Become a rainbow friend - 2023

Recycle your medicine blister packs with Aldi’s new scheme

 help reduce the amount of rubbish that is sent to landfill and enable empty packets to be recycled into useful goods!

Stop press!  At the time of publication this programme has been temporarily suspended. However, it has been a great success and talks are in place to see a way forward in continuing this scheme. Worth reading and checking regularly with Terracycle and Aldi. The more interest we show, the more likely they are to re establish.

I’ve been on antibiotics for the past few weeks so got through a number of blister packs. It has long been a source of frustration that these are not accepted in kerbside recycling and therefore go into the bin and to landfill. There must be millions of these packs getting thrown out each year. But there is now a way to recycle them via a trial scheme being run by the supermarket Aldi.

They have partnered with Terracycle to help households recycle finished blister packs and you don’t have to go into a store to do it! Any household can register on the Terracycle website and receive two free labels a month to attach to an envelope containing the empty packs. Each envelope can hold no more than 30 packs and new labels won’t be issued until the initial two have been used or a new month begins.

I’ve just downloaded my first labels and it proved very simple and easy, even for a technophobe like myself. I had to create an account with basic information – name, address etc but I chose to omit the telephone number which didn’t seem to matter. Select the household option in the drop down menu and request to download a shipping label. It is that simple and my first label was downloaded in less than 1 minute! Very efficient.

I hadn’t realised that it was so difficult to recycle blister packs but it is due to the combination of plastic and aluminium foil. However, this new scheme can clean and separate the material types and recycle them into raw formats that can be used to make new products such as nuts and bolts, plastic waste bins and outdoor furniture. It sounds amazing.

The number of packs from each household has been limited as the current programme infrastructure can’t accommodate more and as such does not accept bulk recycling and there is no clear date as to how long the scheme will be available, they will assess demand. So, get going now and show them how worthwhile this scheme is and then perhaps they will make it long term!

Points to remember:

Ensure that all medication has been removed.

Do not send more than 30 packs in one envelope.

The maximum envelope size is C4 – 324mm x 299mm

Any unused or out of date medicine, should be returned to your local pharmacist for safe disposal

Cardboard packaging and instruction leaflets can be recycled via your paper collection; plastic pots, tubes and bottles via the plastic collection and glass bottles via the glass collection. So now it is possible to recycle absolutely everything!

If you are interested in a virtual tour of the recycling process, this is available on the Terracycle website.

This seems to me to be another great way to avoid sending stuff to landfill. I was amazed at how quick and easy it was and have my first envelope ready to fill. Please give it a go!

Recycle your unwanted goods and raise funds for the charities you support

www.recyclingforgoodcauses.org

Recycling for Good Causes

Email: info@recyclingforgoodcauses.org

I'm always getting into trouble, as I just hate throwing things away. I'd rather recycle, give away or donate to a good cause if possible but this often means I have stuff stocked up in boxes or bags just waiting for the right organisation to come along. Surfing the web recently I came across this site and love the idea that I can recycle some of my unwanted goods and support any charity I choose, not just the well-known ones or the big organisations.  With this site, I can select a small local charity that people outside my community may never have heard of, a charity that relies on the support purely of local people and therefore does not make the vast amount of funds the larger charities do. I can choose a charity that means something special to me.

Recycling for good causes offers a simple, hassle free and cost-free solution to fund raising for any non-profit organisation within the UK.  They recycle unwanted items and convert them into much needed funds for your chosen charity as well as helping the environment by reducing the number of items that are perfectly useable but end up in landfill sites. By doing this, they have so far raised in excess of £1 million since their inception.

Founded in 1996, the charity now works with over 5000 charities and good causes, with experts assessing and reselling donated items for the best possible price to ensure that donors get the maximum return.  The organisation takes 25% of money raised with the other 75% donated to your chosen good cause.

What do they take?  Jewellery, currency, mobile phones, cameras, stamp albums and gadgets such as Sat Navs, I pads and games consoles. A complete list, can be found on their website.

