Makerble Charity Roundup

We hope you’re laughing lots for Red Nose Day today! Here’s 5 things that happened in the charity sector this week.

1. Red Nose Day celebrated across schools and businesses in the UK.

From superhero fancy dress to telling jokes to cheer us all up, thousands of schools and business across the UK are taking part in Red Nose Day today. Last year the event raised £82.1m for Comi Relief, which supports young people and communities across the world. You can tune in tonight from 7pm on BBC One to watch all the action unfold, or follow #RedNoseDay on twitter.

2. Imperial Earth Science are searching for volunteers to learn more about the impacts of air pollution

Imperial Earth Science’s INHALE research project is aiming to understand the health impacts of urban air pollution. They are looking for healthy and asthmatic volunteers aged over the age of 30 in West London. To find out more of volunteer yourself, head to their website.

3. Reading volunteers return to school after re-opening

Volunteers from Arch Oxfordshire have now been able to return to schools to read with children. Their 260 ‘Reading Helpers’ work with disadvantaged children to help them improve their reading skills and build a love for reading and stories in the future. With less time in school this year, the volunteers are needed now more than ever. To find out more and get involved, head to their website.

4. Social prescribing day celebrates the thousands of community groups and services maintaining people’s health across the UK

Social prescribing day is on the 18th March. This year, charities, like the Southmead Development Trust, who offer social prescribing, used the day to celebrate their volunteers and community groups that have supported peole during the pandemic.

What is social prescribing?

Social prescribing enables GPs and health professionals to prescribe non-clinical services to their patients. Patients are referred to community groups, such as walking groups and garden projects. These groups and services help to reduce social isolation; improve individuals mental and physical health and help people to feel cared and loved.

These organisations are always on the lookout for volunteers to keep their services running. Find out where your local social prescribing link worker is based to help get involved in your local area.

5. Charities working with women speak out about gender based violence

Charities working with women have been speaking out about gender based violence. Following on from the murder of Sarah Everard charities have been sharing more about the reality of gender based violence that the women they work with face. Following on from Jess Phillips MP reading a list of names of women who had been killed in the UK in the house of commons, Bristol based charity One25 who work with street sex workers, shared in a tweet how “street sex-working women are 12 times more likely to be murdered.” You can find out more about what they do and support their work on their website.