Huge congratulations go to Community Foundation for Calderdale for winning both best fundraising campaign at the Third Sector Awards 2016 and Fundraising Team of the Year: with an income under £5 million at the Charity Times Awards 2016.  On Boxing Day 2015 Storm Eva caused the River Calder to burst it's banks – the subsequent flooding had a devestating impact on businesses and homes across Calderdale. CFFC Immediately responded by launching its Calderdale Flood Fund to help rebuild the community.  Working closely with both local and national media, corporates and voluntary goups, CFFC raised over £2.5 million to support the community in its recovery - £250,000 of which came through its Localgiving appeal page. It was truly inspiring to witness the creativity and hard-work put into this campaign, and to have had the opportunity to play a role in its success.  In March we spoke to Emma Bolger of CFFC about the lessons that other local charities and community groups could take from their extraordinary campaign. Why not read more here!    

Hi, I’m Mollie, I’m 17 and I am Chair of EGO’s Youth Management team!                                                    This year EGO Performance is celebrating 10 years of working with hundreds of the most amazing people. People of all ages, from all walks of life, with different abilities and different needs.  We’ve had the greatest pleasure in offering them many opportunities and a creative space that has allowed them to find their confidence and discover their talents as well as making great friends along the way.  We have seen first hand how this work truly changes peoples lives and how it can bring communities together, and we plan to continue to develop our work for many more years to come.   At EGO we’re not scared of a challenge, but this one is  pretty massive!  We need to raise £1.1 million to purchase the building that we currently occupy.  We are in danger of being forced out of our home, an arts centre that the members, volunteers and staff have worked so hard to create. So we’ve decided there’s only one way forward, we need to buy it! EGO Arts Venue was a concept imagined by young people - that is now a reality.  It was created because there was a huge need for creative space in the city. Since we’ve been here we have worked with many different community organisations. It is now needed more than ever. Please help us keep our arts venue. It means a whole lot more to people than just a building; it’s a safe, caring environment where people are entertained and have fun. It is also a venue where they can get a hot meal, a hug, free wifi to speak to their family, even just to get out of the rain - all the things that make our city a better place. You can really help by making a cash donation, ideas, enthusiasm and contacts and sharing our story with your friends and family. Want to find out more? come and visit us! To donate, visit our EGO 1.1 appeal page to make a donation: www.localgiving.org/appeal/EGO/ Or donate monthly via credit or debit card visit on our Localgiving page: www.localgiving.com/charity/egoperformance Spread the word, join us on Facebook , Twitter, Instagram and, best of all, speak to people you know and tell them why EGO matters. Without the kind and generous support from people like you, we simply wouldn’t exist. Thank you! Mollie Smith, Chair of EGO’s Youth Management team:  "As the Chair of EGO's Youth Management Team I have the opportunity to work with all members from our various groups, along with the Board of Trustees to make important decisions about EGO's future- one of which being to purchase our building! I have never met a more diverse or interesting group of people than I have here at EGO and I can honestly say that they are like my second family. My life without EGO would be infinitely different: it has increased my confidence tenfold, given me lifelong friends and has taught me things school never could. I hope EGO continues for many more years to come so that other people can benefit from EGO's inspirational work, like I have.  I really hope that everyone reading this believes that EGO 1.1 is as important as I do, not only to the members, but also to the community and Coventry as a whole!" Found this blog post useful? You may also like:   Rio 2016 Olympics: Podiums & Playing FieldsHealthy giving for Healthy Living!4 Steps to the perfect charity VideoHow Small charities can overcome barriers to brand investment How Google Grants can provide £78,000 to your Charity  

From Murray’s tears of triumph to Ronaldo tears of pain – this is turning into a very special summer of sport. And with the Rio Olympics kicking off tonight –the longest leaps and greatest feats are yet to come! For two weeks the nation’s hopes will be tied the heels of Mo Farah and the gloves of Nicola Adams. For two weeks, our hearts will be forged to the fortunes of the Olympic Refugee Athletes. For two weeks we will all become armchair judges and referees for sports we’ve barely heard of.            However, what really matters is what happens once the medals are totted up and the flags taken down. At Localgiving, we have seen the life changing power of sport. We know that the podiums in Rio are no more important than the playing fields of Rotherham. We are proud to work with grassroots sports groups across the length and breadth of UK – from hockey in Armagh to athletics in Daventry to cricket in Kettering. We see the incredible impact that they have, every day - nurturing future athletes;  delivering  exercise classes for older people;  providing affordable activities for  disadvantaged people and a safe space for vulnerable groups. Below are just a few of the groups that Localgiving supports.   