Down Syndrome International have joined Makerble

Down Syndrome International are a UK based disabled people’s organisation, made up individual members and member organisations from all over the world. They work to improve the quality of life for people with Down syndrome, promoting their right to be included on a full and equal basis with others.

They run global campaigns and events advocating for the rights of people with Down syndrome and participate in international disability and human rights forums. They work with their partners to provide accurate advice and support on key issues affecting people with Down syndrome around the world, like policies and practices on education, healthcare and human rights. They also develop and grow their membership network, helping to build alliances and networks of self-advocates and families.

TREAD have joined Makerble

TREAD is an organisation based in Washington State, USA. They were established to bring together more than 50 partners that work to enhance and protect the region’s outdoor recreation. Before TREAD was created there were a multitude of organisations and programmes providing outdoor recreation opportunities for the community, but their effort lacked coordination. Now TREAD works with these organisations to find creative solutions for sustainable trails, diverse partnership, community leadership, and economic development, focusing on achieving sustainability and accessibility.

With their view of their 50+ partners TREAD are in a unique position to see the intersections and needs of those organisations. So, they can leverage their relationships to efficiently fund, plan, and execute projects, spanning over up to 20 years.

Use Stories to Evaluate Programmes

When you run a nonprofit organisation you and your colleagues get told time and again how much of a difference you’re making to people’s lives. But where do you keep hold of that valuable information?

What often happens is:

• Stories get lost or forgotten in the busyness of running an organisation.

• Great quotes and powerful testimonials only exist in emails, feedback forms and WhatsApp messages

• When interviews and case studies are written up, they’re stored as Word documents which only certain people have access to, meaning that your organisation doesn’t get the full benefit of those stories

There is a better way

If any of those things have happened to you, you could benefit from using Makerble Stories to record, store, share the difference your organisation makes.

Capture the magic of each moment, right when it happens, instead of waiting several hours or days later

• Upload pictures directly from your phone or tablet

• Record audio clips

• Capture anecdotes, stories and feedback from the day’s activities in the community you serve

Categorise your stories into evaluation themes you can report on

• Create as many Evaluation Themes as you like - each one is saved as a label

• Add one or more Evaluation Theme labels to each story

• Report on all the stories that demonstrate an Evaluation Theme by simply selecting that label

You can Use Stories to Evaluate Your Work from as little as £4.95/month

Join the nonprofits around the world using Makerble to take the stress out of organising and reporting their work

Whenever you’re ready, book a zero-commitment chat to see a demo

Discover more ways to save time with Makerble

Somerset County Council - a Makerble client

The project Somerset County Council manages using Makerble

Somerset County Council runs an opportunity boost scheme called Step Up. It provides grants worth up to £500 to help overcome financial barriers when seeking employment and returning to work. The grant can cover costs such as transport, childcare, work clothes, learning resources and training courses.

Find out more about Step Up Somerset here.

Foyle Foodbank - a Makerble client

About Foyle Foodbank

Foyle Foodbank is a Trussell Trust foodbank. It provides three days of emergency food to those facing food poverty in Londonderry, NI.

Find out more about the foodbank here.

Communities First - a Makerble client

About Communities First

Communities First Foundation offers a wide range of services to tenants and young people in social housing across England and Wales. In addition, they offer sports, training and employment programmes to young people.

Find out more about the organisation here.

5 thing that happened in the Charity sector this week - 27th January

Makerble Charity Roundup

Growing cyber threat to charity sector, NCSC reports

A new National Cyber Security Centre report has outlined why organisations in the charity sector are particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks in comparison to businesses and government organisations. For example, is less likely to have organisational IT, relying predominantly on staff’s personal devices, which are harder to secure. A cyber attack could affect a charity’s services, data and funds. The report directs staff and trustees to the online resources they need to safeguard their organisation. Read the full report here.

Economic and social progress dependent on sectors working together

A two-year commission created by Pro Bono Economics in 2020 has called for government, businesses and funders to support charities in national recovery and growth. The report, Unleashing the power of civil society, sets out recommendations on collaboration between the sectors. The Chair of the Commission, Lord Gus O'Donnell summarised “Successive governments have neglected charities for too long, and our country is the worse for it. That must change in order to achieve the national renewal and better future that the UK desperately needs, because charities are a key part of the solution to every challenge we face.”

Record number of wills included a gift to charity in 2022

The total value of charitable estates in 2022 currently stands at a record breaking £2.1bn. Some organisations are yet to report there final accounts to the Charity Commission, so Smee & Ford estimates the actual figure to be around £3.5bn. Of the wills handled by Smee & Ford last year almost 16% included a gift to charity, which is also the highest amount it has ever recorded.

Strong communities: The backdrop to the cost-of-living crisis

The National Lottery Community Fund’s latest Community Research Index, a survey of 8,000 adults across the UK, shows that eight in ten people are expecting the demand for their local foodbank to increase, and three in four people predict an increase in demand for mental health services and the need for debt support. However, there is a growing sense of community, with more people saying they feel a connection to their local community compared to previous years. 49% of people plan to volunteer in 2023, with a clear focus on food banks. 42% of those intending to volunteer plan to offer their help to a food bank. Over half of UK adults think that support those struggling because of the cost-of-living crisis is important to the well-being of their local community.

