Have you ever thought about fundraising for Refugee Action? Here’s a guest post by Salma, our fundraising assistant, about some of the great things our supporters have done for us recently…
This year, we’ve had some fantastic fundraisers doing their bit to help us raise much needed funds for refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. Check out some of our most recent fundraisers, all of whom are achieving great things in support of our work…
Catherine Annabel – The BUPA Great Yorkshire Run
Catherine is donning her running shoes and taking part in the 10K BUPA Great Yorkshire Run in October 2011. She’s doing this event in honour of the work we do with refugees, an issue which has been close to her heart since she was young. She says: “it seems to me that privileged as we are in the UK, we should be ready to offer sanctuary to people who arrive here having fled persecution and danger in their home countries. There is so much ill-informed hostility out there towards refugees, and government funding has been drastically reduced – I wanted to do what I could to raise funds and awareness.” You can sponsor Catherine’s run via her JustGiving page.
Felix, George and Eric – Driving the Mongol Rally 2011
When we heard that three young men from Stratton would be attempting to traverse a 10,000 mile drive to Ulaanbaatar to raise money for our work – well, you could say we were a little surprised. The boys are taking part in the world renowned Mongol Rally, and have been sending updates from the road as they go. Last we heard, they were somewhere in Kazakhstan… Their adventure has already raised an incredible £780, and there’s still time to donate and help them reach their target of £1000.
Chris Knighton – Virgin London Marathon 2011
Chris completed his first ever marathon for Refugee Action this April. As well as running an impressive 26 miles, he raised over £3000. When we asked why he’d chosen to fundraise for us, he said “I was looking to support a progressive charity which contributed to supporting multiculturalism in the UK. I believe that one of the best things about England is the multiculturalism. I think that if you want to feel good about your country, you should be welcoming people, and obviously Refugee Action does that.”
So, what can I do?
We have loads of exciting opportunities for any would-be fundraisers this year, all of which could really help us to change the lives of refugees and asylum seekers.
There’s still a chance to enter the BUPA Great Yorkshire Run in Sheffield and run with Catherine, and there’s also The Great South Run in Portsmouth, with its fast, flat course along Portsmouth’s historic naval dockyard. Both races take place in October, so there’s still plenty of time to enter.
If cycling is more your thing, a group of Refugee Action staff from our London office are planning to cycle to Leicester in the spring. It’s a trip of about 120 miles, and we’ll be raising funds for Fresh Start, a project which supports destitute women asylum seekers and helps them to find sustainable solutions to the difficulties they face.
If you’re feeling especially adventurous, sign ups for the 2012 Mongol Rally open on August 25th at 2pm UK time – but get in quickly, as spaces are limited!
Whatever you’d like to do, you can be sure that the money you raise will go right to where it’s needed most – helping vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers across the UK. If you’d like some tips on getting started, feel free to contact our Fundraising Team – we’ll be happy to help!