For individual donors, there are two free ways to use the service depending on the number of things you wish to donate. Small items can be popped into an envelope no bigger than A5.  Download and print the label off the website and write your chosen charity name on the dotted line before posting. If it is a small local charity, include the address details on a piece of paper inside the envelope so that they can ensure any funds raised are sent to the correct organisation.  If you would like an acknowledgement that your donation has been received, then include your name and e mail address too. Items that can be sent in this way include jewellery and watches in any condition (even damaged and broken pieces), and foreign or UK banknotes whether they are in date or not.

For larger items, log onto the website and follow the instructions for the Recycling Project. They will send a sack free of charge and when it is an acceptable weight, between 10 and 30kg, you can ring to arrange collection at a convenient time to you. This service is provided free of charge. Items for these sacks include: jewellery, watches, currency, mobile phones, cameras (old film, digital or video), stamps (loose or in albums, first day covers etc) and gadgets such as sat navs, I pads, MP3 players, game consoles etc.

If you require one of the sacks, fill in the form online or call for more details.

It would seem that this is a simple, free, no commitment way of raising much needed funds whilst encouraging you to have a good clear out of unwanted junk at the same time! I now have a list of things I shall look out for during my next clearing out session! I suspect that there will be quite a few items lurking in the back of my cupboards so it will be great to be able to contribute to one of my favourite small charities.

I really do hate just throwing things away and contributing to landfill when I can find an alternative place to dispose of things.  It is even better when other people can benefit from my donations and raise much needed funds, so I was pleased to hear about Empties Please who recycle printer cartridges and SOME toners.

Apparently over 40 million printer cartridges are dumped in the UK every year which is an astounding figure. When left to rot, each one takes over 1000 years to decompose – a statistic which should shock us all into taking action especially when industry analysts estimate that each cartridge can be potentially reused up to 7 times. Imagine the difference that would make to our landfill sites and our environment!

Empties Please makes things very easy for you.  You can sign up as a business, an individual or a school to help raise extra cash.  Filling out their application form is simple and easy and will provide you with a welcome pack including posters, letters, recycle bags or bins and anything else you might need to know. You then advertise in newsletters, social media or posters, collect the empty cartridges and return the bin when full by contacting the company and arranging a free return.  It does not cost you anything!

Full bins and bags are processed at their warehouse and payment is made to your school, charity or good cause for any that can be recycled. If you are collecting as an individual, you can choose to donate your proceeds to the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation which has been adopted by the company.  They have raised over £11,000 so far.

Individuals can request a freepost envelope to return their empty cartridges if you cannot collect enough to fill a recycle bin. A form can be found on the website for these. Unfortunately, they do not pay individual collectors, so it is worth thinking about banding together with someone else to raise funds for your favourite causes.

A list of what is acceptable/not acceptable can be found on the website. 

The company aims to help charities raise funds and become greener in the process and is delighted to promote this within schools, encouraging the next generation to be greener whilst boosting school funds. They also offer an extra incentive for schools with free eco gifts. For every £1 raised, the school will receive a green point that can then be redeemed for green goodies, a full list of which can be found on the website under ‘Green Rewards List.’ Examples of these goodies include bulbs, seed packs, bird houses, bug boxes and gardening tools.

Values of £5 or over will be sent out immediately, but for any collections that don’t reach this, an account will be opened and paid into, with payment made once the balance has exceeded the £5 limit.

This company provides everything you need to collect cartridges, is simple to understand and is absolutely free!

The company would like to point out that their phone lines are not always manned as they operate a Work from home policy. Currently the office is available from Tuesday to Friday, 9.15 to 2.45.

If you think you can collect any cartridges and have a favourite charity or good cause, it is certainly worth thinking about this excellent service and doing your bit to help our environment.  Other companies offering the same service are also available.

There has been a lot of information about Period Poverty recently with the growing cost of living crisis and many businesses, schools and colleges now offer free period products to their workforce. But it is not just the UK suffering from Period Poverty, it is a global crisis. Period Poverty is the lack of availability and access to safe sanitary products. This can lead to women being forced to improvise, using a variety of different materials that can lead to infection. For refugees fleeing their homes with few belongings, having a period is another challenge they face that becomes increasingly difficult to deal with. That is where The Pachamama Project comes in!