Search HERE to find a team near you. - Whether cheering for them on a wet Wednesday night or donating to them once a month - you can do your bit to keep grassroots sports alive.  Sport 4 Life UK - Birmingham – works with young people who have struggled at school or developed behavioural issues; experienced long-term unemployment or been involved in the criminal justice system.  Uses a sports-themed educational programmes to develop their life skills, improve their health, transform their behaviour, gain a qualification, or find a job. Belfast Community Sports Development Network – Belfast - provides sport and physical activity to clubs, community groups and school across Belfast. These programmes engage young people, older people, people with disabilities and people living in areas of deprivation. Sports Driving Unlimited - South West Scotland, Cumbria and Lancashire - provides opportunities for people of all ages with impairment, terminal illness or who are disadvantaged to take part in the exciting and challenging sport of pony driving. Steelers Wheelers Sports Club –  Scunthorpe - offers people with disabilities the opportunity to take part in sport.    Special Olympics clubs across the UK provide sport & leisure opportunities for local people with a learning disabilities. We have members in  Plymouth, Bournemouth, Sandwell and the Isle of Wight Hurstpierpoint Gymnastics Club  - Sussex - provides gymnastics training and sport related activities for boys & girls aged 3 to 16 years. The club  offers affordable fees and a free subsidised places.   Winchester Sport, Art and Leisure Trust – works to secure a sustainable legacy from the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics for Winchester, in the form of new sports facilities. Sport in Mind - Reading – provides supported sport and physical activity sessions to help aid the recovery of people experiencing mental health problems and empowers them to build a positive future for themselves.   Isle of Mull Rugby Club - After growing tired of relying on favours from the local community (which meant having to stop games due to landing aircraft or cleaning up cowpats before games), Isle of Mull Rugby Club now provides sporting facilities for the island.       Found this blog post useful? You may also like:    The Refugee Crisis: make a difference on your doorstep by Lewis GarlandThe Sky is the limit for daring Granny WendyDawn rises over Mount KilimanjaroEuro 2016: A Time to Support your Grassroots Teams  Top image courtesy of Daventry Amateur Athletic Club

There have been many ways we’ve found to raise money for the Healthy Living Club @ Lingham Court (HLC@LC) – stalls at summer fairs, collections at tube stations and, of course, applying for grants. But the most heart-warming of all has to be through sponsored events and fund-raising via sites such as Localgiving. HLC@LC is a Lambeth-based community group primarily aimed at those living with dementia and their carers. So inspiring and innovative is the club’s approach that numerous people have taken part in sponsored events, just to raise money for us. However, it’s those who have a direct connection that know just how much good the club does for its 90+ members per year. One such example is a young man called Tom Sargeant, whose much-loved Grandfather, Patrick Fitzgerald, was a long-term member until his death earlier this year. Together, Patrick and his wife, Anne, benefitted from the love, support and downright fun generated by the members. Knowing that it would have made his grandfather very proud, Tom ran the London Marathon on 24 April this year in his memory. Tom said: ‘My grandfather made a huge impression on my life and on everyone who was fortunate enough to meet him. The Healthy Living Club provides people with dementia and their carers with an opportunity to be with each other and enjoy themselves together’. Because Patrick loved music and was a drummer in the Boys Brigade, it’s appropriate that the money Tom raised will be helping us to continue our programme of musical activities, including the hugely popular and innovative Rhythm NO Blues sessions. Inspired by his cousin’s efforts, former EastEnder’s star, Frankie Fitzgerald is planning to take part in the Tough Mudder Obstacle Race in September, together with some of his colleagues. Frankie explains: ‘My cousin, Tom, has put me to shame by raising a huge amount and has inspired me to take on the challenge, together with a number of colleagues.’ It’s not just relatives of our members who are inspired to do something amazing to support us. Having found out about the club from people who follow us on Twitter, a number of extraordinary individuals have kindly chosen to raise funds for us. While Steve Cordery was born near Lambeth where HLC@LC helps so many people, he had no connection with the club when he ran the Great South Race. But his father had vascular dementia and, as Steve says, ‘I know he really would have benefitted from such a club had one been available in his area.’ Steve raised more than £744 and the money was used as a contribution towards the cost of paying for our coordinator, which made a real difference, as core costs are so difficult to fund. In 2013, Jacqueline Grove ran the Paris Marathon on behalf of HLC@LC and promoted her fundraising efforts on Facebook, with a link to Localgiving, which resulted in the club benefitting from a very generous figure of around £1,000. Also from far afield, her sister, Jillian Grove walked a 13-mile section of the West Highland Way, despite suffering from chronic back pain. She exceeded her fund-raising target by a massive amount and chose the club just because her grandmother lived with dementia.Simply visiting the club once is often enough to inspire generous individuals to offer their time and raise much-needed money to help our members sing, dance, exercise and eat a healthy meal surrounded by friends and fun. Hannah’s parents visited the club just once before her father became too ill to attend, yet she continues to support members by running a regular Sunday ‘Crafternoon’ session and has also completed a sponsored walk. She knows that her father would have loved to continue attending the club and Hannah’s mother also benefitted from the advice and help she received at the carer’s support group, which takes place once a month during our Wednesday sessions. Localgiving not only gives supporters a way to maximize their fundraising efforts, but also runs an annual Local Hero initiative, where the site donates an extra £5,000 in prizes to the causes supported by the top 20 fundraisers. Our hero Tom Sargeant reached this year’s Local Hero Leaderboard and the club was the lucky recipient of additional funds. Please go to www.localgiving.org to see how you can help our heroes add even more to their totals and become local heroes! Found this blog post useful? You may also like:    Storytelling Tips for Charities by Becky Slack The Sky is the limit for daring Granny WendyDawn rises over Mount Kilimanjaro4 Steps to the perfect charity Video  

What could be more quintessentially British than Fish and Chips, Hampton Court and the Mini? Did you know that all of these were built, designed or brought to the UK by refugees? 20-26th June is Refugee Week - an annual celebration of the incredible contribution that refugees have made, and continue to make to our countries and communities.  This year's theme is 'welcome'. With Europe in the midst of its worst humanitarian crisis since World War II, coupled with the dangerously divisive rhetoric circulating in the UK, this has a special significance. Refugee Week is an opportunity to raise awareness, tackle stigma, energise ourselves and take action. There are hundreds of events taking place across the UK on Refugee Week, many of which are run by grassroots charities and community groups, including Localgiving members. Below are just a few. So, go get inspired! Northern Ireland Community of Asylum Seekers and Refugees (NICRAS) is hosting  a series of events throughout Refugee Week 2016 – from music to theatre to food, there’s sure to be something for you to get your teeth stuck into!  Check out their full events calendar.  Tuesday 21st June – Ourmala (London) is running an event called Yoga for Refugees . This fundraising evening includes a very special contribution from Amir Amor Soundscape (Rudimental) and Emma Henry (Yoga).  All proceeds will go towards supporting an additional 250 women and children in crisis. Tuesday 21st June - Reading Refugee Support Group is screening Nicky’s Family and hosting a panel Discussion. Nicky’s Family tells the story of Nicholas Winton, an Englishman who organized the rescue of 669 Czech and Slovak children just before the outbreak of World War II. Wednesday 22nd June - Fences and Frontiers (London). A night of short films and discussion exploring different aspects of the refugee experience. The night is being run by Lewis (me) and Lou of Localgiving. Free to attend, this event is encouraging donations to a number of refugee groups including Ourmala and The Bike Project. Friday 24th June 2016 - The Harbour Project (Swindon) is collaborating with a host of local theatre groups, dance companies and schools to present  a one-off show: Different Pasts, Shared Future. There will also be the opportunity to view works of art by local artist David Bent. Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support - Maurice Rimes is walking England’s South West Coast Path in support of Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support. He aims to reach Plymouth at the start of Refugee week to celebrate with DCRS. You can read his blog here or donate here.    Interested in finding out more about how you can support Refugees and Refugee groups through Localgiving?  Why not read these blogs: The Refugee Crisis: make a difference on your doorstep David Lets the Spokes do the talking in 3000 Mile charity Ride    

