Charitable Work

harryjam · August 28, 2012

I'm thinking ahead to next summer and thinking I'd like to properly fill it with charitable work. I'd like work where you get to go abroad and do it, and I'm a big fan of animal charities (bit of a dog lover). I just don't want to do work that doesn't make a difference or where the charity gets like 80% of the total funds, I want one where I'm utilised fully. Do people know of any very reputable charities local or abroad that they may have used/been involved with before? Thanks.

harryjam · August 28, 2012

Are we all scrooges here?

Nickpop · August 28, 2012

Every christmas, the missus, the mother in law and myself travel from Belfast to London and work for Crises At Christmas. Basically instead of spending time with our friends and family, we head over and spend 3-4 days working with the homeless. Crises are an amazing charity, and its brilliant to get involved and see for yourself how the money is used, how donations are gave out, and you get mucked in helping out with everything.
Been doing it for a couple of years now and its the best christmas ever. The wife is a dentist and gets to use her skills in the denitisty end, whilst im a general vol, and do anything from serving food, entertaining, football, to even cleaning the boggs. If anyone is fed up with the same old crimbo, then google Crises at Christmas and volunteer for 1 day to see what you think.

Pat's Van · August 28, 2012

You do understand the ones where you go abroad means you have to pay for yourself to get there

they're charities and as such they aren't going to cover your travel costs

there's plenty of stuff on the net where you pay a rather large token fee to go and help out with whatever work they're currently undertaking, but the agencies organising them usually take a high percentage of whatever you pay

I have a friend who goes to Peru regularly to help build churches, he's not religious in any way, but he realises the importance of having these type of buildings in the more rural towns where they act as sort of community centres and a sort of much needed focal point for the village, he has to pay his own way to get there though

If you're willing to pay handsomely to get yourself out there then go for it, but it's probably just as beneficial to the charity to give them the money as a donation, or perhaps do a trip somwhere out the way and get people to sponsor you, Machu Picchu for instance is a very popular one

good on you for thinking of this kind of thing, I hope you manage it, I respect that a lot

and as for Nickpop, good on you too lad, giving up your time like that, I appreciate the efforts of anyone trying to make this a better world x

andy4efc · August 28, 2012

I wouldnt do it if you paid me....

Seriously though, good on you

chicoazul · August 28, 2012

I don't know many mate but nice one, if I had time and money I'd like to take a summer off and do something like this. Go for it.

Swerve animals though, they're only good for cooking and you'll probably catch rabies off them abroad.

Del · August 28, 2012

Ive heard there still looking for Kony lad you could help with that

Nickpop · August 28, 2012

Cheers Pat

Being homeless must be one of the most dangerous and scary things people could face. On Christmas day when many places arnt open, even getting a cup of coffee must be very hard.
I wake up every day in a warm bed, nice belongings, food in the fridge, and with a very nice wife. For someone living rough, they just want to wake up safe. For 1 week, Crises at Christmas gives people the chance to experience a normal life. It is an amazing buzz to be in the middle of it, working, and just trying for a few days, give someone maybe just a glimmer of hope.

I would love for anyone to give it a go this year. Totally change your christmas.

harryjam · August 28, 2012

Laughed hard at swerving animals abroad because I'll get rabies and finding Kony haha!

Yeah the company I'm looking at you have to pay for flights. Ironically I think it's quite selfish, I'm doing it a lot for myself because I'd be happy making kids who have nothing happy.

Split up with my missus of 3 years suddenly and had a minor re-evaluation on my life, a mid-mid-life crisis (I'm 20) I guess. Read a book called The Last Lecture too (very inspiring) and it talks about enabling the dreams of others.

Going to research companies specifically for abroad, in terms of the impact they have/prices. Would like to contact Everton and other places for spare gear to take, be class seeing them all running around with Everton shirts on. Two Barnardos just opened here locally so could buy loads of cheap stuff there. Early days yet though. And Nickpop that Christmas thing sounds ace, I wouldn't at this very moment in time myself (every Christmas seems like my last with my Nan who is really important to me, and I have two little sisters growing up) but I'd definitely get involved at some point. I helped pack 1000 hampers for vulnerable families over Merseyside the other year, hard work but rewarding.

