The smartphone revolution arguably started with the launch of the iPhone, although to be fair, they’d been around for years. IBM’s Simon phone might claim to be the world’s first, hailing from as far back as 1992. It’s estimated that by 2016 there will be two billion smartphones in the world, making them one of the most widely adopted pieces of technology ever. Enter Near Field Communications The plethora of functions and applications available in today’s smartphones is mind-boggling, and I’m pretty sure that the majority of us only use a tiny fraction of their capacity. One feature that has crept into phones over the years almost unnoticed is Near Field Communications (NFC) – the ability for a phone to pass information between an NFC “tag” or terminal. This is the same technology used in modern credit cards that allows you to “tap to pay”. Although most new phones have some form of NFC functionality, including the iPhone6, the chances are you probably haven’t used it much. After all, what is it good for? At Localgiving we’re keen to anticipate trends (technological and otherwise) so that we can understand how they can be harnessed to help local charities and community groups. And while NFC is currently comparatively unknown, we think there may be some interesting opportunities in the future. Smart Buckets! For example, if you’re a local charity, one of your funding strategies may be to collect cash from people in the street. We’re all used to seeing collectors in t-shirts with brightly coloured buckets, and it’s a straightforward way of raising money. But while it’s easy to do, cash collection comes with some big disadvantages – you’re unlikely to collect donor contact details and so will be unable to remain in touch with them, and Gift Aid claiming has historically been problematic, although the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme (GASDS) has helped a little. But fewer and fewer people carry cash with them, so while they may be willing, they can’t donate cash if they don’t have any. Can technology be deployed to overcome these issues? This could be a job for NFC! Imagine if, alongside your collection bucket, you have an NFC tag, which, when tapped by a donor’s smartphone, opens up the donation page on the Localgiving website on their phone’s browser. It’s very quick (see the video), and within a few seconds a potential donor can be deciding on the amount to donate, making a Gift Aid claim, and even setting up a direct debit if they’re so inclined. As an adjunct to traditional cash collections, NFC could be very useful by increasing donations and widening the circle of supporters.  The NFC tag that is used to trigger the donation is unpowered, costs under £1 and can be easily programmed by any NFC-enabled smartphone. Not everyone will donate this way of course, and not everyone has NFC in their phone, but in time things will change and, if the industry trends are to be believed, most phones will eventually support NFC.       Want to try it? Localgiving will be running a series of trials to establish whether the technology can be made to work in a practical way and we’re seeking volunteers. So if this sparks an interest, please get in touch with me via the Localgiving help line, or by email and I’ll be happy to explain more.

 Small Charity Week 2015  “Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.  Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has” - Margaret Mead From inception to delivery small charities should never cease to amaze us all.  At the Foundation for Social Improvement (FSI) we are privileged to meet with, talk to, be inspired by and support thousands of small charities each year.  I hear phenomenal stories of passionate, determined, creative and yes sometimes crazy founders.  That particular breed of person who instead of wondering who will do this or that to help others, instead wonder what can I do, how can I help and how can I get others to help. This is often how small charities come into being, someone somewhere sees something that needs doing or a wrong that needs righting and they set about changing the world - and you know they usually do! In the UK we are extremely privileged to have a vibrant, tenacious and effective Small Charity Sector, all 140,000 of them scattered across the country all working hard to support those in our society who are least able to support themselves.  Supporting those who for whatever reason have found themselves in a position that they cannot get out of, cannot control or cope with, not without help and support. Imagine: A young child being bullied at school with no one to turn to for support. An older person, isolated in their own home never speaking to another soul for weeks on end. A young person sofa surfing or homeless, afraid and in need of safe place to stay. An animal forgotten and left starving and neglected in a hut at the end of someone’s garden. A wooded glade cut down, whose special ecosystem is gone forever and its beauty lost to future generations. Or a villager in Tanzania walking 10 miles each day to bring fresh drinking water to their children. For the young and the old, for animals for our environment for those in our own country and for those across the globe, small charities provide hope and a lifeline to the future. Small charities have been coping in, and to a great extent are still coping in exceptional times, as the demand for their services increases, as the workload of both staff and volunteers rises and as funding to deliver their services is increasingly difficult to find.  In the face of all of these challenges, often despite the challenges they face, small charities continue to be optimistic, continue to stretch their resources to meet the needs of their beneficiaries.  They simply put their communities needs before all else. Many small charities exist to provide services the state chooses not to, or that the private sector sees as unprofitable. If there is a need not being met in a local community then you can take bets that it will be a small charity that ‘fills the gap’. Small charities in the UK achieve amazing results but now more than ever before small charities need to remain determined, committed, and passionate about what they do because more people than ever need their help. Want to support a local small charity? You’re spoilt for choice on how to show your love for your favourite small charities: Fundraise through Localgiving - set up your page now and fundraise throughout June for the chance to win your chosen cause an extra £1,000 through the #LocalHero campaign. Volunteer with a small charity near you and help to make a huge difference. Post a message on Twitter or Facebook about why you love your favourite small charity from the 15th-21st June using #ILoveSmallCharities and you could help them win cash prizes. For more information about Small Charity Week and how you can get behind your local small charities go to www.smallcharityweek.com ---- Pauline Broomhead is CEO of the FSI, a charity providing free support services to small charities across the country.  