The streets and pubs are abuzz with talk of tactics and hat-tricks. Wives are busy explaining the offside rule to their bored husbands and kids in the park are emulating the goal celebrations of their gods...Alli passes to Bale, chipped over to Conor McLaughlin, who rifles it in to the top left hand corner! What makes this year’s European Championships special is that, for the first time since 1982, three of the home nations have qualified for a major tournament – Northern Ireland, England and Wales. When painting our faces ready to support our national teams, red, white or blue or green, we should all also add a dash of colour in honour of our local clubs. No, I don’t mean the big brand, big money teams. I mean the 1000s of grassroots clubs across the country - the colts, wanderers and hawks training on your local common. These clubs not only give us something to cheer on a Saturday afternoon but play a vital part in our local communities. Many of these teams have charitable goals, working with disadvantaged or disabled people or on issues such as social inclusion and promoting healthy lifestyles. Below are just a few of the teams that we support on Localgiving. Why not find a club near you?  Search HERE to find a club near you! Street Football Wales - A social inclusion charity that  improve the lives  for socially excluded people in Wales. SFW aims to: (1) contribute to an end in homelessness and poverty (2) Help to facilitate the integration of socially excluded people back into their community and (3) facilitate healthier, more physically active and mentally well members of society. Northend United Youth FC -  Northern Irish club that is actively involved in promoting cross community integration via the medium of sport. Based in an area of high social deprivation, they target disadvantaged young people from different communities and ethnicities and foster teamwork in all our activities. The Club endorses the fact that sport changes the life of these young people from an early age. Hounslow Hawks -  provides support for people who experience mental illness, live in the London Borough of Hounslow and are in receipt of specialist mental health services. They use football to assist with the individual's recovery journey by aiming to increase self-esteem and confidence, social interaction, reduce social isolation, improve players structure and routines and aid personal development.  Glasgow Girls Football Club - Offer football and coaching to girls aged 7 years of age to our two Woman's team in a fun & safe environment while offering the pathway to a career in playing or coaching. We also offer the chance for girls to lead a healthy lifestyle through sport which benefits them and the community. Mytchatt ‘Football for All’ - Mytchett Athletics FC's "Football for All" project provides physical activities for boys and girls excluded from participation in sport by virtue of their special needs and disabilities. Bangladesh Football Assocation - (London) Using football BFA engages with over 3,000 disavantaged and marginalised children, young people, adults and gives them positive activities to do which keeps them off the street, away from anti-social behaviour, crime, gang violence, vandalism and drugs & alcohol. It then uses its other projects to support the development of young people, inspire and motivate them and supports them into further education, employment and training. St. Matthews Project  - (London) Offers free football and coaching sessions to young people aged 6-21 in the south Brixton (London) area. The majority of participants live on deprived local estates -  67% of members are  receipt of free school meals. The project delivers a wide range of activities, offering support and development opportunities beyond the football pitch. FC United of Manchester - Semi-famous these days, FC United are a community football club owned and democratically run by its members, FC United seeks to change the way that football is owned and run, putting supporters at the heart of everything.  Tadcaster Albion Amature Football Club - Over the winter Tadcaster were hit by the worst flood in the clubs history seeing the Pitch, Clubhouse, Clubshop, Kitchen and the Groundsmans Building all under water, along with thousands of pounds worth of damage which has left the club unable operate on or off the field. The club is at the heart of the community - visiting schools and getting involved in charity projects.  Scarborough Athletic FC - Emerging from the ashes of the 128 year old Scarborough FC, this fans owned football club run teams from age 11 to Seniors, ensuring that all age groups, genders and ethnicities have the chance to play football.    Liked this blog post? You may also be interested in: The Sky is the limit for daring Granny WendyDawn rises over Mount KilimanjaroThe Refugee Crisis: Make a difference on your doorstep  

On the outskirts of the small Norfolk village I grew up in, Kenninghall, there is a large earth mound. Some locals claimed that this was the burial site of Boudicca (every village in East Anglia stakes their claim to the Iceni queen, however tenuous), others claim it was an 18th century cool storage facility. At the other end of the village stands a large farm house that was once part of a Tudor palace. Elizabeth I and her sister, Mary, lived here in their younger years. These walls bore witness to many a plot under the Machiavellianism 4th Duke of Norfolk. After his execution for high treason in 1572 the house fell into the hands of the crown before being demolished in 1603 – all apart from the 'servant' wing that still stands today. The village is also scattered with the remains of non-conformist chapels, an eerie work-house and a crumbling World War II air raid shelter. As a child, each of these places fired my imagination– I was filled with who, what, where, when, whys. Today, these places have taken on an extra meaning; they are not only the history of my village but of my own life – each place now comes with its own memory. It is this link between ourselves and our surroundings that makes local and community history so important.   