Allotments 4 All
General => The Shed => Topic started by: betula on October 26, 2009, 17:35:08
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I was reading the secret Santa thread and it occurred to me that it would be a good idea to make a donation in the name of Allotment for all to a charity
or Allotment site that is working towards helping people with disabilities.
If you are interested please post.
If your allotment site is doing anything along these lines and need some contributions please post that also.
Flighty has suggested http://www.thrive.org.uk/.
It would be good to live up to our name and help someone somewhere get the joy that we do out of growing our own.
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put me down, betula, we have a group on our site but they seem ok for funds :)
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I'm up for that Den.
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I don't really "do" Christmas (pressies and all) but I think that's a lovely idea Betula, so count me in. I don't know any particular charities that would fit the bill, so Flighty's suggestion sounds excellent
1066
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Betula as I said on the other thread what a good idea! :)
As you've also pointed out I suggest my particular good cause Thrive, which is a small national charity that uses gardening to change the lives of disabled people.
http://www.thrive.org.uk/
I can't think of a more appropriate, or worthy, cause for us to support.
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Me too, let me know what I have to do.
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I'm in... Is it worth setting up through justgiving? It's easy to do the giftaid and easy to set up a group... Just a thought.
i.e.:
http://www.justgiving.com/thrive/
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It's a good idea, but I don't really do people charities. I like the Donkey Sancturay (http://drupal.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/), and then there's the Dogs Trust (http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/). I do like Christmas though.
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I take your point but as we are allotments for all thought it was appropriate :)
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I quite like the idea that Oxfam do of sending seeds and tools abroad so people can grow their own food, but think Flighty's idea is good for this site and if people want to give more to their favourite charity they can. We only buy presents at Xmas for the children so I may go in for the other present thing, as being grown up get nothing at Xmas. :( :( :( Very difficult to buy for people that you don't really know, apart from on here, so am undecided on that one. Most things I really, really want I buy myself so am quite a happy bunny really.
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AmIright in thinking that Thrive is what used to be the "gardeners' benevolent fund"?
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Well, unwashed, at the risk of causing a divide... I don't do any animal charities (apart from a donkey one I gave a fiver to in Spain once). No need for us to get into a what's best/worst discussion on here - I'm sure we both have our reasons, and I doubt either of us intend to change our minds soon!
Maybe there's a charity for people who garden with animals that could keep us all happy?
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Caroline no the Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Society has been called Perennial since 2003.
http://www.perennial.org.uk/
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Bump :)
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I would like to be included please. Tone and I don't do Christmas. We like to give throughout the year when and if we can afford it. This would be a wonderful opportunity to do a bit for others less fortunate.
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Can I be included please. In my other life I was a carer for adults with severe learning difficulties. I used to go to work with a big smile every day ;D.
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Count me in please.
Anne
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Big thanks to all so far who want to join in................ ;D
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I'll join in too. :)
PS Must make sure we can gift aid
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Just giving this a bump for anyone who's not read it! :)
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Count me in please, lovely idea :)
Lushy x
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Bump ;D
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What exactly are we going to do. Donate a set amount or what? I would go with a fiver each.
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No set amount Shirl..............different people may have different ideas on how much they want to donate.Thanks for joining in and to everybody so far who has posted........... ;D
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the http://www.justgiving.com/thrive/ link Ollie posted sounds like a very practical way of organising it, and less work for Betula ;D
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Bump ;D
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Excellent idea, count me in, let me know what i need to do.
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We dont have much but compared to people with nothing its a lot, i will send as much as i can so count me in, i love the idea of sending it in the A4A name !
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Thank you ;D................Bump again
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Don't forget that (for many) this is half term week. Some folk may be away or too busy to come on line. :)
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I'll join in too, let me know what I have to do.
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It seems that we are donating to Thrive then ;D
Thanks to everybody so far.
Will put up a link soon.
