Monday 25 August 2014

THE BIG CLEAR OUT!

Reader Helena decided to have a big clear out of old and unwanted toys and junk… find out how her tidy-up turned into a charity fundraiser!

Helena says:
Back at the beginning of the summer holidays I decided to have a big clear out of stuff I no longer needed and had grown out of, but instead of taking everything along to our local community shop, I decided to raise money for Cancer Research UK. A friend of ours does LOTS and LOTS of fundraising for Cancer Research and organises the local Relay for Life event. That's a huge family event - people can camp overnight - which lasts 24 hours. There are lots of games and fun activities for children and we are all coming together as one group to raise money to beat cancer. I would like to be a medical scientist and a magician when I grow up, and help to cure diseases like cancer. This seemed like something I could do in the meantime.

I designed a poster and it went onto the local Relay for Life page, and friends helped to distribute it around town. Then basically, I took over the pavement in front of Mum and Dads bookshop. One day it rained really hard so I sat inside the door and still got some money! I sold a lot of games, toys, books and bits and pieces and people were really nice about it. I think they liked the idea that I was raising money for a good cause! I also had a 'guess the birthday' game, for a Minnie Mouse toy, which I am still going to do. I have raised over £100. It was a lot of fun, a bit of a challenge at times, but it was worth it!

Cathy says:
I love Helena's idea - sometimes the simplest ideas are the best! It looks like she had a lot of fun, too, and raised a lot of money… how cool? COMMENT BELOW to share YOUR charity find-raising attempts or to give a shout-out to Helena for her achievement!

9 comments:

  1. wow! That's amazing! My mum's mum died of cancer before any of her grandchildren were born, so I never got to meet her and it sometimes gets to me. It was obviously harder for my mum and her sister though. Every summer, we do a family bike ride and everyone takes part and its a really fun way of remembering my grandma and raising money for cancer research coz they are an amazing charity!Keep going Helena and thnx for raising money for cancer research!
    Hamdi:)xxx

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  2. That is such a good idear and the best part is you are doing
    1 your self a favour by declatering
    2 others a favour because they don't need to go to the shops and by stuff for a lot more money
    3 people with cancer a favour bye raising money to find a cure

    And just a shout out to a girl who was in my class last year ; lara who was diagnosed with leukimia at the age of 10 stay strong
    To everyone who has cancer has had cancer or has died of cancer I send you my love and to all there relatives

    Lots of love Arabella

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    1. aww ur message is so sweet arabella. send my love to lara she must be so brave. Hamdi:)xxx

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  3. That's so awesome! Raising money for charity with your old toys is soo much better than just giving it to a shop.

    The best idea to raise money that I've had was to do a proper Purple Day in my school with everyone donating a 'purple pound' to Epilepsy Awareness. Unfortunately, my school had a strike on Purple Day so we couldn't do it but we may be able to do a Purple Week this year if I can get it back out there early enough.

    Epilepsy Awareness means a lot to me because my Year 8 Form tutor (Year 8 was a really hectic year!) has Post Traumatic Epilepsy which she developed after she was involved in a car crash a few years ago. I've always known her as a bubbly and happy person which is why I was so sad when she left in the summer last year. I was also quite upset when she told us about her condition and how she had a fit one day before she left her house because deep down inside I know she doesn't deserve that. Nobody with epilepsy deserves it!

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  4. this is a great idea!!

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  5. I've never done a jumble sale before but it sounds really cool! maybe I'll give it a go!

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  6. Wow she is really passionate about charity work! I would love to do something like that!

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  7. Wow she is so thoughtful!

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