May (1st-31st) is local and community History Month Across the country hundreds of events will take place to bring our local histories to life, be it talks, walks to re-enactments. Localgiving believe it is important that, in this time, we recognise the thousands of local groups who give their time to preserve our community history and help bring it to life. We are proud to have many local heritage and history groups as members, some of whom are highlighted below. So, why not search HERE to find a group near you? Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust - protects and raises awareness of the heritage of the Causeway Coast & Glens area Cambo Heritage Trust - creates opportunities for learning in Heritage, Environment, Arts, Culture and Horticulture at Cambo Estate, Fife. Celtic Harmony - Uses Celtic culture as an unusual and memorable hook on which to hang a bigger understanding of Ancient Britain and the natural environment Downham Market & District Heritage Society - Conserves and displays objects, photographs and documents relating to Downham Market and the surrounding village Durham Cathedral - For over 900 years Durham Cathedral has sat at the heart of the local community welcoming locals and visitors alike to share in its worship and music and to discover its magnificent heritage Historic Ryde Society - To create a permanent space for memories of Ryde, Isle of Wight.  Living Archive –Milton Keynes - Collects preserves, shares and celebrates the history and heritage of Milton Keynes. Culture Coventry (Lunt Roman Fort)  - Tells the story of the Roman struggle to re-assert its dominance after the Iceni rebellion led by Boudicca Northamptonshire Black History Association - Advance the education of the public in the subject of Black history in Northamptonshire The Norris Museum -The Norris Museum, 80 years old last year, tells the story of Huntingdonshire and its people with a fascinating collection of 30,000 artefact Scarborough Maritime Heritage Centre - Preserves and displays artefacts, photographs, books on Scarborough dating back 2 centuries. The Town Mill - This ancient watermill in Lyme Regis was rescued and brought to working order by local volunteers. Through volunteers and donations, the mill, its galleries and artisan workshops are open to the public all year with the aim of promoting the town's milling heritage, supporting arts, education and the environment.   Images- Top- Celtic Harmony, Centre -Cambo Stables Project, Bottom - Living Archives   Found this Blog useful? You may also like:    The Power of Storytelling: Six Top Tips by Mike Zywina  Storytelling Tips for Charities by Becky Slack The Refugee Crisis: make a difference on your doorstep    

Local charities do amazing things, but often remain invisible, despite their good work. 83.1% of the UK voluntary sector is made up of small and micro charities – the vast majority of which operate at a local level – but only 5.3% of funding goes to support these organisations. To shine a spotlight on local groups and their good work, here are a few recent inspiring stories from our members. If you're interested in getting involved with a group in your area, you can use our search to find local charities near you. SERV Sussex SERV Sussex is an amazing charity that is comprised of volunteer bikers who provide night time transportation of emergency blood products and other urgent medical items for NHS Hospitals across Sussex. SERV volunteers, who generally use their own machines and pay for their own petrol, are on call from 7pm till 6am, 365 nights a year. This Easter Sunday, the group of bikers swapped night for day and medical supplies for chocolate, delivering hundreds of Easter eggs to sick children in hospices and hospitals across the county. Leading the project, SERV also encouraged a number of other local biking groups to get involved and help with the delivery. The ride culminated at the conquest hospital in Bexhill-on-Sea, with around 300 eggs being delivered to the Kipling Children’s Ward. Watch a short video of the ride here. Heart of Bucks Heart of Bucks - Buckinghamshire Community Foundation supports local groups in Buckinghamshire by providing small grants to help with projects and the delivery of essential services. It supports various disadvantaged groups, including those dealing with homelessness, fuel poverty and youth training. On Saturday 5 March, in the early hours of the morning, the police and fire brigade were called to the Hughenden Valley Community Shop. A volunteer arrived to open up for the day and discovered that the community store had been broken into, burgled and then set fire to. Heart of Bucks has now set up a fundraising appeal to raise money to rebuild the shop. Heart of Bucks said, “Many people have said the village seems to have 'lost its' heart' since the fire, and there has been a noticeable difference in people being out and about in the village. The area was thriving and vibrant before these devastating events. We would really like to put the heart back into the village and rebuild the village shop and coffee shop, both of which are a hub and psychological centre of the area which many say has really brought the village together.” You can contribute to the Hughenden Valley Village Shop SOS appeal here. Taking Flight Taking Flight Theatre Company is a fantastic Welsh charity that creates accessible, inclusive theatre performances and projects. It aims to challenge perceptions of disability and what is possible, whilst creating theatre that is ever more accessible to wider audiences. This April, Alastair Sill - an audio describer for theatre who provides live verbal commentary of a play for blind and partially sighted audience members - is fundraising for the group.  