South London community farm to launch food growing project to help residents

Around ten years ago Loughborough Junction Action Group turned a vacant open space in South London into a thriving community farm. The charity recently received £84,500 of funding to help people learn to grow their own food. They will hold 100 growing session a year as well as workshops on healthy eating and horticulture, to encourage people to grow food on their balconies or in their gardens. The project hopes to bring together the community improve the environment and support local residents.

Sources:

https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/phishing-and-ransomware-amongst-biggest-threats-to-charity-sector

https://fundraising.co.uk/2023/01/26/economic-social-progress-in-uk-dependent-on-sectors-working-together-commission-concludes/

https://fundraising.co.uk/2023/01/26/2022-saw-charities-receive-highest-number-of-bequests-on-record/

https://www.charitytoday.co.uk/community-connections-strengthen-despite-cost-of-living-pressures/

https://www.charitytoday.co.uk/south-london-food-growing-project-will-help-hundreds-more-residents/

5 things that happened in the Charity sector this week - 20th January

Makerble Charity Roundup

Amazon shutting down the AmazonSmile charity programme

For almost a decade Amazon has been running AmazonSmile, a donations programme that allowed buyers to give to charity with each purchase at no extra cost to the customer. The company announced that it will be shutting down the programme by the 20th of February, as it did not “grow to create the impact that [was] originally hoped”. Amazon has donated almost $500 million over the last decade. It claims the impact was minimised by the fact the programme was spread too thin, with over 1 million eligible organisations around the world. However, critics have speculated that this is no more than a cost-cutting tactic.

Over 100 charities call on government to help most vulnerable heat their homes

Over 100 charities sent an open letter to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt calling for a social tariff for the energy market to support older and disabled households. Age UK’s polling shows that 24 per cent of over-60s and 27 per cent of older disabled people are living in colder conditions at home than they would like. Organisations like Age UK and Scope have expressed concern that even as the weather gets warmer many older and disabled people will face struggles as universal energy support comes to an end in April. People relying on medical equipment, for example, are facing a daily struggle to heat their homes and keep the equipment running. The open letter has called for targeted support for people on means-tested benefits, disability benefits, Carer’s Allowance, and those that may not qualify for welfare support but are still struggling with their energy bills.

Guardian and Observer raise £1.5m for charities tackling cost of living crisis

The Guardian and Observer charity appeal has closed, having raised over £1.5m over a 38-day campaign, with donations from more than 13,400 people. The money will aid charities working on the frontline of the cost-of-living crisis. It will be split between Citizens Advice and Locality and will go towards local services in the most deprived communities in the UK, helping provide emergency food banks, warm rooms, mental health services, and debt and housing advice.

CEO to cycle to Ukraine to raise money for landmine charity

CEO Tom Hashemi is embarking on a journey from London to Lviv, Ukraine to raise money for the Mines Advisory Group. The route will be 2,000km which he will cycle over the course for two weeks in April. He was inspired to organise the ride when he found out that children are particularly likely to be mine casualties when out playing. He hopes to raise £20,000. It costs approximately £500 to clear one landmine and he plans to raise enough to clear at least 40.

Fast approaching early bird entry deadline for Business Charity Awards

The Third Sector Business Charity Award are an amazing opportunity to showcase a collaboration between a not-for-profit organisation and a corporate partner. There is a list of 20 categories you can enter, including Best Response to the Cost-of-Living Crisis, which is a new category and is free to enter. The early bird entry deadline is just a few days away, on Thursday the 26th of January. Follow this link to enter https://www.businesscharityawards.com/

Sources

https://www.engadget.com/amazon-shutting-down-amazonsmile-charity-program-061835108.html

https://www.familyfund.org.uk/news/over-100-charities-call-to-introduce-new-social-tariff

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jan/16/guardian-and-observer-charity-appeal-closes-with-more-than-15m-raised

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-64330246

https://www.businesscharityawards.com/

5 things that happened in the Charity sector this week - 13th January

Makerble Charity Roundup

1.  Reduced energy bill support for charities from April

Currently, under the Energy Bills Relief Scheme (EBRS) non-profit organisations receive a discount on their energy bills. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced this week that in from April this scheme will be replaced by the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS). Whilst plans for ongoing subsidies from the government are welcome, the level of support in the upcoming financial year will be significantly lower. Over the last six months the EBRS cost approximately £18.4bn. The EBDS, however, will be capped at £5.4bn government spending for the whole year. Charity sector bodies have urged the government to find a longer-term solution to support non-profit organisations.

2. Trust founder completes 52 triathlons in 52 weeks

Rob Starr, 53, is the co-founder of the Starr Trust, which supports young people in achieving their dreams. Over the last year Mr Starr has done a triathlon every Friday, which has helped raise over £100,000 for his trust. He did most of the triathlons around Brighton. Travel and bad weather did not ever stop him. Some triathlons he did abroad, the furthest from home was in South Africa. When the weather was awful, he would swim in a pool and use an indoor bike, but always tried to run outside. Mr Starr received support from his friend Sir Daley Thompson throughout this challenge.

