Cycle ride for charity

Cyclists are being sought to take part in the Action 100 bike ride from Bristol and Bath to London on Sunday, August 30.

The event is being organised to help raise funds for medical research projects. The ride challenges cyclists who are prepared to cycle 100 miles for the charity Action Medical Research.

Cyclists have all day to complete the ride and are fully supported, with plenty of refreshment stops, a pub lunch and hot showers and beer at the finish.

All money goes directly to the charity, which has already contributed towards the first UK polio vaccine and the first medical use of ultrasound in pregnancy.

This year the charity aims to recruit 650 cyclists and raise £60,000.

To register, call Roy Clarke on 0117 973 6993 or enter online on our website

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Kidderminster rock legend Plant boosts charity

A PAINTING of Kidderminster’s rock superstar, Robert Plant, has raised £1,500 for Acorns Children's Hospice.

Painted by Sue Verity, of Tamworth and autographed by the rock legend, the portrait has been snapped up by Led Zeppelin fan, Catharine Zelinski, living in Ontario, Canada.

All of the funds from the sale of the painting have been donated to Acorns.

Ms Verity met Robert Plant at a Wolverhampton Wanderers’ game at Molineux,and got the painting signed.

Speaking about her wish for the painting to help Acorns, she said: “I saw Children in Need raising massive sums and I wanted to do something to help our local children’s hospice, so I created the painting of the Led Zeppelin star.

“Wolves helped me get in touch with Robert at the game and I was thrilled when he signed it. I was so delighted that it raised so much and I know that the money is desperately needed to help Acorns and its Fragile Lives appeal.”

Acorns care for children who have life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, supporting them and their families at every stage.

It is currently offering its services to 600 life-limited children and their families living in the West Midlands, with support of three children’s hospices and in the community.

Earlier this year, Acorns was forced to launch a major new appeal to help see it through the current recession and protect its vital services for years to come.

The Acorns Fragile Lives appeal sees supporters doing all they can to help raise funds and awareness.

Nazama Azmat, Acorns’ Black Country community fund-raiser and Led Zeppelin fan, said: “We’re so excited that such a fantastic musician has given his support to help Acorns Children's Hospice.

“The painting has raised £1,500 to support Acorns’ care, helping us to continue making a big difference to the lives of local children and their families.”

To find out more about Acorns and the Fragile Lives appeal, visit www.acorns.org.uk

To make an instant donation, call 01564 825000.

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Charity sector to benefit from free advertising until July 09

Leading digital advertising recruitment company Only Marketing Jobs has created an area on its website designed specifically for the UK charity sector.

Until the end of June 09 Third Sector organisations can advertise all their fundraising and business development roles for free.

Invitations are open to every charity organisation, whether they have previously advertised with Only Marketing Jobs or not.

Only Marketing Jobs currently attracts more than 700 new jobseeker registrations per week, each looking for a job in marketing. A huge campaign is underway to replicate this number within the not-for-profit sector.

Interested organisations should contact the company on 01732 775665.

www.onlymarketingjobs.com

Source Onrec.com

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Charity boost for recession-hit families

The government is giving an extra £3m to charities who offer help to families struggling to cope with the recession.

Couples counselling organisation Relate will receive £1m to provide face-to-face and telephone support to an extra 40,000 people.

Helpline Parentline Plus will receive £150,000 and other parenting groups which offer online support and debt counselling will also get a boost.

Children’s Secretary Ed Balls said some families were under "enormous strain".

He said it was particularly hard "when the main breadwinner loses their job or they are under threat of repossession".

"We won’t repeat the mistakes of the past and leave families to cope alone," Mr Balls said.

"That’s why we are doing all we can to give real help now to families and support them through the downturn."

‘Less heartache’

Relate says that 66% of its centres across the UK have seen an increase in demand due to the recession.

The organisation also says it is seeing more and more people in need of its help, but unable to afford the fees.