Al will be cycling from Cardiff to Merthyr to Kidwelly to Stackpole to Haverfordwest West, stopping off at local schools and groups each day to find out what “love” means to the people of Wales.    Dubbed “Cupid on Wheels”, Al is aiming to raise £15,000 to support the great work of the Theatre Company. He is also currently taking part in our Local Hero campaign! You can find out more about Al’s fundraiser here. How you can make a difference Hopefully these stories have proven that supporting a local charity, be it through fundraising, donating or volunteering, can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Get involved with a local charity and see the difference you can make. Use our local charity search tool to find a group in your area today. 

For most of us, Boxing Day 2015 was the usual mix of family films and limp leftovers. Sadly, the residents of Calderdale, West Yorkshire witnessed very different scenes. Lashing overnight storms saw the River Calder burst it's banks - the results were devastating.   That night, the news brought the whole country images of upturned trucks, streets turned into canals and blanketed, huddled people. On seeing these images, many people were moved to offer their support. As these events unfolded, Localgiving member, Community Foundation for Calderdale (CFFC), found itself at the centre of this (meteorological and media) storm. Through their quick and decisive response, CFFC turned this extra attention into essential funds. As I write, CFFC has raised over £2.5 million to support the community in its recovery. £250,000 of which has come through its Localgiving appeals page. This has made Calderdale Flood Relief Appeal the most successful Localgiving appeal to date. We recently spoke to Emma Bolger, Marketing and Events Manager at CFFC, to discuss how they worked with the national media, the impact of the appeal, and any lessons that other local charities could take from their experience. Tell us about Community Foundation for Calderdale, your history and what you do? CFFC is one of 42 Community Foundations in the UK, we are dedicated to strengthening local communities, creating opportunities and tackling issues of disadvantage and exclusion. We manage funds donated by individuals and organisations, building endowment and acting as the vital link between donors and local needs, connecting people with causes, and enabling clients to achieve far more than they could ever by themselves. This year we are celebrating our 25th anniversary in Calderdale, in that time we have  awarded over 8500 grants totalling over  £17m to charities, community groups and individuals in crisis locally. How have the funds from your appeal been spent and how will you use the remaining funds? We have been overwhelmed by the generosity shown by individuals and businesses from across the UK, within hours of launching our LocalGiving appeal page we had thousands of pounds donated. It is because of those amazing people were able to instantly assist those affected. The first thing we did was to purchase and deliver cleaning materials to the worst hit areas, 100’s of sweeping brushes, shovels, bottles of cleaning fluid, mops, buckets, and protective gloves and facemasks to keep those cleaning up safe. We then opened a grants program, our first support was £200 emergency grants, and these grants supported people in the immediate aftermath helping them with basic needs such as food and shelter. We have also supported people who were displaced by the flooding, many of whom will not be able to live in their own homes for 6-9 months; supporting them with further grants to help them resettle in temporary accommodation. After a couple of weeks it became apparent that people in the valley had also lost income with over 1500 local businesses affected. To address this we supported people with hardship grants. We have also supported 103 businesses in their recovery. Most recently we have support people with, white goods, carpets and flooring, furniture, and further grants to support them in their recovery. We have supported over 1500 applications from individuals and 130 applications from businesses. You were quick off the mark with your reaction the floods.  Did you already have contingency plans for such circumstances? What tips could you give other groups about setting up and coordinating a disaster appeal? We led on the 2012 flood appeal in Calderdale, and our Chief Exec has been part of four flood appeals, so we had some experience with raising funds for flooding. However, we have never seen flooding on the scale we did on Boxing Day. The experience gained from the other appeals definitely helped us, but there is no amount of planning that can replace the quick thinking and dedication shown by the Community Foundation team. They left their families on Boxing Day, gave up their Christmas break and started to do what they do best, support the community.  