Week 15 - on the spot

This saturday, I shall be attending the LABL vegan fair in Liverpool, UK

As many of the major animal charities as well as a few smaller, not so well known ones, will be there, it is the perfect time to make on the spot donations and inquiries into what Project52 can do for them.

I am hoping that some of the new business cards for Project52 will have arrived by then, so that I can take the opportunity to help the fanbase grow and raise even more awareness for the causes documented and supported by us.

There is an updated Feed Burner account for Project52, for subscribers, which can be found here: http://feeds.feedburner.com/project52ayear

a new email address (in case some of you have been trying to get in touch but had problems) : project52ayear@gmail.com

and of course, our facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/project52ayear

I am also pleased to announce that Project52 can now offer 10% off for all new customers to Moo print (who are making our cards!) http://www.moo.com/share/thwdmy

Spotlight on.... The Foxton Centre

The Foxton Centre, based in Preston, UK is a very special organisation indeed. They run projects and programs aimed at helping children and teens in the community; teaching new skills to those who are at risk; outreach projects, known as Streetlink, for street sex workers (something that many groups who aim to help those on the street shy away from) and finally drop in centre for the homeless, skills workshops for the homeless and a mentoring scheme to help ensure those sleeping rough can develop the means to get themselves out of that cycle and stay out of it, for good. Simply just these actions alone make The Foxton Centre and the work they do worth highlighting and celebrating for creating real positive change for the people who live and work in the town of Preston.

I interviewed Shirah Bamber, who works in marketing and communications at The Foxton Centre for more information on the work done by the staff and volunteers at The Foxton Centre.

With thanks to Ms. Bamber

As March is 'help the homeless' month over at Project52, could you describe what services The Foxton Centre offers in aid or support of the homeless?

The Foxton Centre offers various services to homeless & vulnerably housed adults. Our largest project, Community Café http://www.thefoxtoncentre.co.uk/content/foxton-projects/community-cafe/, provides a hot meal for £1 (although vouchers are provided for people who are rough sleeping), shower, laundry, telephone and IT facilities, as well as social activities and a high level of support from our team of Community Social Workers.  Through the Café we provided 3004 meals in 2013.

We are currently running a campaign called Hungry which allows patrons in local cafés Ravenous & Café Fresch to donate £1 and purchase a meal for a homeless person. This campaign has been running since July 2013 and has already provided over 700 meals.

Other Projects provided for rough sleepers & vulnerably housed adults:
Our Wet Garden http://www.thefoxtoncentre.co.uk/content/foxton-projects/wet-garden/, has been developed to break down barriers when working with established street drinkers
 The Assertive Outreach Team (http://www.thefoxtoncentre.co.uk/content/foxton-projects/assertive-outreach/) go out a number of times a week during the day & fortnightly in the wee hours of the morning.

Finally, our GreenFingers Allotment Project http://www.thefoxtoncentre.co.uk/content/foxton-projects/greenfingers-allotment-project/ has been developed by a team of volunteers & service users to develop life skills, encourage community involvement and improve health and well being.

It currently costs us £2000 per week to provide these services.

The Foxton Centre has existed in Preston for over 40 years. During this time it will have seen many changes to the services it offers and the lives of those who make use of The Foxton Centre. At present the centre has several projects in the running including Safelink, which is aimed at supporting at risk young people, StreetLink, which offers support to street sex workers, and Amity befriending, which offers support to the presently or former homeless. Are there any plans to add to the current list of projects run by The Foxton Centre?  

We increase our projects as the needs present themselves. Just last year we saw a 23% increase in the number of service users attending the Community Café, which caused us to develop the Hungry campaign. We increased our projects from 10 to 13 in the last 12 months and are currently working at capacity.

In the document "Street Sex Workers in Preston: An Evidence-Based Study" It was suggested that a Foxton Centre Charity shop could be set up to help those who take part in the StreetLink project to gain current work experience and to raise self-esteem amongst the workers. Have there been any further developments on this idea or is it still at proposal stage? 