The village of Haddon in Cambridgeshire has the dubious distinction of being the place that produced the country’s most expensive car repair ever. In 2011 Rowan Atkinson drove his Mclaren F1 supercar into a tree and a lamppost, which fortunately was not fatal, but certainly produced a headache (and probably an embarrassment) of monstrous proportions for the TV star. Reminiscent of an episode of Mr Bean, it was a good example of life imitating fiction. A year later the repair bill stood at £1m. Earlier this year Mr Atkinson concluded that it was time for someone else to enjoy the car, and he put it up for sale, with the expectation that the successful buyer would be paying around £10m.  Other ways to spend £10m In the world of supercars then, £10m doesn’t go very far. But in the world of local charities, £10m is an astronomical sum that can produce amazing results.  Flicking through the charity pages on our website, I’m constantly surprised at the many ways our members are deploying their funds.  Toys for children in respite at Konnections @ the Kerith in Bracknell Forest,  holiday caravan rental for HMH cancer patients in Scotland and the North East, vital mental health teaching by Aware Defeat Depression for frontline workers in Belfast, weeks of food and shelter for service leavers in Wales; the list goes on and on. Local charities can put relatively small amounts of money to incredibly good use, and that’s why we’re so happy to have broken the £10m barrier, because we know it’s made a difference to thousands of people across the length and breadth of the country. If you’ve got £10m to spend, surely this is a better kind of impact than the one the tree and lamppost endured in Haddon, Cambridgeshire!

Finding supporters to fundraise for your charity is a brilliant way to increase donations and promote your cause. Knowing how to find these fundraisers is a crucial skill for any charity (see Follow These 6 Easy Steps & Find Your Next Fundraiser) but it is equally important to know how to to properly support them once they've decided to raise money for you.  By supporting your fundraisers you can motivate them to raise more money, better promote your charity and, crucially, create a lasting relastionship and a long-term supporter. Here are 6 quick tips to help you do just that:      1. Thank them immediately Help your fundraisers to feel supported and motivated by thanking them as soon as they set up their fundraising page. Send them an email to show your appreciation and make them feel part of a team, while also reminding them how much you appreciate their efforts. When thanking fundraisers make sure you reiterate what their support will mean to your charity, ideally with specific examples of what the money they raise will go towards; images would also be a great addition. These "thank yous" will help them to visualise their goal and hopefully motivate them to raise even more!      2. Help promote their page Add the unique Localgiving URL for your fundraiser's page to your website, email signature, social media and other promotional materials. This helps to support them while also encoruaging new donations and showing potential supporters that you have a relationship with your fundraisers. Creating a public, as well as a personal, narrative between you and your fundraisers is they key way to show your support as well as encourage donations.      3. Create a sense of community If you have more than one fundraiser, then put them in touch with one another. For example, if two people are running the same fun run or marathon they may be interested in training together and supporting one another. Similarly, you can invite them to meet the people who will benefit from the money they raise - this will help to inspire and motivate them. When it comes to fundraising, people often respond better to group activities. By bringing your fundraisers together you can inspire a sense of solidarity for your cause - this is also more likely to encourage your fundraisers to get their friends and families involved, creating more fundraisers and ultimately more donations for your charity!       4. Make them feel special Publicly celebrate their milestones on social media and personally celebrate them via email. Milestones may include their first donation or a quarter of a way to their fundraising total. By doing this they will not only be aware of your appreciation but will have something to share with their personal networks; motivating those friends and family members to give and develop a greater awareness of your cause. Similarly, personalise your support: if they are running a marathon or doing a bike race then send them specific tips or advice related to their event. This type of advice is easily accessible online. Finding relevant information and sending it to your fundraiser shows you’ve gone the extra mile to build that relationship.  5. Ask them for feedback Ensure your relationship with your fundraisers is a dialogue. What would help them with their training or further inspire them to fundraise? Have their networks of friends and families given any feedback about their fundraising efforts or your cause? This shows you are interested in their progress and, importantly, will also help you to better personalise your appeals to supporters in future.    6. Highlight their story Feature their story on your website, your newsletter or social media outlets. Encourage them to send their unique story e.g why they're fundraising for you; they could even set up a personal blog to update people on their progress. Also follow them on social media so you can stay up to date with their progress and ensure they have everything they need such as charity information/branded materials.    