"There is no doubt that recession is hitting single parent families hard"
Miranda Yates, Gingerbread

The new funding will help tackle these challenges and to increase the counselling already offered via Sure Start children’s centres.

Claire Tyler, Relate’s chief executive, said: "Tens of thousands of people affected by the recession will be able to access Relate family and relationship counselling at a reduced rate this year.

"This vital investment now will mean families experience less heartache in the future."

Parentline Plus said the money would be used to increase promotion of its 24-hour helpline, which they believe is likely to lead to as many as 2,000 extra calls each month.

Chief executive Jeremy Todd said: "Whilst we work with thousands of families each year, we know that there are many more who are struggling, but don’t know about the free support services we provide.

"Being a parent can be tough at the best of times, but when you are worried about losing your house or job, even the happiest home can become a stressful place."

Gingerbread, which helps single parents, is one of a number of other charities who will receive some of the money.

It too plans to offer more workshop sessions through Sure Start centres to help families cope with separation.

Miranda Yates, from Gingerbread, said: "There is no doubt that recession is hitting single parent families hard.

"Sadly, many of the poorest single parents are struggling to stay financially afloat against a complex backdrop of family break-up and their children’s distress."

---

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation.

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Oxfam suffers as donations fall

• Public donations have fallen by 12% so far this year
• Households buy fewer things and have less to donate

The charity Oxfam today revealed the full impact of the recession on its shops as it announced that donations have slumped by 12% this year.However, sales in its network of 714 shops remain strong – up 5% on last year – as the credit crunch also means demand for donated goods remains high.More than 80% of Oxfam's total income from its shops comes from donations of clothes, books, music, homeware and other goods.

But with fewer people moving house the charity has seen a huge drop in donations of household items. Donations of crockery, china, glass and curtains are down by 7% so far this year, while furniture donations have plummeted by 13%.Clothing donations would have been down by 8% had it not been for an extra 900,000 donations resulting from a collaboration with Marks & Spencer, which incentivises people to take in their unwanted M&S clothing.The fall in donations clearly demonstrates wider trends resulting from the credit crunch: families tighten their belts and buy less, which means they replace less and therefore have less to donate to charity shops.But the 12% fall in donations so far could mean 1.2m fewer items are available to sell this year, the charity warned.

Oxfam's director of trading, David McCullough, said: "The £20m profit made by our shops last year would be enough to fund all of Oxfam's work in DR Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Somalia for a year. But we can't sell fresh air, and [the shops] of course rely on the generosity of the public for their stock."Without continued donations of everything from clothing to cookware, Oxfam shops could not continue to play such a key role in communities across the UK."Among the worst-hit areas for donations are North Yorkshire, north London, Nottinghamshire, Devon and Cornwall. Areas that are faring best include the West Midlands, Tyneside, Teesside and south Wales.Other leading charity shops said they were also feeling the pinch.

A spokeswoman for Cancer Research UK said: "We're in a similar situation. While we know, anecdotally, that footfall has increased, we are in desperate need of stock to sell. We have found that donations to our shops have dropped significantly."The British Heart Foundation, which has 580 shops selling clothing, books, DVDs, CDs, toys and bric-a-brac, and more than 60 BHF furniture and electrical stores, said it had experienced a similar slump in donations.

Rebecca Smithers, Consumer affairs correspondent guardian.co.uk

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Don’t cut your donations, charities urge businesses

BUSINESS are being urged not to cut donations to charities amid fears that the economic downturn will mean a double blow for those in need.

Charities depending on trusts or foundations with stock market investments are likely to see a sharp fall in income at the same time as people reduce their giving because of the recession, according to chartered accountants Haines Watts.Directors David Green and Justin Crowley head the practice’s Newport not-for-profit team. HW was recently voted joint top in the UK for its charity expertise in a survey by industry magazine Charity Finance.