The name stems from Pachamama, the goddess of fertility.  She is a greatly revered goddess in the Andes and is celebrated every August, so it seems fitting to have chosen the charity for this month’s Be a Rainbow Friend page.

This is a relatively new charity set up during the Covid Lockdowns of 2020. Ella Lambert, a 20-year-old student at Bristol University was forced to put her travel plans on hold and suddenly had extra time on her hands. Deciding to help tackle this growing problem, she enrolled on a crash course in sewing, collected donations of fabric from her local community and with the help of her friend Oliwia Geisler, began making washable pads. Her mission was to combat period poverty in refugee crises and to ensure that having a period would not create another challenge for these already vulnerable people.

The pads are simple to create but can make a huge difference to the well-being and dignity of refugee women who are already dealing with major trauma and severe difficulties. All the pads made by Ella and her friends were donated to refugees and as her cause became better known, more people began to volunteer. Anyone can volunteer: individuals, craft groups, schools and colleges, residential homes, Duke of Edinburgh candidates etc. Patterns, instructions, stencils and a video are available by e mailing the charity who will be more than happy to help and advise.

Volunteers are asked to source their own material, but if you are unable to do so, they will be happy to support.  They also provide the special plastic poppers used (Kam Snaps) and ask volunteers to purchase the Kam Snap tool to ensure that they are attached safely. There is a link on the website to enable you to do this.

The Pachamama Project is currently working with partners in Greece, Lebanon, the UK, the US, Turkey and on the Turkish Syria border. They also run Pacha Clubs in Lebanon and Greece where refugee women can make their own washable pads and sell them to earn a small income. They have already distributed over 100,000 washable pads in the few years they have been running.

Why not .... donate to a food bank?

Adding one extra thing to my shopping trolley is not going to break the bank. Whether it be a tin of beans, a packet of cornflakes or some dried milk, it will help someone, somewhere and hopefully give them hope. Recently I’ve noticed hygiene banks where basic toiletries can be donated, something which is often forgotten, but if you can’t afford to buy a loaf of bread, how are you going to afford washing powder, tooth paste or basic sanitary items? And how awful is it to think that people can’t keep themselves or their clothes clean and prevent the spread of disease? 

I’ve also read lots of stories recently about many people having to leave their much-loved family pets at animal shelters, or even worse, have them euthanised as they can no longer afford pet food or vets fees. This breaks my heart. The animals have done nothing wrong and how desperate people must be to make that choice. Again, most supermarkets have a bin for donations of food for our furry friends which is distributed to shelters and to those in need.

Morrisons have pre packed bags of basic meals that can be purchased and then left at the collecting point – a curry for a family of 4, ingredients for shepherd’s pie and other similar meals, which seems a brilliant idea and I noticed today that Tesco are doing something similar. I suspect all the major supermarkets are trying to support people in this way, so I am sure there will be something near you. You may also find a local food bank who are inundated at present with those needing help. They often operate in village halls or church halls and quite often have lists of basic items that they need each week so that they are not inundated with 150 cans of beans but no breakfast cereal!

Check your local newspaper or newsletters, parish magazines and noticeboards and I am sure you will find something telling you how, where and what to donate.

If we all donated just one tin, packet or box, we could make a very big difference and ease the burden on so many families struggling to get through each day.

I don’t know what it is about my family but we have drawers full of pencils and pens – we hoard them.  Some have never been used remaining in pristine condition, unsharpened and neglected. I do have a problem with pens in that I am well known for picking up pens wherever I am. It is a compulsion that I just can’t stop!  If I’ve used a pen somewhere or borrowed a pen, there is a very high chance that it will end up in my pocket or bag. I just can’t help myself.

But there are also many that have been given to my children over the years in party bags, as birthday or Christmas gifts, for the start of a new term at school or going to university and subsequently, there are many being replaced that have barely been used and still have a lot of life in them. Until now, I just didn’t know what to do with them other than shove them in a drawer, and then I came across this family run/not for profit organisation which is focussed on collecting unwanted pens and pencils and sending them to children around the world so that they have the equipment they need for their own education.