Building meaningful relationships with your fundraisers is key to generating longer-term support. By showing how much you appreciate them you can instil a sense of pride in what they are doing and ensure that they feel their contribution is making a real positive difference. We hope these quick tips help you to ensure your fundraisers feel fully supported. With a little luck, they might fundraise for you again in the future and even encourage their friends and families to do so too!   Further information and material        If you want to learn more about supporting your fundraisers, as well as a range of tips on how to make the most of online fundraising, then click here to find slides from our 'Inspiring Online Fundraisers' webinar that we hosted during Small Charities Week.  Click here to download the poster                      

We all know that individual fundraisers raise lots of money for charities, but it's important to remember that they are also fantastic at spreading goodwill and encouraging support for worthy causes. Fundraisers can be of particular benefit to local charities by raising awareness amongst the community and inspiring more local people to get involved with the group's work. Each fundraising page set up through Localgiving typically attracts 10 new donors and raises an average of over £400, so following these 6 easy steps to inspire someone in your community to fundraise on your behalf is certainly worth the effort! 1. Build your story The first step towards successfully inspiring any new type of supporter is to build a strong, clear and cohesive story around your organisation. One easy trick to help you structure your story is to use the 5 W's and 1 H technique: Who, What, Why, When, Where and How.   Who: Who does your organisation help?  What: What are your objectives? What initiatives do you currently have in place? Why: Why was your organisation founded? What are the key issues that it addresses? When: When was your organisation founded? When do you deliver specific activities? Where: Where do you operate? Be specific within the local area. How: How do you meet your goals and objectives? How do you run your initiatives? Try to use the above questions to paint a compelling picture about how your group makes a difference within your community. Make it clear how things would be different if your group did not exist and try to include your passion for the work you do to inspire support from others. 2. Evidence your impact Evidencing impact is vital to show would-be fundraisers how the money they raise on your behalf will be put to good use. If someone is to put themselves through a gruelling marathon to support your work, it is critical that they understand the impact that their actions can have! One way to do this is to use real-life examples of how previous funding has been used to demonstrate the "return on investment". The key to evidencing impact effectively is to follow the story through to it's conclusion. Try to answer the following questions: How much funding did you raise? Include the total amount and how your raised it – if it was through public donations, say so, this shows that you already have people supporting you, which in turn is likely to inspire trust and support from others. What did you do with the funding? This could be a clear-cut, like buying a new tool or resource, or it could be more abstract, like going towards energy bills or rent. Either way, make sure to be clear about how the money was spent. What was the result of this for the people you help? If you were able to buy a new resource, evidence how this affected your service users – were you able to help more people? Provide better help for those that you already support? Deliver a specific event or service? If your funding went towards your core costs, evidence how the money enabled you to continue to help the people you already support. The most effective examples will use numbers and statistics to clearly show your impact.  For example, a community transport group might say the following:  In 2014 we were able to raise a total of £2,500 through individual donations and fundraisers. The money enabled us to upgrade our minibus with features to enable wheelchair users to easily access the bus. This has resulted in a 20% increase in the number of people we are able to help, meaning that an additional 30 people have been assisted to get from A to B over the past 6 months. 3. Use case studies Now that you've given clear examples of how the money you've raised in the past has been spent, using numbers and statistics to show your return on investment, it's time to connect with your supporters on a more emotional level. Case studies are an ideal way to do this. Think of a case study as a story – you can try using the 5 W's and 1 H technique described above to help you build a compelling picture of how your organisation has helped an individual or group of people in your community. Quotes and testimonials from service users can help to bring your story to life and will engage potential supporters on a human level, helping them to become invested in your work.  4. Create a connection Once you've fully explained your organisation and given real-life examples of the impact it has, it's time to tell your own story. Nothing will speak to someone as much as your own passion for the work you do. Explain your personal motivation for being involved and what your "a-ha moment" was that provided the catalyst for where you are today. This will help you to explain the real meaning of the work you do and inspire the same passion in someone else.  5. Make the ask Hopefully, by following the above steps you will have won over a whole host of new supporters! Now it's time to convert them into fundraisers to spread your message even further. People will often be invested in something but not know how to best get involved. The key is to simply make the ask! Get in touch with supporters through as many channels as possible. You can download and edit this fundraising poster to include your Localgiving URL, then print it out and stick it around your community.  