Back in March, just after Lent had started, I set myself a challenge for Lent that would stray away from the norm of giving up food I liked. I promised to give £10 every week to one of the six charities I had previously chosen and though I may have been a little late in donating on a couple of the weeks, I did complete the challenge and give money to some great charities.
Here’s who I gave money to and why:
Week 1: Crohns and Colitis UK
Why I donated: ‘A brilliant charity raising awareness and supporting the thousands of people in the UK with these conditions which can range from managable to delibitating. Myself and my mum have both suffered with these conditions for 16 and 26 years respectively and for that reason this charity will always have an important part to play for me.’
Week 2: St Luke’s
Why I donated: ‘Whenever my grandparents donated money, old clothes, books etc, they would always take it to St Luke’s. As a result, it is a charity that means a lot to me because even though they never used their services in any other way, it reminds me of them.’
Week 3: Whirlow Hall Farm Trust
Why I donated: ‘I went to the farm a couple of days ago with work as we had sponsored a local school to visit the farm as part of their 480 scheme. It’s a great scheme that I fully support and I hope more businesses in Sheffield get involved to send more schools with children who may never have this experience ever again to the farm. The work they do in this wonderful place is inspiring helping so many and providing a great space for volunteers young and old. It’s not enough to place another school on the 480 scheme but I hope my money goes some way to helping this great place.’
Week 4: Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity
Why I donated: ‘When I was diagnosed with my illness aged 11, I was very ill and consequently spent a lot of time at Sheffield Children’s Hospital. Ever since then, I’ve been trying to think of ways to give something back to the place that put me back on the mend. A tenner is nowhere near enough to repay the fantastic staff here but its a start.’
Week 5: Sheffield Mind
Why I donated: ‘Mental health is hugely important, at a time when budgets are being slashed and more and more people are being diagnosed with mental health conditions due to stress and the like, it is important to support charities such as Mind. Another close subject to my heart, I respect the work this charity does on the front line of one of the most difficult conditions to get to grips with and manage.’
Week 6: Weston Park Cancer Charity
Why I donated: ‘This place and charity means a lot to me, working tirelessly to help those with cancer and their families and raising awareness of symptoms and causes too. My grandma was here on her last days and the care she received was second to none. With cancer such a common and brutal thing supporting cancer charities to find a cure is important for us all.’
To find out more about my ‘Lent us a Tenner’ challenge, check out my original blog about it.my original blog about it.
Mixtape Couture 