At present it is only an idea. As with many ideas they can take a long time to come into fruition through the simple reality that we are incredibly busy with the projects and service user base we are already working with and taking on a shop would be a large commitment of time and resources.
The study can be found at: http://www.thefoxtoncentre.co.uk/content/information/publications-resources/

The Foxton Centre [appears to] rely on a mixture of public donations, local business support for the free meal voucher schemes and national lottery funding besides making use of physical object donations. As we're now in Spring and heading into summer, does the list of requested physical donated items change at all with the seasons?

You are right, we are funded through a mixture of funding bodies (including the Big Lottery, but also Comic Relief, Children in Need, Esme Fairhurst, to name just a few) and local donations of money and supplies.

There are some requirements that stay the same all year round, such as toiletry items (soap, shampoo, disposable razors, etc) and others change with the seasons (ie. Sunscreen, winter coats, etc).

As we go further into 2014 are there any changes you hope to see at The Foxton Centre, whether that is an increase in projects or services offered, or an increase in public donations and support of The Foxton Centre itself... what would those be?

This year my personal goal at The Foxton Centre is to develop formal partnerships with local businesses. We began 2014 with a strong new partnership with Magma Digital and hope that the year will continue as it began!

We are also getting ready to host our 2nd Annual Evening Fundraiser at St. John, The Minster (on Church Street), which is an evening of live entertainment, 2 course meal and complimentary glass of wine for £25, and hope that this year we will attract a wider audience of supporters.


And finally, is there anything you would like to ask of the readers of this interview to do in the future, either towards those who attend The Foxton Centre or vulnerable individuals at large in the world?  

There are so many ways to help vulnerable people, but sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start. We try to make it easy for you, and I’m certain that charities in other areas would be happy to discuss potential ideas if you live elsewhere. What can seem like a little thing to you can make such a difference in someone’s life.

Some of the ways people like to get involved with us is through donating to our Hungry campaign, donating an hour or two of expertise, becoming a regular (or occasional!) volunteer, attending our fundraising events or organizing an office fundraiser such as a bake sale, or casual day. It doesn’t need to be big or complicated to have an impact.

Thank you to Shirah for taking part in the interview and thank you to all of the staff and volunteers at The Foxton Centre for all your hard work, time and dedication from myself and on behalf of the readers of Project52 blog. 

Spotlight on... The H.O.P.E project

As March is help the homeless [people] month here at project52, today's spotlight Q&A is with Colin from The H.O.P.E Project, in Liverpool, UK

The H.O.P.E Project [Helping Other People Exist] is a small group aimed at providing subsistence for the homeless people of Liverpool, UK.  In Colin's own words, "I set the project up ten months ago, with a flask and a sandwich" Feb 2014.

Founded in May, 2013, The H.O.P.E Project are a small group of volunteers who go out into Liverpool city centre, several nights a week between 9.30pm and 11.30pm. They go out in groups of three people and follow a regular route, to distribute hot drinks and sandwiches/snacks to those who are sleeping rough.

When was the H.O.P.E project set up and what made you want to start it? 

Set the project up 10 months ago, [May 2013] set it up because I want to make a difference in the world and show love.

As the H.O.P.E project is a not-for-profit unregistered charity group, how do you raise awareness for what you do?  

I gain awareness and donation through public media

Has the H.O.P.E project made any successful changes in the area it operates in?

We are out six nights a week , each night we have three different people out, that's eighteen people making a difference from the community. All our donations come from social media groups, this means the kind people of Merseyside are making positive changes too .We give out twenty-five sandwiches , hot drinks, chocolate, crisps, hats and gloves. We must easily make a difference to 70 different people on the streets each week. Since our project started, a group in Warrington have started the Warrington hope project, it has also traveled to Barcelona as a result of the guys over there seeing our Facebook journals. 

