I won’t make a habit of this…
You will be aware that, of all the male disadvantages now rife in our society, the treatment of fathers by the family courts is amongst the worst. There are ways you can help – one of which will cost you nothing (read to the end!).
I have recently volunteered to act as fundraising coordinator for the charity Families Need Fathers Both Parents Matter Cymru (soon to be simply ‘Both Parents Matter’ or just BPM for short). The charity has ambitious plans to become more organised and to expand the scope of its services (including a domestic violence service for abused men). But the charity teeters on the brink of going under for lack of funds.
One of the things I, and others, are doing is applying for funding from Trusts and Foundations. There is a great deal of competition for such funds, and I hardly need tell you that our charity will not be the first choice for many granting bodies. Nevertheless, it is possible and is being pursued with vigour.
To show willing in my new role I am doing a fund raising event myself, namely a 50 km walk across the Cotswolds, involving about 5,000 feet of ascent, to be completed in 12 hours. It is scheduled for the 25th September, that being the last day there will be 12 hours of daylight. If the weather is bad, or the paths muddy (both very probable) I may end the walk stumbling through woods in the dark.
I am, of course, seeking sponsorship – go here – and many thanks to anyone who contributes.
The charity desperately needs a regular income, for which we are trying to build up donations by regular standing order. Being able to demonstrate a regular income is a key part of accessing funds from Trusts, etc. So, even better than a single donation is a regular one. Please consider seriously if you are in a position to give on this basis – it may be no more than the subscription to a magazine or newspaper. Which would you rather support? Go here.
Note that both the above donation systems have facilities for Gift Aid, so the charity actually gets 25% more than you give if you are a tax payer. Make the Chancellor give us some money!
Finally, here is how you can put money the charity’s way without it costing you anything – if you shop online. It’s called “Give as you live”. Enter those words in your browser (or alternatively enter EveryClick – that’s the parent organisation). Get yourself a free logon on their system & read a bit about “Give as you live”. Set FNF-BPM Cymru as your charity of choice (there is an account). Then download and install the app “Give as you live Donation Reminder”. It puts a button near the top right of your browser. Next time you want to do some online shopping, click that button and it brings up a list of retailers in the scheme. Access the retailer via that list and you will automatically send a small percentage of what you spend to BPM – without it costing you anything (the retailer bears the cost). Percentages to the charity are 1.5% from Amazon, Marks & Spencer, and Sainsburys; 2.5% from Booking.com; 1% from Argos and 0.75% from ebay, and various others. Do it now.
Many thanks,
Rick Bradford (William Collins)
The information on GAYL about FNF BOM Cymri has not yet been changed to reflect that this charity now operates UK-wide, not only in Wales.
It will be changed in due course. However, at present the charity is still operating only in Wales, though you are correct that the intention is to branch into England also. That’s one aspect of the ‘ambitious plans’ mentioned. The “FNF” is likely to be dropped also, though the Trustees have yet to agree to that.