Many children in foreign countries dream of getting an education, realising that it is a way for them to escape their current circumstances and hopefully make a good life for themselves in the future. However, many parents cannot afford the costs involved or need their children to work to help support the family. Although education may be free to some children, the cost of uniforms and basic equipment coupled with the low income earned by many families, means that going to school is just not an option. Other areas insist that children provide their own supply of pens and pencils before they can access an education.  Pensforkids hope to help this happen by removing at least one of these hurdles and providing children with the writing and drawing implements that are needed.

The organisation sends pens and pencils to Congo, Ghana, India, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Romania, Uganda, Ukraine and Zambia – anywhere that needs support.  Donations are sent to schools and orphanages and images of some of the delighted recipients can be seen on their Facebook page. In 2022 1,297,767 pens and pencils were distributed across the world.

Pens and pencils can be brand new, but old barely used ones with plenty of life left in them are equally acceptable.

Any donations can be sent via standard post to

Pens for Kids UK

Tudor Barn

Rossway Park Estate

Berkhmasted

Hertfordshire

HP4 3TZ

If you know of any companies that are changing their LOGO or branding, ask them to consider sending to this organisation instead of taking to landfill sites. Maybe your school could get involved by donating all those half used pencils and crayons at the end of the school year or perhaps you could donate those in your child’s pencil case in the summer holidays since many of us take our children shopping for new things as a treat before the start of a new educational year.

If you happen to live in the Berkhamsted area, volunteers meet in the Waitrose café every Thursday morning between 10 and 1pm to sort, check and pack donated equipment. Whilst enjoying a cup of tea and a cake, you could be sharpening pencils or testing that pens still have ink in them alongside meeting new people and helping a very worthwhile cause.

I love finding charities that I can support but that don’t cost me any money and this seems a great one to try to help. If you are in a position to donate, then all monies raised goes towards funding the cost of posting parcels to establishments overseas.

We take a lot of things for granted and having pens and pencils provided in schools is just one of them. Isn’t it great that we can help children in poorer parts of the world access a simple basic right for an education, in such an easy and simple way?

 The organisation asks that you please do not send any mechanical pencils, fountain or cartridge pens or wax crayons as they are unable to reuse these.

Quilts for Care Leavers

www.q4cl.org.uk

www.Facebook.com/QuiltsforCareLeavers

q4cleavers@gmail.com

I’m not a quilter but I love the thinking behind this small and relatively new initiative. The organisation does not yet have charitable status but is in the process of applying for it.

Did you know over 10,000 young people aged between 16 and 25, leave the care system each year. Once discharged from the care system, there is often little or no support, many are on their own with limited resources available to them. It is no surprise then perhaps, that 1 in 5 care leavers may end up in prison at sometime or other as they try to find their way in the world.

Quilts for Care Leavers was established in 2018 by Maggie Lloyd Jones a retired solicitor who had spent 30 years in the child protection and safeguarding sector, before retiring in 2015.  She had supported the Leeds Christmas dinners, an initiative set up by Lemn Sissay MBE, a poet who had himself been in care from the age of 12 to 18. Lemn had told Maggie that one of the things that he had really missed was hugs. Life was lonely at times and often a hug was all that was needed to give comfort, to show love and to show that people cared. Lemn had set up the Christmas dinner initiative some years earlier as he knew what it was like to spend Christmas Day alone.

At one of these events, Maggie had what she described as a ‘eureka’ moment. She was sad to hear that children missed their hugs and decided that she would like to provide a ‘quilted hug’ for those at the dinner. With a band of willing helpers, Maggie collected 120 quilts to distribute that year. The quilts were displayed unwrapped for the diners to choose for themselves if they wished. The initiative was an instant hit. Recipients loved their ‘hugs’ and the thinking behind them.

Quilts for Care Leavers developed and an ambitious target of 1000 quilts was set for 2019 which was almost achieved but in 2020, Covid hit and the Christmas social event was cancelled. Instead, festive hampers were delivered, containing a quilt. Physical hugs might have been non existent but quilted ones still got through! Maggie believes that young care leavers have very little choice in their lives so she feels it is important that they get the choice: whether to take a quilt or not and which quilt they would like to have.  Each quilt is long and thin, a special size to provide the intended hug. They are meant to be wrapped around the body sideways to envelop the recipient and are not designed as traditional bed quilts though they can be used as such. They provide comfort when care leavers may be feeling cold, ill or just lonely. As they wrap themselves in the quilt, they know that they are being enveloped with love and care.