Homelessness is a major topic of debate in the UK today, what extra steps (that are not currently in place) do you feel should be taken to reduce homelessness in the city? 

Liverpool needs a night shelter open all year round

The H.O.P.E project does not take any cash/monetary donations and instead asks for the donations of food/clothing/goods via their Facebook page. How does the H.O.P.E project use these items? 

Everything donated gets a picture taken [of it] and put on Facebook, then it gets split up and shared for all the teams who go [out] and give it to the guys on the street.

Finally, if there was anything you would like to say to the readers of Project52, what would that be? 

Our aim is to show love to someone who needs it. I want to say to the readers that they too can make a difference by buying a cup of tea and a sandwich and passing it to a homeless person. 

Thank you to Colin and all at The H.O.P.E Project, Liverpool from myself and the readers of Project52. 

To help support or donate items to the H.O.P.E Project, visit their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-HOPE-Project/549253225143903

Q&A conducted February 2014 

March - Help the Homeless (People)

March - Help the homeless

• Now, I know in many areas you will pass homeless people in the street, sleeping in doorways, begging or busking, some may have a dog with them, others may have a cat, and I have even met one man who had a rabbit as his companion. Some will have ended up on the streets due to a rough childhood, others may have had one bad thing after another which has lead them into a down-ward spiral until they have hit the rock bottom which is where they are now. Others may have drug or alcohol issues or mental health issues, and sadly some of them may not even be homeless at all and are there to make money off the good will of others instead of going to work... but let's ignore the poser scum and focus on the genuine homeless.   

• In the cases of those with drug or alcohol issues, there is the concern that if you donate money to them, it may be used to buy those things instead of it being spent on what they truly need. 

•  Ideas to help:
• If you have any spare (clean) hats, gloves, scarves that you no longer need, please consider giving them to the next homeless person you pass, they might help keep them warmer at night. 
• Unfortunately, the homeless can also be victims of muggings and rape, so if you can afford to, consider making up a safety kit with items such as a whistle, attack alarm, pepper spray inside it to give to females and males alike. It could make a difference and help them to escape or get aid in those situations. 
• Hygiene can also be an issue as those without shelter access won't be able to get to running water, so consider next time you're buying a packet of tissues, hand sanitizer gel, plasters (pre-cut sizes) or antiseptic wipes, buy doubles and give the spares away. 
• If you see a homeless person with a companion animal, consider buying a small box of dried food, bottled water or a toy / treat for that animal. Pets (or Companion animals) can also be victims of homelessness and items for the companion animal will be appreciated. 
• In some areas of America (I have not yet seen this scheme rolled out here) you can ask for a 'suspended' cup of tea or coffee in the coffee shops (coffee houses?)- this is a 2nd cup of tea or coffee kept on tab, paid for by you, but is then given to anybody who requests one. I don't have more info on this scheme but would love to know how it works exactly. ~ alternatively, if you are stopping off for coffee somewhere, consider buying a cup to go when you leave and give this to anybody who you think will need it. 

• If you belong to a church or religious group, you may want to consider applying with your church* group to your vicar / priest / pastor / other leader (as appropriate) for permission to turn the main hall into overnight shelter. Places where this scheme has worked have run it in teams / shifts where all who use it have to arrive between 9 - 10.30 pm and leave at 7 am. Drugs, alcohol and sex is banned. The hall is then split into single sex areas where those who stay may have tea, coffee, sandwiches (or other hot food if provided by the church* group) they would then bed down for the night on their own sleeping bags (if they have them) or make-shift beds using donated items such as camp beds, fold away mattress etc. As this is a long term aid suggestion it may get costly so you would need a strong team who are prepared to donate food/drink or bedding supplies on a regular basis as well as take turns in shifts as it can be time demanding as over night supervision would be needed for security.  I have known of such schemes to only take place at certain times of year, for example winter only, Christmas week only, or on state holidays only. *this could also be a mosque, synagogue, meeting house, kingdom hall, other building or worship and of course the members of that location. 