In Wales, the HW Newport centre advises more than 60 charities and housing associations. Clients include T Hafan, Tenovus, the Archdiocese of Cardiff and Llandaff and Newport Cathedrals.David Green, who has advised charities for 30 years, said many are pinning their hopes on the downturn fostering a new, less selfish approach in society where people become less materialistic and more caring.Mr Green, who has also been treasurer of Newport United Reform Church for 34 years, is one of only three Fellows of the Association of Charities Independent Examiners in Wales.“Research has shown there is indeed a link between fundraising levels and economic conditions, in particular personal income.

“We also know that there is a delayed effect – the biggest impact is likely to be felt by charities when the economy itself could be on the road to recovery,” he said.The 9,000 charities in Wales spent £982m last year. Although the biggest, such as the Arts Council for Wales and National Museum of Wales, receive public funding, the majority are much smaller concerns for whom continued voluntary giving is vital.Mr Green said: “Many trusts which help fund charities have considerable assets invested in the stock market and their portfolios will have fallen in value, reducing their ability to provide support.“There is also the worry that corporate donations will be cut as profits decline, notably in the manufacturing sector, which is always among the most generous. And while many people will continue to support their favourite organisations, they will be less likely to take on new causes.

”In a poll by the Charities Aid Foundation, 41% of “middle- class” people said they will in future place less emphasis on material possessions and pay more attention to social values.Mr Green added: “While nobody welcomes a recession, if it reminds people of the real value of giving and the difference it makes to people’s lives, then at least something good will emerge.”

by Aled Blake, Western Mail

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Premier League prizes help make charity shop raffle a big success

A RAFFLE with some premiership prizes has helped net £750 for Whitby's Oxfam branch.

The charity shop in New Quay Road held two raffles and a tombola last month to celebrate its second birthday. Prizes up for grabs included Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Arsenal and Liverpool FC collectors items including signed shirts and a signed picture of Gunners boss Arsene Wenger as well as a host of prizes donated by local businesses.

A cake stall, toy stall and gift stall also helped swell the funds.
Manageress Margaret Humberstone said: “On the Saturday we sold loads of raffle tickets to football fans as well as others.“The interest in it was phenomenal.

They were all saying how they’d seen the article in the Gazette. “We are all absolutely delighted. All together with the stalls and raffles we raised an astounding £750.“I would like to thank all the local businesses who donated items to us.

“Without them we couldn’t have raised this amount. To the premiership teams, Liverpool, Arsenal, Middlesbrough and Sunderland, a very big thank you for taking the time to donate to our charity. Their items certainly raised our profile. We can’t thank them enough.“I would also like to thank my volunteers who helped as without them it wouldn’t be possible.

”Oxfam staff are now planning a summer fair for Regatta weekend. A full list of prize winners is available in the shop .

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Charity Calls For Action After UK Survey Reveals Less Than One In Ten Older People Are Supported By Adult Protection Systems

On average, less than one in ten of older people experiencing elder abuse are actually supported by the systems set up to protect them. That's the stark conclusion of an analysis, by the charity Action on Elder Abuse (AEA), of nearly one hundred Local Authority systems designed to intervene and protect adults at risk of abuse. And, in some areas, the situation is even worse, with less than 2% of estimated elderly victims receiving such support.

"This is an appalling situation," said Gary FitzGerald, Chief Executive of AEA, "made worse by the fact that Government policies fail to treat the protection of adults with the same seriousness as that of children. Or even animals."

The charity is clear that the cause of this problem rests with a Central Government failure to act, and not with the Local Authorities themselves.

"We know that, locally, people are working very hard on adult protection, continued FitzGerald, "but they do not have the resources or the tools to do the job effectively. At the end of January the Department of Health in conjunction with three other Government departments concluded a consultation on the effectiveness of these systems. Everyone - from the police to regulators to Directors of Adult Social Services - told them that legislation is needed to make the systems effective. And yet still they delay. Still they refuse to commit to what they are being told is needed. This is totally unacceptable."

The analysis of referrals made to Adult Protection systems in 91 local authorities showed a huge variance, with the most effective supporting nearly 41% of estimated victims, while others were only responding to 1.5%.