The project has inspired many quilters to reignite their love of this beautiful craft and provided an outlet for their finished goods. They now  have over a thousand makers and volunteers and continue to go from strength to strength with their support and that of small businesses. They also work closely with Project Linus another patchwork charity.

Willing volunteers can access the information they need from the website. This includes the history of the charity plus the specific sizing for the quilts. There are also details about how to make a morsbag – a unique bag to a set pattern which is made from recycled materials. This is a special size to transport the quilt home safely but can then be reused for shopping, laundry or storage thus reducing the use of unnecessary plastic. Those that do not feel able to make a quilt can offer to make these instead if they wish.

Interested parties are asked to join the Facebook group to get access to all the relevant information on how to get fully involved. Fabric can be donated or swapped, patterns can be exchanged and support can be gained from other members. Volunteers can provide whole quilts, quilt blocks or tops which are finished by other volunteers. The initiative is also happy to accept any small cash donations which go towards buying the backing and wadding for the quilts.

On the website there are also details for the block of the month, when a member chooses a block design for others to make. They prepare the instructions for the block construction, suggest suitable colours to unify individual blocks and post on Facebook.  Completed blocks are then sent to the organiser who turns them into completed hugs.

Any quilts or blocks are very welcome but there is often a need for more male orientated colours and patterns so volunteers are asked to consider choosing colours and patterns that might be acceptable to all and also colours for the LGBTQ+ community. They also stress that NO licensed fabrics should be used. These include fabrics with Disney themed characters, Marvel and Dr Who for example. If you are not sure, check the selvedge or contact them directly to enquire.

It is a simple idea but a caring and effective one that will help provide comfort for every care leaver as they begin their independent lives and hopefully reassure them that they are not alone.

For anyone living in the North Yorkshire area, Bugweeds Limited hold a monthly open studio in aid of Quilts for Care Leavers. They are open from 10am to 3.30pm for you to drop in for as long as you like. Bring your own machine and materials, though donated fabric is available for you to use also. There will also be details of the block of the month too. The session is free of charge but Bugweeds ask that you e mail them to let them know you are coming: info@bugweedslimited.co.uk

The next planned dates are Friday 9th June and Friday 14th July.

They would love to see you there!

Help provide comfort for cats and dogs by

Crafting a blanket or soft toy

Useful addresses:

www.cats.org.uk

www.battersea.org.uk

www.dogstrust.org.uk

Many charities – both large organisations and smaller local ones – are very happy to receive donations of knitted or crocheted toys and blankets to give to the animals. The Cats Protection League like to give each of their cats and kittens a blanket to help them feel snug and safe. When a cat is adopted, the blanket goes with them, as something familiar, to help them settle into their own home, its scent providing comfort. Toy mice are also very eagerly accepted, providing hours of stimulating play, particularly if you add a little bit of catnip, something which drives cats wild with happiness!

Any odd bits of wool can be used in a knitted or crocheted blanket, the cats are not fussy about the colours and patterns though you can be as creative as you want to be. Advice given is to avoid the use of stretchy yarns and large needles which create a loose weave. This is because large gaps can be dangerous with paws and claws getting stuck.  With knitted toys, avoid using small plastic items such as mouse eyes as these may become loose and cause a choking hazard.

It is a great way to use up oddments or odd balls of wool, avoiding a stash of left over wool.  Blankets should be around 50cm x 50 cm (20 x 20 inches) and completed items can be placed into collection boxes in any Cats Protection shops. Further information can be obtained by e mailing enquiries@canterbury.cats.org.uk or by calling 01227 686791

Battersea cats and dogs home are also happy to receive any toys and blankets for their inmates. On their website is a Made in Battersea craft series where you can learn how to make cheap, easy and enriching toys for your own pets or to donate to the Home.  These include a cat wand and ring ragger made from an old jumper.

Other charities include the Dogs trust and local rescue centres who are generally happy to receive handmade items for their own residents or to sell to raise much needed funds. Indeed, you could create your own selection of toys, blankets and treats and sell them yourself if you prefer.