• And if helping set up a make-shift shelter isn't for you - consider helping out a local shelter instead! Many of the year round established shelters are run off donations, and requests for goods are common, typical items wanted are: New knickers / boxers (various sizes - factory sealed only) socks (New only) clean jumpers, clean t-shirts, shampoo / shower gel, toothpaste / tooth brushes, deodorant, blankets, bedding items can all be used by them. so dig out those toiletry sets that you got for Christmas but never used. Bare in mind that some of these items can be purchased for as low as 50p / $1 in the supermarket so it need not be heavy on your wallet. 

• A final way to help, and this might not be available world-wide, but it is in most areas of the UK, is buy copies of THE BIG ISSUE. For those not in the know, The Big Issue is a charity magazine published on a weekly / fortnightly basis and is sold by street vendors. The street vendors are in fact homeless, and the magazine sales help generate an income for them, gain work experience so that they may then go on to get a fixed address and a bank account. Most banks will not give an account unless you have a fixed address, and you cannot get a full job without an account, so it helps them to help themselves get out of their current situation. For my area, the north-west, it is known as 'The Big Issue in the North' http://www.bigissueinthenorth.com/ but it is also run in other areas, see London office, http://www.bigissue.org.uk/ for more information. I will be buying copies myself on a regular basis through out the year, but am also hoping to do a spot-light on The Big Issue in the North at some point in March. More details to follow as the month progresses. 

Spotlight on..... RSPCA Charity Shops

Spotlight on .... RSPCA Charity Shops

The focus on this Q&A session is to examine the work and role that charity shops have to play in supporting a charity network.

With thanks to: Lauren, Assistant Manager at RSPCA Chorlton Charity Shop

**the views contained within are those of the individual, and not representative of the RSPCA themselves as a registered charity**

The Royal Society for the Protection of Animals has existed since June 1824 where it was founded by a group of like-minded individuals based in London. It has since then grown into many chapters through out the UK. As the charity relies on public donations and public support to carry out its work, how long has the charity shop chain existed for and how does the charity shop chain support raising funds for the RSPCA Manchester & Salford Branch? 

The RSPCA Manchester and Salford branch is independent from the national RSPCA, and so is responsible for its own financial well being. Our four shops based in Chorlton, Didsbury, Urmston and the Northern Quarter provide a sizeable amount of income for the charity to help fund the animal rehabilitation and rehoming work the branch undertakes. The shops also help to keep our charity in the public eye, which is important because it inspires people to help us directly with cash donations.

As there are hundreds of charities based in the UK with different goals at heart through out the country, many of which use charity shops to raise funds for their own goals, this means there is competition on the high street for premium foot fall locations and for attracting attention from passers by to either donate goods or to purchase from the vast variety of wares on sale in any of the shops. What does the RSPCA Manchester & Salford Branch’s shops chain do in order to stand out from the crowd?

Our shops work hard to make sure they appeal to the general public and have the advantage of working for a highly popular cause: animals! I think the RSPCA Chorlton shop’s most important tool for standing out from the crowd is the window. We display the highest quality stock for passers by to take notice of, and try to make sure we're catering for all age groups. We even follow themes of popular holidays such as Christmas, and our personal favourite Halloween! Not only does the window give us a great opportunity to showcase our best stock and reasonable prices, but it lets our donors know that we really do make the most of the things they generously hand over to us.

What is the handling system for donations? could you talk us through what happens to an item from the point of where it is donated by a member of the public to the end point (sale). 

All of our donations are first checked for any imperfections that may make them unsalable. They are then sorted into departments and prepared for pricing. Bric-a-Brac is sorted and cleaned along with books and toys to be priced on the shop floor. Clothing is taken upstairs to be hung and steamed ready for pricing. Each item of stock has to be individually priced to ensure we maximise the amount we can raise whilst at the same time providing a fair and attractive price to the customer. We also receive money for recycling a variety of damaged items that cannot be sold.