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thanks for organising this Betula :)
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Count me in. Only comment... like a lot of other people I am on a very limited income and I was a little embarrassed (know I shouldn't be!!) when on a previous donation post by A4A where names were posted my fiver seemed mean compared with other members donations. However more than willing to give a fiver.
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Lorna never be embarrassed by the amount that you donate. It's the fact that you have that's important and one that you should be proud of!
Thrive, like many small charities, really does survive on the numerous small amount donations that it receives from folks like ourselves.
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Lorna thats why I suggested a fiver.Thats the amount they spend on the secret santa. Seems that most folks can afford a fiver.
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I think everyone giving a fiver is fine. 20 x£5 = £100 and there are how many folk on this forum?
If anyone wants to give more they can do it separately.
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Fiver is great...................one pound is great...........and that is why I suggested the amount was up to the individual.Please ........please........nobody be embarrassed with the amount they give.
I am so happy we have got the ball rolling and big thanks to Flighty for setting up the following link,left to me I would be collecting cheques because I am pretty hopeless when it come to this kind of thing.
To make your donation please go into the following link and a big thank you for your kindness.............Den
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
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Thanks for sorting this out guys!
Ollie
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Betula you're most welcome and thanks for the thanks! OllieC thanks for suggesting doing it this way. :)
I'll contact Thrive later today and let them know what we're doing as it's now up and running.
As I would normally give them a donation around this time of year I'll do it through here instead. As well as the £5 I've donated I'll give another 50p, up to a maximum of £10, for every member who donates.
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aww flighty ain't you a good un! :)
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To make your donation please go into the following link and a big thank you for your kindness.............Den
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
Done.
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I have mailed Sam Louise asking if this can be made a sticky for a while.
Save people having to search for it :)
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It's got off to a good start! :)
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
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being a bit thick here - but where do I add my A4A user name?
thanks
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1066 when you donate there'll be a name box which will show your real name that can be changed by you to whatever you want. :)
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They show you a page just before you submit and you will see where to put it. I was a bit unsure and put it in the wrong place but you can alter it at the end so don't worry
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gotcha! ;D
gardening and growing my own really gives me so much that it's nice to be able to share a bit of that pleasure with others :)
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Done. Feels quite painless when you do it on line ;D ;D
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I'm in. What a great idea, well done.
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Thank you for making this a sticky Sam.
Now we are stuck at the top of the list in the shed. ;D
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Who's this Michael Rogers who wants to thank me? ;)
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Caroline 8)
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Brilliant idea! I'd forgotten I had an account with justgiving - all the best with raising more!
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Fiver is great...................one pound is great...........and that is why I suggested the amount was up to the individual.Please ........please........nobody be embarrassed with the amount they give.
I am so happy we have got the ball rolling and big thanks to Flighty for setting up the following link,left to me I would be collecting cheques because I am pretty hopeless when it come to this kind of thing.
To make your donation please go into the following link and a big thank you for your kindness.............Den
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
Err am I being stupid? When I click on this link it doesn't appear to be a secure website?
G x
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Georgie it is for the actual donation pages!
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Many thanks to everyone who has donated so far. :)
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
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Must admit to having a little tear in my eye when I saw how members have so graciously responded to this Christmas gift idea.......
Growing my own veg and flowers has given me such a huge pleasure and I love to think we are helping others do the same thing.
Thanks again everybody. ;D
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Bump ............... ;D
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The total so far stands at £100!
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
Thrive has asked me to pass on their thanks to all involved as they really do depend on support from good people like us!
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that's fantastic news! Well done all or should that be allotments4all ;D
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Georgie it is for the actual donation pages!
Right, thanks for that. Sorted now. :)
G x
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Thank you everybody.............proud of you all :)
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
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Bump ;D
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The daily bump ;D
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I thoughtthis was a "sticky"now, so does it need bumping? ???
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Plenty of folk seem to be reading it, Caroline, but not so many contributing. Perhaps that's why Betula is bumping it. Also the sticky itself doesn't include the link for making contributions:
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea (http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea)
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Thanks,Anne,I stand corrected! ;)
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Caroline I'm sure that we'll be better organised when we do it again next year! :)
Meantime the total stands at £115, and for anyone else who'd like to donate here's the link!