Concluded FitzGerald, "In the last few months we have witnessed serious failings in hospitals (Mid Staffordshire), domiciliary care (Panorama) and the actions of the Nursing and Midwifery Council in striking from the register the whistleblowing nurse Margaret Haywood. And yet the Government remains silent on this issue".

"Granny P (Margaret Panting) hurt as much as Baby P. Stephen Hoskin suffered as much as Victoria Climbie. How can we treat adult protection as a cheap, second class option and dismiss the pain, suffering and death of adults as less important. The Government says it has a zero tolerance of elder abuse. We need that translated into action if we are to ensure that these older people receive the protection they deserve".

Action on Elder Abuse is now writing to all politicians, calling upon them to make this a cross party issue, urging that priority be given to the protection of adults at risk of abuse, and calling for an immediate commitment to adult protection legislation.

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Haggis king's really got the stomach for charity bike ride

THE haggis king of the Capital has embarked on one of the toughest cycle endurance events the country has to offer, to raise money for charity.

James Macsween and Peter MacGregor began their journey from Land's End on Saturday and, with legs of 100 miles a day, hope to reach John O'Groats by early next week.

Mr Macsween, well known in the Capital for his haggis manufacturing business, lost his father John to cancer in 2006, while his accomplice Mr MacGregor – who will be undertaking the challenge for the third time – was also affected when his wife Jackie died of the disease the year before.

The two decided to generate cash for Cancer Research UK through the cycle, and have already met their fundraising target of £5000, with more money expected during and after the event.

Mr Macsween, 37, director of the family-run Macsween organisation which recently struck a lucrative deal to supply supermarket chain Morrisons with the Scottish delicacy, said: "We'll need to cover 100 miles each day – so it will be a fairly tough schedule.

"In this year of Homecoming we'll be looking forward to crossing back over the Border and cycling through Scotland.

"We have already raised more than £5000, which is fantastic."

He and Mr MacGregor, who works for British Waterways, began discussing the idea of a fundraising cycle three years ago, and last year intensified talks and agreed this was the year to do it.

"I've never done anything like this before," he added. "I'm quite sporty but this will be the most difficult thing I've done in my life.

"It's the best part of 1000 miles to cycle the length of the UK. We've been breaking it down psychologically, saying to ourselves that it's only five blocks of 20 miles per day.

"I've been blown away by the generosity of people to donate money. It's not just friends and family either, it's people who I've worked with in the past and others too. The original goal was £2500, so to double that has been fantastic."

The two will be supported by another member, friend Alistair Williams, 40, who completes what is being tagged as the Haggis in High Gear team.

Mr MacGregor, 48, added: "Through this trip we hope to commemorate Jackie's and John's lives, and raise money."

www.justgiving.com/jamesmacsween
www.cancerresearchuk.org

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Roy launches 2010 calendar for charity

 IT might seem a touch premature, but writer Roy Millar wants to be out of the traps first.

That’s why his 2010 calendar covering rural Worcestershire is in the shops now.

“We have to beat the major publishers,” the Malvern man said.

And since Roy’s calendar is being sold to raise funds for St Richard’s Hospice, no one will begrudge him a flying start.

The calendar has been compiled by the same team that produced his two books – that’s Roy, who supplies the words, and Evesham artist Barbara Butcher, who has painted 12 watercolours of Worcestershire scenes.

Now comes the calendar and most of the illustrations for it have been drawn from photographs taken by Roy. He said: “Having done two books, we wanted to try something different and, seeing as my health isn’t as good as it was, I didn’t fancy the effort of a lot of detailed research, so we came up with the idea of a calendar.

“I decided on St Richard’s Hospice to benefit from my last book because my brother died in a hospice. It made sense that they benefited from the calendar too.”

The calendar is available from Malvern Link Post Office or EKS newsagents in Albert Park Road, Malvern, or by calling Roy on 01684 8892170. Pubs Calendar 2010 costs £5.95.