3. Wolves fans raise almost £2,000 for Race Against Blood Cancer

In 2017 former club goalkeeper Carl Ikeme was diagnosed with leukaemia. He went into remission in 2018 and has since supported the local Race Against Blood Cancer charity. He previously supported a donor drive, which aimed to increase the number of stem cell and bone marrow donor from minority groups, which are vastly underrepresented. Recently Ikeme’s fans began fundraising for the charity to help others fighting the same condition. A Wolves fans volunteer group held a quiz night that raised £1,785.

4. Exmouth man to walk UK coastline to support the RNLI

Tim Jones, 33 and his dog Monty will be starting their route around the UK coastline at Exmouth RNLI Lifeboat Station next Friday. He will walk “clockwise”, visiting as many lifeboat stations as he can. His 8,000-mile route includes the Isle of Man and the Scottish Islands. He hopes to raise £500,000 for the RNLI, which he has admired for a long time.

5. Charity that supports refugees and asylum seekers moves to a bigger facility

The number of refugees and asylum seekers using The Harbour Project’s services has trebled in the last two years. To meet the growing need, the Swindon-based charity is moving to a new facility funded by the charity itself and South Swindon Parish Council. The charity support refugees and asylum seekers in rebuilding their lives. Around 1,500 people are currently seeking refuge in Swindon and the charity was not able to support all of them in its former office. The CEO Claire Garrett said “Our role here is to respond to human needs, I’m never going to turn anyone away at the door.”

Sources:

https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/treasury-announces-reduced-energy-bills-support-for-charities.html

https://www.thejc.com/news/community/what-a-starr-charity-chiefs-52-triathlons-in-52-weeks-raise-over-100000-1LCMBvhPCwL8RKX7lpPT40

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/wolverhampton/2023/01/12/almost-2000-raised-by-wolves-fans-for-blood-cancer-charity/

https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2023/january/13/exmouths-tim-to-walk-the-uk-coastline-for-the-rnli

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-64225655

5 things that happened in the Charity sector this week - 6th January

Makerble Charity Roundup

1. New research predicts 2.5 million extra volunteers for charities

Pro Bono Economics think tank predicts that this year there will be a rise in volunteers, particularly young people between 11 and 34. A recent study shows that more than 10 percent of people not currently volunteering in the UK, intend to start donating their time to help a group, club or organisation in the new year. Even though volunteers bring in some additional costs in the form of training, this is still a positive forecast following the sharp drop in volunteer numbers during the pandemic.

2. The Trussell Trust raids its reserves to help foodbanks cope with the cost-of-living crisis

In 2021/22 The Trussell Trust went from a £40m surplus to a £16m deficit. Demand for foodbanks has been growing for over a decade. In the last four years the need for emergency food parcels has increased by 80 percent. The most recent cost-of-living-related surge in demand has seen Trussell Trust grants to foodbanks increase seven-fold between 2021 and 2022. In October the charity launched an appeal to support it though “the most challenging winter” in its history.

3. Sea Sanctuary mental health charity closing its doors

For the last 13 years Sea Sanctuary has been offering “blue therapy” to people struggling with their mental health. This “blue therapy” included trips on barges and yachts. The Cornwall based charity launched a fundraising appeal in 2022, hoping to raise £200,000 before the end of the year. Unfortunately, despite public efforts, they were not able to meet this goal. Joe Sabien, the founder of Sea Sanctuary announced on Tuesday that the charity would be closing. They will be refunding donations and distributing surplus funds to local mental health charities.

4. Changing Lives charity receives £1.3m from the Home Office

Changing Lives secured £1.3 million to go towards their work tackling violence against women and girls in the North East. The charity focuses on helping women targeted for sexual exploitation, including grooming online and tech abuse. The three-year funding will allow them to expand their specialist team, who will support vulnerable women and prevent sexual abuse and exploitation.

5. Give A Duck receives £10,000 from Morrisons Foundation

Give A Duck is a kids cancer charity that helps children through their cancer treatment by providing them with a cute soft toy “Chemo Duck”. It is fitted with a Hickman Line and Portacath so that medical staff can demonstrate the treatment on Chemo Duck before it is administered to the child. The Chemo Duck provides comfort to the children during treatment and also helps them understand their treatment. The Morrisons Foundation offered Give A Duck a grant of £10,000, which equals 400 Chemo Ducks.

Sources:
https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/charities-set-25-million-extra-volunteers-report/fundraising/article/1809113
https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/charity-goes-40m-surplus-16m-deficit-year/finance/article/1809136
https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/mental-health-charity-close-200k-fundraiser-falls-short/finance/article/1809202
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/changing-lives-charity-secure-13-25902163
https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/business/wakefields-morrisons-j41-logistics-warehouses-ps10k-boost-to-childrens-cancer-charity-give-a-duck-foundation-3953646