The knitting pattern below for the Captain Cat Battler mouse was created by Lauren O’Farrell, originally for the Battersea Cats and Dogs Home, who have generously shared it with Cats Protection to help even more animals. There is also a free crochet alternative at www.allfreecrochet.com/crochet-for-pets/Cheeky-mice  It is described as an easy pattern using a 3.5mm hook. There are also a number of patterns for crocheted pet blankets.

Captain Cat-Battler the catnip mouse

Size: 10cm (4”) approx. from nose to start of tail

You will need

·3.5mm knitting needles

·15g Acrylic DK (body): any colour will do , this pattern uses blue and yellow

·15g Acrylic DK (body, eye and eye patch)

·15g Pink Acrylic DK (ears, nose and tail)

·Stuffing (innards)

·Small squeaker (optional)

·Catnip pouch (optional)

·Fierce feline-fighting detemination (essential)

Abbreviations

K = knit
P = purl
M1 = make one (make stitch from yarn between stitches)

To make Captain Cat-Battler Catnip Mouse

Body

Cast on 2 stitches in yellow
Row 1. K across
Row 2. P across
Row 3. K, M1, K (3sts)
Row 4. P across
Row 5. K, M1, K, M1, K (5 sts)
Row 6. P across
Row 7. K, M1, K3, M1, K (7 sts)
Row 8. P across
Row 9. K, M1, K5, M1, K (9 sts)
Row 10. P across
Row 11. K, M1, K7, M1, K (11 sts)
Row 12. P across
Row 13. K, M1, K9, M1, K (13 sts)
Row 14. P across
Row 15. K, M1, K11, M1, K (15 sts)
Row 16. P across
Row 17. K, M1, K13, M1, K (17 sts)
Row 18. P across
Change to blue
Row 19. K, M1, K15, M1, K (19 sts)
Row 20. P across
Change to yellow
Row 21. K, M1, K17, M1, K (21 sts)
Row 22. P across
Change to blue
Row 23. K, M1, K19, M1, K (23 sts)
Row 24. P across
Change to yellow
Row 25. K, M1, K21, M1, K (25 sts)
Row 26. P across
Change to blue
Row 27. K across
Row 28. P across
Change to yellow
Row 29- 35. Repeat rows 27 and 28 changing from yellow to blue every two rows ending in a yellow knit row
Row 36. P across in yellow
Cut about 15cm of yarn
Thread yarn through remaining stitches and draw tight to make round ‘tail end’ of mouse.

Ears (make 2)

Cast on 5 sts in pink
Row 1. K across
Row 2. P across
Row 3. K across
Row 4. P across
Row 5 K across
Cut about 10 cm of yarn
Thread yarn through stitches and draw tight to make round part of ear.
Darn in yarn end.
Sew cast on yarn through bottom stitches and draw tight to make lower part of ear.

Finishing

1. Sew two sides of mouse body together from ‘tail end’ to ‘nose end’ (making sure your stripes match up) leaving a hole for stuffing.

2. Insert stuffing (and optional squeaker and catnip) into mouse body. Wrapping squeaker and catnip in stuffing before inserting to make sure they’re squidgy and don’t make your mouse lumpy.

3. Finish sewing body right up to the tip of the nose.

4. Sew on ears using cast on yarn ends.

5. Embroider nose with pink yarn, running end of yarn through body and out of ‘tail end’ to form tail.

6. Tie knot at end of tail.

7. Embroider eye and square eyepatch with band. Eyepatch band should run from left ear, across his face to first blue stripe under his chin.

8. Greet your new roguish rodent with a cheery “Yaaaaaaaaaarn, me hearty!” and then launch him towards the nearest cat.

Pattern © Lauren O’Farrell (www.whodunnknit)

Donate foreign coins and notes to

www.pancreaticcanceraction.org

This charity recognises the importance of early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Over 9000 people are diagnosed in the UK each year, but despite that, the survival rates over the last 50 years have barely improved and just 5% of sufferers will survive beyond 5 years following their diagnosis. It is a terrifying statistic and one of the most feared cancers. But, if diagnosed in time for surgery, the chances of surviving increase ten-fold.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action charity was founded in 2010 by a rare survivor, Ali Stunt whose vision is for a day when more people survive pancreatic cancer than die from it. The PCA funds research, creates national awareness campaigns, produces e learning modules for medical professions and provides patients with current useful information.  It is the only UK charity specifically focussing on improving survival rates and seeks to raise awareness of symptoms and risk factors.  Their mission is to improve survival rates by ensuring more people are diagnosed early and to improve the quality of life for those suffering from this particular cancer.