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"Oprah" Interview With the McCanns to Air in the UK

LONDON, April 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Kate and Gerry McCann's interview on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" is to be screened in the UK, a day after airing in America, NBC Universal Global Networks announced today.

Diva TV, which transmits "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in the UK, will broadcast the McCann's first US interview on Tuesday 5th May at 8pm. Viewers will see a digitally created photo that shows how Madeleine might look today, aged five.

The McCanns will talk to Oprah about the two-year hunt for their missing daughter, whilst the show's cameras go inside their home, spending the day with them and their 4-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie.

"The more people able to see Madeleine's image as she would look now the better," said Jon Farrar, Programming Director for NBC Universal Global Networks (UK), which owns Diva TV.

"By appearing on 'Oprah' the family can reach millions of people in America and, given the show is broadcast in 143 countries including here in the UK, target new audiences around the world. We hope it will lead to new and useful information."

NBC Universal hopes that airing the Oprah interview will prompt new information from the public. The company is working with the UK charity Missing People to facilitate sightings confidentially immediately following the transmission.

Jo Youle, Director of Services at the charity Missing People said, "We very much hope that, by airing Gerry and Kate McCann's interview with Oprah, anyone with that vital sighting will come forward in confidence on Freefone 0500-700-700."

The Oprah Winfrey Show: "Exclusive - The McCanns and the New Search for Madeleine" will be broadcast on Tuesday 5th May at 8pm. Diva TV is available on Sky channel 269 & Virgin channel 164.

Sightings of Madeleine can also be made online at http://www.missingpeople.org.uk/madeleinemccann

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Women gear up for charity fundraiser

WOMEN in Chester are gearing up to get behind the wheel of fire engines, ambulances, and tractors amongst other unusual vehicles as part of a charity fundraiser.

Chester Lions Club have organised the challenge which takes place on Saturday and Sunday, June 6-7 and are appealing for as many women as possible with a full driving licence to get in to the driving seat.
For sponsorship forms visit Special page
All vehicles will have a regular experienced driver to supervise and a driver will be on the airfield runway.

Bookings are taken on a first come first served basis by returning the entry slip at the bottom of the sponsorship form with £5 entry fee for registration. All drivers must be pre-registered.

No entries will be accepted on the day. Minimum sponsorship requested is £50.

CES (UK) Ltd is supporting this event by contributing to safety and control features.

Proceeds from the event will be distributed to the Countess of Chester Relative Comfort Appeal which provides overnight facilities for those in the Critical Care Unit, Miles of Smiles charity, which provides holidays for mentally, and socially disabled and disadvantaged children, and the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, Backford, providing equipment for the Lions Day Care Room.

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Birmingham gym raises charity cash in sponsored spar

A CITY gym punched above its weight by raising more than £2,500 for charity in a sponsored sparathon.

Novice and professional boxers took turns at fighting with each other for a whopping 12 hours.

And there were plenty of high- profile contests to keep the crowds happy at the Fighting Fit Gym, on Lionel Street, in Birmingham city centre.

Broad Street manager Mike Olley sparred with Stuart Hyde, assistant chief constable of the West Midlands Police.

The gym’s owner and professional heavyweight Neil Perkins took on Birmingham chef Glynn Purnell over four rounds.

Neil, 29, who is undefeated in his fledgling boxing career, said: “It was a great day.

“We had loads of people down here coming and going all day.

“I would just like to thank all our members who worked really hard.”

The event also served as an open day for people wanting to find out more about boxing training and nutrition.

The £2,840 raised during the mammoth boxing bout, held on Friday March 13, was donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Macmillan fund-raising manager Sharon Battersby said: “They did a really fantastic job.

“I think the amount raised was beyond their expectations.

“The money will go towards helping fund a number of nursing posts in the city centre.

“They cost £140,000 over three years so the money is a massive help.”