Use email and social media to quickly spread the word - don't be shy! Let people know that you are looking for fundraisers and ask them to share your message with their friends and families as well. You could even approach local businesses and ask for their support – they will often be looking for team-building exercises and fundraising can be a great option! 6. Have a clear call to action Make it as easy as possible for people to get involved. Make sure you include the link to your Localgiving page in all of your communications and make it clear that you are asking people to fundraise for you. You could even go one step further and book some spaces at a local sporting event or host your own challenge and ask people to take part.  If you're unable to organise something yourself, try to provide ideas and examples of challenges that people can get involved in to raise money on your behalf. Some ideas could include setting up a birthday giving page, having a fancy dress day at the local school or even a potato eating competition at the local pub! The only limit is your imagination! Need more help or advice? We hope these 6 steps will help you to inspire more fundraisers to get involved with your organisation and raise money on your behalf. To help you remember the key steps, you can download and print out this poster. Remember, if you need any help with your fundraising through Localgiving, you can contact us for free from 9.30am to 5.30pm, Monday - Friday on 0300 111 2340 or via help@localgiving.com and one of our team of qualified fundraisers will be happy to provide advice and support! 

A group of 6 employees from De La Rue, Basingstoke are taking on the National Three Peak Challenge this weekend. Currently in the number 2 spot on the #LocalHero leaderboard, can they stay there until the 30th June to win some extra money for Basingstoke Young Carers? This isn't the first time employees from De La Rue have attempted the Three Peak Challenge. The company actively encourage it and allow team members to raise money for charities close to their hearts. Andrea Gibson from the team explains why they chose Basingstoke Young Carers to support. "As a group we were keen to support both a children’s charity and a local charity so we all agreed that this was the group that we wanted to support. For me personally, I undertook a care role for a parent throughout my teens at a time when support groups such as this weren’t in existence, so I am delighted to be supporting the work of this critical charity who offer such amazing support to the many young people who face such difficult circumstances in their day to day lives." Meet the team  I wondered why the group had chosen a Where's Wally theme for the event. They told me, "we considered a number of fancy dress options just for added interest, and thought that there might be some good photo opportunities for “Where’s Wally” and “Where’s Wenda” photos at various points along the route!" The Challenge In the National Three Peaks Challenge, the team will need to climb the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales (plus the travel inbetween) within 24 hours. The peaks are: Snowdon, in Wales (1085m) Scafell Pike, in England (978m) Ben Nevis, in Scotland (1344m) "A couple of team members have done the event before and so know what they are letting themselves in for! However, for us newbies, we are not entirely sure what to expect. Apparently it is the minibus rides between the mountains that are the killers, the inevitable blisters and then the unpredictability of the weather (a couple of years ago the teams had to wade through 3 feet of water just to get back to the minibus having abandoned Scafell Pike)." Are they ready? The group have been preparing by running, walking and the occasional training session up 'Cardiac Hill' in Kingsclere. Trying to fit in training around a busy home life has resulted in some innovative techniques - speed marching with a weighted backpack and step-ups at bus stops. Every little helps! "Whatever preparation we make, I think it is still going to be a challenge, however I am assured that it is a fantastic experience and that walking up Scafell Pike in the moonlight is something not to be missed" --------------------------------------------------------  Top of the peaks!  Well done to the team who managed to reach the top of the three peaks successfully but sadly not under 24 hours due to traffic and a double tyre blowout! "Nonetheless it was an absolutely brilliant experience and memories for life. We encountered all kinds of weather (rain, lightening, horizontal hail and a lot of snow on Ben Nevis) but it was the relentless battering of the wind which made it the most tough." Now you can help Where's Wallys Waifs 3 Peaks Challenge win some extra money for Basingstoke Young Carers and keep them on the #LocalHero Leaderboard! Your donation will help them reach their £1,000 target, plus each new donor = another point in the competition!