Pat's Van · August 28, 2012

harryjam said:
Laughed hard at swerving animals abroad because I'll get rabies and finding Kony haha!

Yeah the company I'm looking at you have to pay for flights. Ironically I think it's quite selfish, I'm doing it a lot for myself because I'd be happy making kids who have nothing happy.

Split up with my missus of 3 years suddenly and had a minor re-evaluation on my life, a mid-mid-life crisis (I'm 20) I guess. Read a book called The Last Lecture too (very inspiring) and it talks about enabling the dreams of others.

Going to research companies specifically for abroad, in terms of the impact they have/prices. Would like to contact Everton and other places for spare gear to take, be class seeing them all running around with Everton shirts on. Two Barnardos just opened here locally so could buy loads of cheap stuff there. Early days yet though. And Nickpop that Christmas thing sounds ace, I wouldn't at this very moment in time myself (every Christmas seems like my last with my Nan who is really important to me, and I have two little sisters growing up) but I'd definitely get involved at some point. I helped pack 1000 hampers for vulnerable families over Merseyside the other year, hard work but rewarding.

apologies mate, my earlier post comes across as you might not have thought this through yet you obviously have

where you thinking of going mate ?

harryjam · August 28, 2012

Ideas for things to take for the kids would be great too, thinking coloured pencils and the plastic tubes that your blow bubbles from (can't remember the name).

harryjam · August 28, 2012

Pat's Van said:
apologies mate, my earlier post comes across as you might not have thought this through yet you obviously have

where you thinking of going mate ?

No worries, I need to think and be as critical as possible. Anywhere really, I don't speak other languages unfortunately but I know Ghana and Kenya speak English well. Ideas welcome as ever.

Pat's Van · August 28, 2012

harryjam said:
No worries, I need to think and be as critical as possible. Anywhere really, I don't speak other languages unfortunately but I know Ghana and Kenya speak English well. Ideas welcome as ever.

well there's people all over the world who need help

there's no way you're being selfish by trying to make others happy, although I do know what you mean, but on the same token you might as well make it to somewhere you would like to go to, why not, it's your life

I've travelled a fair bit and have a reasonable grasp of spanish so if it was me I'd probably stick a pin in a map of south/central america and say "I'm going there"

but as I say there are people who need help all over the world, I've never been so shocked as to see the sheer amount of homeless people as I was when I went to Tokyo, Japan for instance....fkn Tokyo, and this was before the earthquake

Africa sounds like a good shout, I've been to the North but know many people who've been into the so-called heart of darkness

I wish you well, and please post pics if you get a chance

harryjam · August 28, 2012

Pat's Van said:
well there's people all over the world who need help

there's no way you're being selfish by trying to make others happy, although I do know what you mean, but on the same token you might as well make it to somewhere you would like to go to, why not, it's your life

I've travelled a fair bit and have a reasonable grasp of spanish so if it was me I'd probably stick a pin in a map of south/central america and say "I'm going there"

but as I say there are people who need help all over the world, I've never been so shocked as to see the sheer amount of homeless people as I was when I went to Tokyo, Japan for instance....fkn Tokyo, and this was before the earthquake

Africa sounds like a good shout, I've been to the North but know many people who've been into the so-called heart of darkness

I wish you well, and please post pics if you get a chance

Yeah I quite fancy Africa really, maybe it's the guilt of the white man or whatever or the fact it's a continent I haven't been to yet. I know people who split up or have big changes and want to enjoy themselves getting p.ssed every weekend. Not my thing really. Heart of darkness, Congo, Uganda etc? Yeah will do. A lot of planning/preparation to do yet but it feels right.

chicoazul · August 28, 2012

Latin America has got some boss beaches and dirty birds mate so that's your best bet. Obviously everyone's gonna love the "I just want to help" line and that will get you some foof but that's what this is about isn't it? Get those photos lashed up on Facebook of you sharing an ace cocktail with some honey skinned beauty sharing your glass and your ex's clit will be start to boil itself. Is f*cking right mate, like your style. Get it fingered.