Hospices get involved in #GivingTuesday

Following the vast sales of Black Friday and the online shopping boom on Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday was created to “show the world why it’s good to give.”

The simple idea behind #GivingTuesday is to encourage people, charities and businesses to donate time, money or their voice to help a good cause.

Whether it’s making a donation, volunteering your time or just spreading the word at the start of the Christmas shopping season, #GivingTuesday is a call to action for everyone who wants to give something back.

The campaign is being launched in the UK for the first time in 2014 and the country joins a global movement including the United States, Australia, Singapore, Canada, much of Latin America and Israel.

Three UK hospices involved in #GivingTuesday activities are featured on the campaign’s website. And all three are opting for a slightly different approach to raise awareness of their charity. Here’s what they had to say:

Willow Burn Hospice –

“This #Giving Tuesday Willow Burn Hospice are not asking for your money or your time but your unwanted clothes and items.

“We desperately need your goods to help to continue provide our vital end of life and palliative care within our local community. We are only a small Hospice within County Durham but we are trying to make a big difference and would like your help.”

To find out more visit the hospice website.

Peace Hospice Care –

“Peace Hospice Care is excited to be getting involved with #GivingTuesday 2014. We love the idea of a global day for giving and hope that it will encourage people to support charities in all sorts of ways.

“We hope that in the spirit of #GivingTuesday many of our supporters will be inspired to get involved – whether by volunteering their time, organising a small fundraising event or setting up a direct debit of any size to make regular contributions to our funds.”

Haven House Children’s Hospice –

“On #GivingTuesday we are asking supporters to help and donate to our Christmas appeal #dylansxmasappeal. All of our services are completely free to families and we need to ensure the hospice has the funds to continue this care.

“Dylan, aged 10, lives in Wanstead with his mum, dad and 13 year old brother Callum. He has Partial Triplication 15, a chromosome disorder so rare that there are only ten known cases worldwide. Whilst there is little know about the condition, one thing is certain – his life will be shortened.

“Caring for Dylan is a 24-7 job. He was recently diagnosed with a very rare form of epilepsy where seizures can be virtually non-stop. In a particularly bad period, he had 400 in 13 hours; every one of these can be life-threatening.

“When Dylan is at home his family feels like hostages, held to ransom by the severity of his seizures. They are unable to leave the house. What Haven House offers them is a break. Without this they would not have coped as a family for so long.

Janie, his mum, said: “As I know the experienced and highly trained nurses are able to care for all Dylan’s needs I am able to relax for a few precious days a year and get a full night’s sleep.”

You can watch a short film featuring Dylan on YouTube.