Today is World Environmental Day - a day for encouraging awareness and action for the enviroment. Sadly, people are consuming more resources than the planet can provide meaning before long we would need three planet Earth's to sustain the way we live. Even small changes in your community can have a large effect in reducing the threat of climate change on the World. Last year we spoke to community group Sustainable Hayfield, whose objective is to increase awareness of climate change issues in their local area. They kindly shared some everyday tips to help communities cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% before 2050, which is the UK government’s target. The tips are easily and cheaply executed in the home and also in an office – which will help you reduce your bills and your carbon footprint at the same time. Cath Moss, the groups manager explains, “We live in a lovely part of a fascinating planet, but we use too many resources. Change is inevitable, and the sooner we act the more choice we will have to shape our own future and lower the burden of change forced upon our children. Everybody can do their bit to help make a positive impact” 30% of our emissions result from heating and lighting in our homes Poorly insulated roofs and walls can account for 60% of heat loss in houses. Most households can get their lofts properly insulated for free by their energy provider. Fix radiator reflectors behind each radiator and add thermostatic valves – unobtrusive and cheap. Draughts account for 12% of all heat loss from dwellings. Draught excluders cost very little but are effective. Considering solar panels? A good source of advice is www.energysavingtrust.org.uk 40% of our emissions are generated by food production methods Avoid air-freighted products where possible. A tonne of Middle Eastern strawberries transported by air will account for 300 times more CO2 emissions than locally grown, seasonal strawberries, which also taste much better. Consider the balance in your diet between meat and non-meat foods. Animal foods are very energy intensive to produce, fruit and vegetables much less so. Reducing the proportion of meat/fish in your diet could reduce your food carbon footprint by up to 40%. Ensure you do not waste – or let your children waste – good food. Currently, over half the uneaten food disposed of by households is perfectly edible. Save waste/money by looking at 2 week menus, recipes, portion plans and more at Love Food Hate Waste (www.lovefoodhatewaste.com). Make your own lunch for work instead of buying over packaged food. Suggest introducing a ‘Bring your own lunch day’ to help get others involved. Growing your own fruit and vegetable reduces all the energy and waste which normally goes into commercially grown food Buy a couple of point-of-lay chickens (£4-£5 each). They need very little space, very low maintenance, and will happily feed on the food waste of an average family, supplemented by a bit of scatter corn. Do you have a garden shed which is not used very often? Cover up the window(s) and grow mushrooms where they won’t interfere with storage.   Want to learn more about what you can do to lower your carbon footprint? Visit Sustainable Hayfield’s Localgiving page.

This month our 'Cause of the Month' has been climate change and we’ve asked our environmental groups how they reduce their carbon footprint and raise environmental awareness. More Trees for BANES have shared with us their Tree Adoption Agency which is a great scheme to encourage planting thousands of trees across Bath and North East Somerset. Their work is funded by public donations and small grants and they rely solely on the generosity of their volunteers. The idea for the project came to Adam, a member of the group when he was home gardening. “I kept finding hazel saplings popping up in inappropriate places - no doubt left there by a squirrel that either has a memory issue, or perhaps has met it’s maker. I popped them all in pots, knowing that I’d be able to find them a home through More Trees BANES.” Adam soon realised that this would have been happening in gardens across the region, so began encouraging others to do the same. People can collect any unwanted saplings in pots, and drop them in Adam’s front garden or have the volunteers come and dig them up. Amidst increased awareness of climate change and how to tackle it, this project proves vital as trees absorb carbon dioxide and contribute to the slowing down of this process. Deforestation has contributed greatly to climate change in the releasing of CO2. Would you like to help their cause? The group are looking for mainly native varieties or trees and Beech; unfortunately, they cannot currently accept Ash or Sycamore. So if you live in BANES and have unwanted saplings, or would be interested in giving one a home, please get in touch with the group. They are currently raising money to set up a modest tree nursery to grow more trees from seeds. Visit their Localgiving page here to read more about what they do and how to get in touch.

