable people within our communities, empowering them to make positive changes and achieve their objectives.
Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice
Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in Moggerhanger provides expert care for life-limiting conditions. They help with everything from pain and symptom management to emotional and practical help. Their expert team offers many services to help families. Doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational and complementary therapists, nursing assistants and a family support team all work seamlessly together. They are experts in supporting people through the most difficult times of their lives.
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