Could you describe for our readers what a typical day at a charity shop is like? 

There is no such thing as a typical day at a charity shop! It's part of what makes the job so rewarding and exciting. You never know who might walk through the door, or what kind of donation you'll receive. A plan for the day is often made in the morning and by the afternoon it may have totally altered because someone has brought you their entire worldly possessions which need to be processed immediately or you'll fall behind. You need to be able to work fast and adapt to the constant changes around you, which makes it so much more interesting than any other type of retail work. 

During your time working with the RSPCA Manchester & Salford Branch, have there been any high points that sets working for a charity shop apart from working in other types of retail environment? 

One high point definitely springs to mind, but it started off as one of the lowest points I've had during my time with the RSPCA. I arrived at work one Monday morning to find donations piled up in the shop doorway, which isn't anything out of the ordinary. As I reached the bottom of the pile I saw a pet carrier, and my immediate retail reaction was 'I could probably get £5 for that'. Instantly my thoughts changed to 'I hope there's not an animal in there'. Lo and behold, as I picked up the pet carrier I found a very large cat staring back at me. As a shop worker I rarely find myself having difficult personal experiences with the animal side of the charity, and I was so sad to find such a lovely animal had been stuffed in a box and dumped on our doorstep. It was during a particularly busy period for our charity, and with the cattery and foster homes full we had to keep him in the office upstairs until there was room for him elsewhere. During this time we managed to transform Laurie the office cat from a timid hideaway into a confident puss who came to us for headbutts and treats. It was such a pleasure to help look after one of the animals in the charity's care, and I'm pleased to say he has now been rehomed! 

If there was anything you could say to the readers of Project52 to encourage them to make more use of the services provided by a charity shop, what would that be? 

Charity shops have come a long way in recent times and they work hard to offer a contemporary retail experience. For example, they offer a clean and comfortable shopping experience and, thanks to the generosity of the general public, offer high quality stock at affordable prices. This means that shopping for pleasure and necessity is something you can still enjoy given the current economic climate, all the while lining the food bowls of needy animals!

Finally, thank you for taking part in today's Q&A session from myself, and also thank you on behalf of the readers of Project52 for working hard to help support the raising of funds for the RSPCA to help the animals of the UK.

**the views contained within are those of the individual, and not representative of the RSPCA themselves as a registered charity**

Spotlight on.... Oxfam Charity shops

Spotlight on.... OXFAM Charity Shops

Q&A session to look at the role of the charity shop as a fundraiser in the public eye.

With Thanks to Kit, Greater Manchester area.

**the views contained within are those of the individual, and not representative of OXFAM themselves as a registered charity**

Oxfam International, is made up of 17 different organizations spread through out the world, and was founded in Oxford, England in 1942 with the goal of famine relief. It has grown since then to have operations in places such as the UK, USA, Canada, Europe, for example. One method of raising awareness for their goals and fundraising is through the use of charity shops. what made you want to work for them?

I started working there as a volunteer first as I love the music section and have a keen eye for rare records so wanted to help them make as much money as possible by researching and pricing records accordingly.

There are approximately 750 OXFAM shops in the UK, and it is apparently the largest retailer of 2nd hand books in the UK, which gives the charity chain a large high street presence. What does OXFAM do to help set itself apart from other Charity shops on the british high street?

Quality merchandise, only the best stock goes out in our shops and we try to keep the prices fair. We try to raise money for different projects regularly and we advertise to help different people in different parts of the world.

As OXFAM shops sell a mix of donated goods and fair trade items, can you talk us through the process of an item being donated to OXFAM to the end point where it is sold to a member of the public?

A customer will bring us the donation, we try to encourage them to sign up for gift aid if they haven't already. We then go through the donations and sort through what is good and we can sell and what is not. The products that we do not use get recycled where possible. The products we use get put on a hanger, steamed, priced and put out in the shop, as mentioned before we only use the best stock so anything that was old, worn, damaged or dirty do not get put out in the shop.