From setting up the appeal to processing grants they were here, everyday living and breathing the disaster, coming up with new and imitative ways to support people. We learnt a lot from 2012, we knew that time was of the essence, that whatever we did whether it is getting cleaning materials out to people or grants, it had to happen immediately. Emma's top tips Act immediately – Gather the team who will work on the project and agree a way forward, give people specific tasks and update each other regularly. Seek and listen to local intelligence – Don’t assume you know what is needed. Communities will tell you what they need, just ask them. Be visible and consistent – Find clear channels for communication, social media email, TV, radio. Be consistent in your messaging; don’t add to the medley of confusion that will inevitably be happening on the ground.   How did you go about obtaining press coverage during the floods? We used every media outlet we could; we contacted them via social media, telephone, and email, every way possible until they listened. We were quick to contact them and to establish our role, quickly we became the go to people to find out what was happening and soon they were calling us. What measures did you put in place to deal with the extra coverage you were receiving in this time? I was appointed to lead on media coverage. Having one person handling press, interviews, social media proved to be key in keeping the messaging clear. This enabled CFFC  to  build a mutually beneficial relationship with the press . What lessons have you learned about working with the national press? Find out what angle they want to cover from the start; don’t be afraid to lose an interview because you ask what angle they are pushing. You need to know this so that you can be prepared for the questions. Its ok to not answer a question, we were asked to comment on lots of issues that are not relevant to our role in the disaster recovery, for example we were asked to comment on cuts to flood defences. For us this is not the issue at hand. The issue is supporting people in immediate need. Do you plan to follow up on the coverage and support you received? We have some exciting initiatives launching that have come about because of the flooding. We intend to contact the press again to cover them. We are launching a legacy fund – WaterMark Calderdale. Local businesses can sign up to sell a product or service and a percentage of the sale will go in to a fund that will support people in the event of another flood. We are also launching an alternative to insurance (a problem for many in Calderdale who can’t get flood insurance) called FloodSave.  Businesses and individuals not covered by FloodRE can apply to become a member.  They save £10/£25/£50 a month with us and, in the event of a flood, we will match fund their savings by 25%. To find out more or donate to Community Foundation for Calderdale, you can visit the Calderdale Flood Relief Appeal Here   Found this Blog useful? You may also like:   How to make friend with the media by Kay Parris Get your charity’s voice heard by Duncan Hatfield    

...or Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhaoibh! St Patrick’s day is now celebrated across the world. From Dublin to Berlin, Medellin to Kings Lynn there will be somebody raising a cheer to a snakeless Ireland, warbling Whisky in the Jar or claiming emerald roots (however tenuous). Throughout the UK there are Irish cultural groups and clubs, working tirelessly to conserve their language and culture and supporting their communities. We are proud to be able to call some of these groups our members. So, what better time to celebrate and support these groups than today?  Whether you’re  gripped by gaelic games or moved to tears by Yeats’s refrains , there is bound to be a group for you. Below are just a few: Andersonstown Traditional & Contemporary Music School - Belfast - offers music classes, performances, qualifications & workshops in traditional & contemporary music An Droichead - Belfast - provides Irish language, arts and cultural classes and offers quality affordable childcare and afterschool activities.  CAIRDE Teo - Armagh - focuses on micro-business incubation; employment, training and learning opportunities. CAIRDE Teo also promotes the use of the Irish language and works closely with other linguistic and cultural minorities in Armagh to promote multi-culturalism and diversity. Milton Keynes Irish Welfare Support Group – Milton Keynes - holds a weekly lunch club for older Irish people and their friends. The Welfare support group also has an Outreach Worker who offers advice on benefits in both English and Irish. St Joseph's GAC Glenavy -Glenavy- provides Gaelic games for all ages and abilities from as young as 4 years old.  The Emerald Centre  - Leicester - works with members of the Irish community in Leicestershire who are most in need. The centre also offers  sport and social facilities and services for  senior citizens, Pragati Asian group, disability groups and creative play.   Image: Mathews at The Old Dubliner Irish Pub, Hamburg-Harburg by Hinnerk R (Hinnerk Rümenapf)