Giving Tuesday
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What is Giving Tuesday?
Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving. A day where everyone, everywhere can do something to support the good causes and communities that mean so much to them. It is a day to celebrate and encourage giving in all its forms.
You can volunteer your time; donate money; share your skills; campaign for something; donate goods, food, or clothes; arrange a community event such as a street or park clean-up or a coffee morning, organise a fundraising event, or inspire and encourage your network to do something to support a good cause. The list really is endless.
When is Giving Tuesday?
This year Giving Tuesday is taking place on 29 November.
How will my Giving Tuesday donation help?
Your donation will help to support some of the UK's 7 million unpaid carers. A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support.
Joel's story
At just eleven years old, Joel has already been an unpaid carer for three years – helping his mum and sister before and after school. His sister has severe ADHD and Tourette’s. His mum struggles with the effects of her diabetes.
Extreme cold weather is particularly risky for his mum because of her condition, making rising energy bills even more worrying for Joel and his family this winter. “When there’s really bad weather, if it’s very cold or hot, mum gets very ill with it, so I help her,".
“Last time I tried to get my sister to calm down, she flipped, and hit me hard. I know that was by accident though, because after she said sorry.”
Joel has benefitted from meet ups with other young carers like him - safe spaces for young carers to share their emotions and frustrations and help them feel less alone in the adult situations they face daily. Joel has got so much out of these events. He’s learning to recognise his emotions and is realising that there are other children out there like him too.
“If I got really annoyed I would just lash out. When I go to the meet-ups I get to talk to new people, and one of them might have anger issues as well, so we can help each other out.”
Joel also recently attend a Young Carers Festival where young carers could enjoy activities including
music, magic shows and mindfulness.
”I didn’t have to worry about anybody else for a whole day!”.
Donate today to help more young carers like Joel get a break from their caring role and spend time with other young carers who know what they are going through.
Bob and Alison's story
Alison has cared for her husband Bob, who has an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), since 2016. They've known each other since school but didn't get together until they were 50.
"Life really took off for us both very quickly and we had a wonderful time. We went out on Bob's motorbike and on camping trips. We used to meet up with friends, go to festivals and music gigs and visited lots of different places."
Bob's health began to deteriorate in 2015 and he had to leave his job. A year later they found a cyst in Bob's brain that was growing fast and he needed an urgent craniotomy. The surgery went ahead, then a rollercoaster year followed with Bob mostly in residential rehabilitation, before slowly integrating home to Alison's care.
Earlier this year Bob took an overdose. In the final note he'd written to Alison, he said he felt he was a burden and she would have a better life without him. Bob's physical health has returned since the overdose and they are both now supported by Carers First, Lincolnshire South, a Carers Trust Network Partner. Alison received a Carers Assessment and has recently been awarded a grant for a laptop which will be a huge help for Alison.
Donate today to help more unpaid carers like Alison get help and support from local carer organisations.