PCA have a system where you can donate any coins or notes, from any country, both foreign and domestic, in date or out of circulation such as pesetas, marks etc, pre decimal, pre Euro – basically anything!

Donations are made via leftovercurrency.com (found on the PCA website).  Fill out the charity exchange form and send. This company do not charge a fee or take a commission and will add an extra 5% to all monies exchanged. Having completed the form and sent your donation, you will receive an e mail containing the amount you have donated and this information is then shared with PCA.  It is helpful if you can sort the currency before sending but not essential, they will do it for you.

DO NOT send to PCA!  Send instead to L.O.C, Unit 1, Portland Business Centre, Manor House Lane, Datchet, SL3 9EG

Foreign coins and notes can also be taken to various charity shops and airport collection points. Oxfam Branches are happy to accept donations which are converted into cash to help support their various projects.

Another company cash4coins.co.uk will sort and count any monies you wish to donate and will even send a courier to collect if it is over a certain weight. You can then donate your earnings to the charity of your choice. They state that if you are not happy with the exchange rate offered, your currency will be returned to you.  Further information can be obtained by e mailing admin@cash4coins.co.uk  They will also offer help and advice in organising a collection.

Support and research into pancreatic cancer is an important area for me having lost a close family relative to this devastating illness. It seems ridiculous to hold onto foreign coins which we are unlikely to use again when they can be put to such good use and it is another way of helping a small charity do big things without it costing us a single penny.

Wins all round!

Donate your unloved bras for Bra recycling

www.againstbreastcancer.org.uk

@againstbreastcancer1

Against Breast Cancer is another charity that collects unwanted and unloved bras that would normally be thrown away and sent to landfill. (Smalls for All is a charity previously mentioned on this site some months ago.) They have set up a bra recycling scheme involving a network of bra banks where unwanted, extra, no longer needed and gently used bras can be deposited. For each tonne of bras collected, the charity receives £700 which is used to help fund research projects.

By collecting and sending our unused bras, we are also preventing  landfill sites being filled with discarded but usable underwear! The majority are sent to help small businesses in developing countries in Africa and around the world, providing an income for families in those areas and giving the bras a new lease of life in areas where bras are expensive to produce locally, countries such as Togo, Ghana and Kenya.  The charity is also providing employment in the UK: collecting, sorting, dismantling and forwarding bras. Any bras donated that are not suitable for use are carefully dismantled and disposed of properly.

Some places of work have their own bra bank for your unwanted items.  A map on the website allows you to check the location of your nearest bra bank but if you feel that your place of work could host a bank of its own, there is an application form for you to request one. The charity does, however, suggest that you must be able to collect at least 400 bras and keep the bank on an ongoing basis, so this may not be suitable for you.

If there is no bra bank in your vicinity, donations can be sent in a jiffy bag to

Recycling Scheme

Against Breast Cancer

Leathem House

13 Napier Court

Barton Lane

Abingdon

Oxon

OX14 3YT

 Please not that this is NOT a freepost scheme, so weigh your parcel carefully and attach the correct postage for your package to be delivered safely and at no cost to the charity.

Collect unwanted toiletries for

Toiletries Amnesty

 www.toiletriesamnesty.org

Did you get inundated with toiletries for Christmas? Or have a stash of a particular product that you don’t use anymore but don’t quite know what to do with? If so, then hopefully, I have found a charity where you can donate these unwanted items to help those who can’t afford to buy them for themselves.