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
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Total is £120 now - woohoo :) :)
Lushy x
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It wasn't me that won the Euro lottery, :( :( :( otherwise I would have given more.
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I think £120 is a pretty good achievement in these lean times. :)
G x
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Georgie I agree as the saying goes "Every little helps"
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Georgie and Lorna well said! :)
For anyone else who'd like to donate here's the link -
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
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Well Done everyone!!
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Thank you for your contribution :)
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
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We are up to £140.00
That is fantastic................ ;D
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Just a gentle reminder that a few folks who said count me in have yet to donate!
For them and anyone else who'd like to donate here's the link ~
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
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Gavin's Story
“I used to get bad mood swings but going into the garden and having a purpose in life has helped to reduce those”
Gavin has achieved fantastic progress during his time at the Thrive Battersea Garden Project. He first came to Thrive in 2001, 12 years after he was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Today, Gavin is looking forward to independence. After 7 years working with Thrive’s therapists as a client, he joined our supported volunteer project and then moved on to a part-time paid job. He is also working as a volunteer in the research laboratory at King’s College London, a really positive move for him as before his illness he was a biochemist at St Mary’s hospital in Paddington.
Commenting on how schizophrenia affected him, Gavin says: “I had great problems reacting to my environment. I would walk into a room and feel as if I was in a trance. Gardening has helped me overcome that. At Thrive, you do a full day which helps to build stamina and helps you get back into a work routine. There is also a fantastic mix of people there and my social life has taken off.
“My doctors say that since I started gardening, the improvement has been obvious. They hope that soon I will be able to move into a house or flat of my own. I just hope it has a garden!”
Gavin has given interviews about his experience at Thrive and has written articles for Thrive’s journal GrowthPoint, and has produced a research paper on gardening and mental health. He has also recently completed a video course and has taken the Royal School of Music Grade 6 exam on the violin. These are things which he admits he wouldn’t have dreamt of doing a few years ago.
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Sally Brampton is a journalist and novelist,
and is the founding editor of British Elle.
She is also a depressive, and in the past has
become so ill that she has twice attempted
suicide. Sally wrote the book, Shoot the
d**n Dog, a memoir of her depression.
Sally gave this interview to The Times in
support of Thrive, and a film of the interview
was shown on The Times’ website.
“When I’m gardening the only thing I think
about is gardening and I think it’s what
physiologists call flow – that you become
completely absorbed in something that
you’re doing and it transcends everything,
you just forget everything else.
“When you are very depressed you might be
suicidal you know, which is just one of the
symptoms of severe depression. I think that
what a garden teaches you is that things die,
but things come back, and there is always
this constant cycle. It keeps you connected
into the seasons and keeps you connected
into life itself. I think that’s really important
if you suffer from any kind of mood disorder
to have that kind of optimism, to know that
there is always a future.
Sally Brampton: “Gardening keeps you
connected into the seasons and keeps you
connected into life itself. I think that’s really
important if you suffer from any kind of
mood disorder to have that kind of optimism,
to know that there is always a future.”
“I just think what Thrive does is absolutely
fantastic. I’ve always thought with Thrive
that there is a feeling of real acceptance
about people and their differences and it
brings people together, that’s just wonderful
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Thrive Battersea Garden Project
The need of disabled Londoners is great and Thrive has been helping for over 25 years. However, our facilities in Battersea Park urgently need updating so we can work and improve the lives of more disabled people.
Today, our Battersea Garden Project operates from a modest Portakabin and a series of huts and sheds, which are not, in truth, suitable to meet the differing needs of our disabled gardeners.
We have ambitious plans, which have been approved on paper and are shown in the image on the right, for a modest but permanent building which can be used flexibly to accommodate large and small groups. We will have new training rooms, accessible facilities, a modern 45sqm orangery to provide growing space and refurbished gardens.