Roaming Penzance is a community-led group in Penzance, a safe social space where anyone who finds themselves homeless, or disadvantaged in some way, is regarded as equal and able to be themselves. Laura Wild, Roaming CIC Director and facilitator of the group, talks about Roaming’s creative activities that provide a focus for people in rebuilding their confidence and self-esteem. “In our Thursday group we create a regular space where people are able to relax and share art activities as well as baking bread, cooking and eating a healthy meal together. Some people find us by word of mouth, most are referred by St. Petroc’s Society in whose premises we meet. St.Petroc’s provide Outreach and Resettlement Services throughout Cornwall. We have lively discussions as a group over lunch about life, art and our environment and how best to value these things. We plan together which art processes, writing or cooking we wish to share together. Occasional field trips allow us to explore and experiment more widely and visiting artists give us new perspectives on art as well as culture in general. Twice a year we hold exhibitions of our work so the wider Penzance community can see and talk with us about what we do. We have found this helps to narrow gaps in understanding between people with different lifestyles. Penzance is one of the most deprived parishes in England and recently local support services were cut. The activities that we provide would be otherwise unaffordable to our members. We hope that the “Charity begins in Cornwall” Match fund from Localgiving will help us to raise more awareness for our group and crucial funds to be able to continue. We are passionate about the difference we are able to make for the community and happy with the great feedback we’ve received.” Read messages from members and supporters of Roaming Penzance: “I am very grateful for the warm reception I received every Thursday within the group at Roaming Penzance. The stress, and I must say hardship, I experienced whilst homeless was regularly broken up, giving me a days respite on those Thursdays. Laura would, and still does if the need arises, greet me with a cup of coffee or tea from her limited resources - then I would spent few hours spent in a very relaxed atmosphere painting or water coloring or simply reading a magazine.” Former member of Roaming CIC “Roaming cuts across all kinds of old, inhibiting categories—especially what is and isn’t “art”,what is and isn’t “research,” what is and isn’t “good” or “true” or “valuable.”We all want to learn something new, about ourselves, one another, and the conditions we share.” Nancy Roth – Director of Roaming CIC “The ‘Roaming’ Art Group has been a great success thus far, as evidenced by the recent exhibition. Artwork produced by those attending the group has been displayed at Breadline. I spoke to some of the artists who were present at their exhibition, and it was clear to me that this exhibition was quite a big event in their lives, which had given them a sense of achievement and self-worth. It was touching.” Dr Heidi Burke, Cornwall Health for Homeless “Roaming Penzance gives people the chance to begin to build some structure into their lives. They have the chance to try things, discover new skills, be part of a group where they feel welcomed, included, and valued for their talents not their label. These things are positive and very important when people are faced with uncertainty and lacking confidence as they begin to move on in their lives.” Debbie Croucher, Development Coordinator, Transformation Cornwall “I am so much in favour of these sorts of things that attempt to address the root causes rather than merely providing a pill to try and do something to reduce the effects; it’s much more time consuming but so much better for all concerned, so I do congratulate and thank you all for what you are doing.” Colonel ET Bolitho OBE, Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall To find out more about Roaming CIC and to support them, visit their website on Localgiving. Read more about the ‘Charity begins in Cornwall’ match fund here.

This month we’re celebrating being active because it’s May and it’s time to enjoy the outdoors. After the long, cold, wet winter we can finally be outside; walking, jogging, playing and using up the energy we’ve built up in the last 6 months. That’s why our cause this month is Fitness. We’ll be highlighting the many benefits of exercise, especially walking. May is National Walking Month which includes Walk to Work Week (12th – 16th) and Walk to School Week (19th – 23rd). Walking is an underrated form of exercise but it’s ideal for people of all ages and all levels of fitness. What’s more, it’s easy and it’s free. The benefits of being active are not only physical but mental and emotional as well. Daily or weekly exercise will give you more energy in the day and help you sleep better at night, which will improve your mood. Regular psychical activity also greatly decreases health risks such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and depression. On Localgiving, there are many organisations trying to get their communities off their sofas and on to their feet. This month, why don’t you try and find a sports club or activity based group near you and see the benefits for yourself?