The gym chose Macmillan after one of their staff received assistance from them when both his parents died of cancer.

Personal trainer Paul Gough, 43, from Dudley, said: “I lost my mum and dad to cancer a few years ago and the support they got was brilliant.

“I did a similar thing in my old gym in Dudley and it worked pretty well so I thought we would try it here.”

British cruiserweight champion Rob Norton was on hand to lend his support and show off his title belts.

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Toyota Manufacturing UK donates cash to charity

TOYOTA is to distribute more than £200,000 to charities and projects in North Wales and Derbyshire.

Representatives from a number of charities will be at the car manufacturer’s Deeside plant today (Thursday) to receive donations from Toyota Manufacturing UK’s deputy managing director Carl Klemm.

The presentation will also mark the official launch of the Toyota Manufacturing UK Charitable Trust, set up last year.

The trust raised £201,403 in its first year through fundraising activities including marathons, fun runs, golf events, raffles, cycle rides and cake sales.

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Goldman Sachs announces $5bn fundraising

Goldman Sachs has announced plans to raise $5 billion through the issue of new shares.

The Wall Street bank will use the funds to pay back a loan to the US Treasury and is optimistic about interest from investors, having also reported pre-tax profit of $2.6 billion for the first quarter of 2009.The result is above market expectations and up almost 24% on the same period of 2008.It follows a loss of $2.12 billion for the final quarter of 2008, the first loss since the bank’s flotation in 1999.Goldman’s participation in the US Troubled Asset Relief Programme (Tarp) has left it with government debts of $10 billion in total.

Plans to repay the loan have been greeted enthusiastically by analysts and investors although US authorities will dictate the speed at which this can be achieved, applying a “stress test” to ensure capital strength is maintained.Shedding the debt will allow the bank greater freedom regarding its remuneration policy as membership of Tarp comes with imposed limits on executive pay.

Commentators suggest that if Goldman Sachs is successful in paying off its loan, other US banks will be under pressure to follow suit.

Story URL

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U2 'to donate £8.3 million to charity'

U2 will donate approximately £8.3 million of profits from their upcoming U2360 stadium tour to charity, it has emerged.

The band will be giving away 100% of the money raised from their 'Red Zone' VIP auction ticket sales, the Belfast Telegraph reports.

Around 600 premium tickets are being sold off at auction for the concerts, with bids starting from between €95 (£87) and €1,015.

A U2 spokeswoman said: "All of U2's income raised from the auction of Red Zone tickets will be donated to charity."

Charities believed to be benefiting from the scheme include Global Fund and organisations focusing on Africa.

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Charity Commission survey reveals the recession is setting in

According to the Economic Survey of Charities larger charities whose incomes are between £100,000 and £1m have so far been most affected by the recession as there is a greater demand for their services even though their income has fallen.

Two-thirds of large charities have indicated that they are concerned that services may need to be cut back, although the survey has highlighted that only 3 percent of charities have considered working together.

The chair of the commission Dame Suzi Leather has said that it is surprising that more charities have not considered collaboration as will mean that they can share the costs as well as expertise but most importantly it will allow their work to continue through the recession.

As a result of the recession charities have are experiences a drop in their funding as a combination of falling house and share prices, a weak pound and cancelled direct debit donations are undercutting the voluntary sectors efforts in their time of need.

Rapidata the company which handles over four million direct debit transactions for the charitable sector has revealed that cancellations of monthly donations is on the up but new donators have continued to fall as charities have lost around 32.4m from canceled subscriptions over the past 10 months.

by Peter Charalambous

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Business will donate £500m less to charity, says survey

Fresh evidence of how the credit crunch is hitting charities emerged today with a new poll showing that business donations to good causes are expected to be cut by almost £500m this year as a result of the economic downturn.

The survey of 450 senior business leaders in the UK found that corporate giving is expected to drop by 34% this year, with six out of 10 respondents expecting that their organisation will cut its charity budget.