These new facilities will allow us to help more disabled Londoners and we particularly want to:
• offer 16 to18 year olds, who have a range of special needs and are at risk of committing a crime or truanting, the opportunity to gain qualifications and improve their physical and psychological health.
• expand our programmes for stroke survivors and help more people in the early stages of dementia to use gardening to reconnect with friends and family.
• work in partnership with local business to offer disabled people an accessible work experience and training programme and the first steps towards employment.
Please help us to turn our plans into reality and contact us if you can help in any way.
We urgently need additional funds and donations big and small will be gratefully received. This is how your money could help:
£30 could buy 100 bricks for our new building
£50 could buy a kitchen unit
£75 could buy a seat for the orangery
£150 could pay for one day with a horticultural therapist
These stories are taken from thrive's website.
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http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
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:) Bump :)
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Betula, you do know that talkingtoyourself is the firstsign of madness? ;D But well done for keeping this at the top!
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I give to certain charities every year. At Christmas I give to the NSPCA and they send letters to my young friends from Father Christmas. So sorry but please I can't help but best wishes.
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Still at a respecatable £140 hope we can reach £200 by Christmas
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That would be good daveyboi ;D
Enjoyed looking at your blog :)
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Thanks for visiting my blog Betula (in other words bump lols)
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Still at a respecatable £140 hope we can reach £200 by Christmas
Be good if we could. Here's the link again in case anyone missed it:
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea (http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea)
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Looks like this has stuck now at the £140
Well done everyone and maybe we could do something similar next year.
Nice to see a forum these days where there is a real community spirit.
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Yes, maybe we should close this now. Don't want people to feel pressurised.
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With respect Caroline nobody is pressurising anyone and it is a Christmas gift and we are a long way from that yet.
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Some people may be waiting until nearer Christmas - after all, it isn't December yet :-\ :-\
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All been quiet here for a while...
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As promised I've just donated another £10 :)
That takes the total to just over £195 (£160 + £35-26 GiftAid)
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
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That a good amount isn't it Flighty.
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Shirl yes it is indeed! :)
As Thrive is my good cause I'm truly grateful to everyone who has donated, and I know that they really do appreciate what we've done. :)
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
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Thank you ;D
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Well done to Betula for organising this and for Flighty for suggesting such a great cause and his extra tenner ;) ;D
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The total, including GiftAid, is now just over £200! :)
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
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The total, including GiftAid, is now just over £200! :)
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
Fantastic. :D
G x
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I always give to the NSPCC so will pass on this. Sorry. Best of luck.
I also like having the Santa letters sent to my very young friends which they do every year.
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Thrive send their sincere thanks to everyone involved. :)
They hope that we have a lovely Christmas and wish us all the very best for 2010.
http://www.justgiving.com/betulasgoodidea
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So pleased the members have made this donation possable.
We will leave it up till Christmas Eve :)
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couple of books in the shed, anyone would like them, could they donate to this thread please ;D
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I have just made a small donation. Thrive are a great charity and I think anyone who is in a position to should make a donation however small or large.
Thanks
- Alex
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Alex a warm welcome to A4A, and many thanks for your donation. :)
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Want to say a big thankyou to everybody who has contributed.
It will finish on the 31st. ;D
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Well done everyone :)
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Big thanks to everybody who has contributed ;D
Hopefully Sam Louise will remove this when she has a moment.
Not only have we raised some much needed cash .
We have raised awareness of what the charity Thrive can do for less abled gardeners.I know some members have been using their website.
A really positive note to start the New Year. ;D
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And a big thanks to you betula and flighty for the idea and actually carrying it out
Happy New Year to all
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My own thanks to everyone, especially Betula, and on behalf of Thrive who I know not only really appreciate our donation but are also gratefiul for raising the awareness of the charity in this way.
As Betula says it's such a good way to start the New Year! :)
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Sure you want this moved and not just locked?
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locked sounds good to me and removed from sticky