Rich in goodwill but poor in time or money? Here are some simple ways to help a cause close to your heart.
Volunteer
If you can’t afford to give money to your charity – how about you give your time instead? Pitch in at your local charity shop, give a few hours to a food bank or even dust off your trowel for a spot of community gardening! Alternatively, if you have professional skills such as finance or marketing, perhaps a charity would welcome your input? Contact your charity of choice directly or visit The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), which is great place to find opportunities near you.
The Salvation Army
Give when you go
Adding a charity to your will’s a great way to leave a lasting legacy – and can also reduce the amount of tax paid on the rest of your estate! State whether you would like to donate a specific item or fixed amount, or give whatever sum remains after other gifts have been given. In order to be legal your will has to be formally witnessed and signed: The Charity Commission has a massive online database of UK charities; so whether you wish to help medicine, children, animals or the planet, your money will be so appreciated.
Give your gear
In a time when everyone and their dog are selling everything but their dog on Vinted and Ebay, charity shops and refuges miss out. So instead of earning a couple of quid on what you no longer want, give it to someone who really needs it. Charity Wrap Up collected 15,000 pre-loved coats for over 90 front-line charities, including family centres and women’s refuges last year; and drop off points for The Hygiene Bank will find grateful homes for unwanted toiletries and cleaning products.
St Barnabas
Donate what you can
The most obvious way to help your chosen charity is to give a cash donation. You could give a one-off amount or set up regular payments through your charity’s website. You could even use Payroll Giving or the Give as You Earn (GAYE) scheme, which allows you to give a set amount from your salary or pension pot each time you’re paid. Ask your employer or pension provider if they provide the scheme. If they do, you will be able to make regular, fuss and tax-free payments that make a big difference.
Hold a fundraising event
There are some national fundraising days you can participate in – such as the Macmillan Coffee Morning, or the MS Society Walk – or get creative and organise your own. Kids at school? Arrange a bake sale or ‘mufti’ day – when students can wear casual, everyday clothes instead of their uniform. Work in an office? Suggest a silent auction or a sponsored walk. There really are 101 different ways to raise: just check your charity’s fundraising guidelines first to ensure everyone has a smooth-running – and ultimately fun – day.
Debra: The Butterfly Skin Charity
Use Gift Aid
Finally, don’t forget to say yes to free cash! Gift Aid is a government scheme which allows charities to claim an extra 25p for every £1 you donate, so signing up is just good maths. Basically, if you give a charity £100, they can claim £25 tax relief, making it a £125 donation for your good cause. This is straightforward to do – your charity will give you a short declaration to sign – but you can only do this is you’ve paid enough tax to cover what the charity is claiming. As some great philosopher (or supermarket) said – every little helps!