I’ve just cleared my bathroom cupboards and found a pile of stuff that I just don’t use. Sample bottles, hotel miniatures and products from gift sets which I just don’t use. Often, they end up in a raffle or charity bag but I thought I would research to see if there was a particular charity that might be able to use them. I came across Toiletries Amnesty which is collecting any unwanted products to help the over 14million people in the UK currently struggling to afford basic hygiene essentials due to the rising costs of heating and food. When it comes to a choice, fancy and often even basic products are way down the list!

It is the first organisation in the UK to tackle hygiene poverty by working with companies to create positive and practical solutions for the problems they have around waste and sustainability. They are a social, ethical and environmental organisation whose aim is to work towards making access to hygiene essentials easy for everyone, whatever their circumstances.

They work with homeless shelters, hostels and crisis refuges, mental health services, children and families’ centres, food banks, refugee support groups, schools, colleges, prisons and community groups – basically any organisation that they know may be having trouble accessing hygiene products. Founded in September 2014, the initial aim was to collect toiletries for a homeless shelter in Cambridge but they now support over 500 organisations. In 2021 they were able to provide access to toiletries and hygiene essentials to over 2.25 million people!

The mission of the organisation is to: ‘alleviate hygiene poverty while reducing waste, by connecting donors to the places and people that need those products the most.’

On the website there is an online directory which lists all the organisations asking for help. Check here for those in your local area. DO NOT send to the charity itself as they do not have the means to store and deliver products. The Directory will show what each organisation does, where they are and how to get in touch with your offers of products. If you do decide to donate, please mention Toiletries Amnesty and help publicise the cause.

Products donated must be in date and preferably unopened, though some partly used products may be acceptable (check with the organisation you hope to donate to). DO NOT send razors or used toothbrushes, medications, health supplements, vitamins or weight loss products. Hotel samples and free samples can also be sent as these are really useful to give to homeless shelters and hostels. The products are then passed on to individuals who drop in to use the showers.

Alternatively, you could donate any products to your own local foodbank or a shelter/refuge etc that you are aware of. Not only will you be helping someone in need, you are avoiding unnecessary wastage, saving money and helping the environment!

Be your own best friend!

Over the last few months, I have outlined many ways that you can become a rainbow friend – helping local charities to raise funds without having to spend lots of your own money. This month I am going rogue!

We are living in particularly hard times at present. We’ve come through Brexit and its aftermath, two years of a pandemic and are now in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. Times are hard. Everyone is struggling in some way whether it be paying the heating bills, ensuring everyone has enough food, coming through an illness, finding alternative means of travel in a time of constant strikes and basically just getting on with life. So this month, I am suggesting that you be a rainbow friend …. To yourself!

December is often a stressful month as we strive to create the perfect family Christmas. We put ourselves under so much pressure to have the right food, the perfect gifts, to have a relaxing and peaceful break and to make sure that everyone is happy. As a mum, I think we are even worse at taking on all this pressure and working so hard for everyone else that we forget to take time for ourselves too.

And most importantly of all, we should be kind to ourselves by being less judgemental. I have a dreadful habit of assuming I am not as good as the next person whether it be at work or in my private life. Everyone else is always better, more clever or more interesting and I run myself down and tell myself that I am not good enough. It is time that we realised that everyone has something to offer and if we combine all our skills, we can do such good. Being kind to yourself will hopefully make you a happier and certainly healthier person that other people will appreciate - not always easy to do, but well worth having a try. Some people recite positive affirmations, others write down one good thing about themselves or their actions each day. Whatever method works for you, just do it!

I found a quote recently which I thought I would share:

Allow yourself to be proud of yourself and all the progress you’ve made. Especially the progress no one else can see.

We do not need other people to tell us we have done something good or achieved something, because we are the only ones that know exactly what has been achieved and we should take time to acknowledge that. Pride may be a sin, but surely we can allow ourselves to be a little proud of what we do, whether it be something major or just getting up and dressed in the morning when times are tough. Be proud of every tiny step you take and those tiny steps will surely build into something greater.

Life is tough for everyone. We are constantly bombarded with negativity, so take time each day to think of the good things, the good people and the good experiences that we have in our lives. And for just a few minutes, put yourself at the top of the ladder rather than at the bottom so that you can focus on your own well-being.

Be a good friend to everyone, but just as importantly, be a good friend to yourself.

You are worth it!