Have there been any high points or low points for you personally from working at an OXFAM charity shop? such as a dream - find being donated to the shop or something unexpected hiding within a donation bag?

The low points are when people donate items that are really not salable and they must know this but can't be bothered to go to the tip with it, e.g a used, dirty baking tray, cracked cups, china etc or really used, dirty clothes. People leaving products outside the shop in the rain is annoying as well as the products become unsaleable! High points are finding a great item in fantastic condition e.g designer gear unworn with original labels on sell really well and for a decent amount.

My personal favourite was finding David Bowie's album 'The man who sold the world' [in it's] original dress sleeve that was withdrawn, making it rare, we sold it online for a couple of hundred pounds. I get a real thrill when I find a rare record knowing we can make some decent money from it.

Is there anything that you would like to ask of the readers of project52 to do to help support OXFAM?

To help support oxfam please only donate stock that you would like to buy yourself to prevent waste, gift aid your donations if you are a tax payer and if you want to help and have the time please volunteer

Thank You Kit, on behalf of myself and the readers of 'Project52' for the work you do to support the goals of OXFAM UK

**the views contained within are those of the individual, and not representative of OXFAM themselves as a registered charity**

week 2 - spare stuff Donation

This week I am planning to have a clear out of all my belongings that are either under the bed or in the spare built in wardrobe in the other room (used as a secret library and craft storage space) and donate to charity anything I know I will not use or be able to pass on to my craft inclined friends. Examples including soft toys, candles, nick knacks will be out, sewing materials, and letter writing materials will stay as I will need those for my planned February activities. My preferred Charity shop is the PDSA who help those with low incomes get veterinary treatment for their pets.   If you donate to a charity shop, please consider signing up to their gift aid scheme and also for email updates as this saves them time and money on declaring any monies raised from your goods donation.

Donate Unwanted Goods to Charity Shop

Monday update: 

I have just sent a very small donation in to a rescue group called Brandy Keg kennels Dog Rescue, who aim to save dogs from the kill list (get put to sleep after a set time) into their own small no-kill shelter and foster scheme.  The group has hit a dry spot with their own efforts and so any penny will help them. If you would like to take part in the Facebook donation drive, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/389238157878457/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

Week 1 - Food Bank Donation

In the days leaning up to this point, I had already already made the start of January for project 52 (see January post) by having a wardrobe clear-out and by registering for free online courses in order to better my own knowledge of culture, history, the law and own educational sense of self. I chose to label entries by week number and not by date as dates seemed to rigid when the plan is 52 activities, not 52 entries, so don't be worried when there's an A or B or C to some weeks.

 I am undertaking the study of Sustainability and the environment in the hopes that it will encourage me to have more sustainable or recyclable products in my every day life and help me to do something productive for the environment. perhaps start small and ask for better paper recycling in my work place.  I will also be taking an introduction to forensic science short course (a personal topic of interest) and if there is still time in my schedule, I will also be reading Macbeth as a 3rd course option. The first of these courses starts on Jan 6th 2014, but there are new courses starting all the time so if you feel inspired you could just wait until one sparks an interest for you at any time. I am using the website Future Learn https://www.futurelearn.com/

In the mean time between today and Jan 6th 2014, for my activity of the week I will be having a kitchen cupboard clear-out and all canned goods that have not been used for a long time (like that random tin of rice pudding that is doing nothing) shall be getting gathered up and taken to one of the small food bank donation bins I have seen dotted around my area. I have found food bank donation bins in Sainsbury's Bolton, and Costa Coffee, Victoria Square, Bolton, but none nearer to home so I will take the trip and use these ones. While checking through the cupboards for items to dontate, I found a lot of tinned goods and teas that were out of date and buried at the back. I hate waste but they may not have been safe to eat (lots dated 2012) so into the dustbin they went.

Pledge not to let food go to waste again!

Food Bank Donations