British business gives an estimated £1.4bn a year in revenue and support to good causes - much of it from the now devastated financial services industry.

According to the research, which was commissioned by the Social Investment Consultancy and carried out by online pollsters YouGovStone, about 83% of respondents believed that reducing corporate giving was "a necessity" in times like these.

In addition to cutting the total amount of support, almost half of those questioned expected to cut the number of good causes they support this year.

Jake Hayman, the chief executive of the Social Investment Consultancy, said: "These cutbacks will either expose corporations as fair-weather donors, or it could mean they apply themselves to develop more innovative ways of supporting communities.

"The truth is, there are plenty of things companies can do to maintain strong partnerships with good causes that can build rather than hit the bottom line."

More optimistically, four out of five respondents agreed that companies whose budgets are squeezed should look for other ways of helping the community, such as helping staff volunteering, offering the use of their function rooms for fundraising events, or "gifts in kind".

A computer company that previously gave a £10,000 cheque to its chosen charity might, for example, now opt to give 10 laptops directly. It is a gift still worth £10,000, but perhaps only costs the company £5,000.

The financial services sector, which has been among the worst hit by the economic crisis, has dominated corporate giving. Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS gave £57m and £55m in 2007, according to their annual reports, but that level of funding must now be in jeopardy. Lehman Brothers, the US bank that collapsed last September, reportedly gave $39m (£28m) to charity in 2007.

The Northern Rock Foundation, which was set up by the bank to fund charitable and voluntary organisations in the north-east of Britain, was also a significant donor.

The consultancy's clients include Standard Chartered Bank, which last year commissioned the firm to gauge how effectively staff were engaging with its flagship Seeing Is Believing programme. The scheme is operated in conjunction with the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness to reduce the levels of avoidable blindness.

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Paris marathon bid to help charity

A west Wiltshire woman is running the Paris Marathon next month to raise funds for a little-known charity in the area that provides support to disabled children.

Alison Pendle, 62, is running the famous race on April 5 for the West Wiltshire Portage Service, which is a home teaching service for pre-school children with special needs.

Portage visitors, based in Court Street, Trowbridge, go to the family home every week and work with parents and carers to encourage the children to play and learn with specific goals in mind.

Mrs Pendle is on the management committee for the charity and decided to take part in the Paris Marathon when a friend suggested it last year.

She said: “I did a half marathon back in 2004 and we raised about £4,000 between a team of us.

“I decided to do the Paris one because it is much easier to get a place to run in it than the London marathon and it is flatter.

“My running mate and I have been training hard. We downloaded a training plan from the internet and have been doing 16-mile runs fairly regularly.

“We want to raise as much money as possible for the charity.”

Children who benefit from the portage service often have conditions ranging from Down’s Syndrome to cerebral palsy.

They are allocated a home visitor who devises a detailed plan and comes each week to work on a specific aspect of their learning, sometimes as simple as holding a spoon or sitting up.

They then teach the child’s parent or carer how to continue to teach them when the visitor is not there so the child can progress steadily.

It costs the charity £2,500 a year to properly support each child and they usually work with about 30 at any one time.

But there is always a waiting list and the charity needs to raise about £30,000 a year to support the care funding it gets from Wiltshire County Council.

The charity was awarded a £1,000 grant from the Gannett Foundation - a charity run by the Wiltshire Times’ parent company - in 2007.

To sponsor Mrs Pendle on her run visit www.justgiving.com/alison-and-linda or write a cheque, mark it Paris Marathon, and send it to the West Wilts Portage Service, Andil House, Court Street, Trowbridge, BA14 8BR.

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Half of UK charities suffer from downturn

More than half of charities say they have been affected by the financial downturn, according to a survey by the sector watchdog.

The Charity Commission, which gauged the impact of the credit crunch in a poll of 1,000 organisations carried out in February and published on Tuesday , said 52 per cent reported tougher times compared with 38 per cent only five months earlier. About three in 10 charities surveyed are suffering a drop in income as a result of the recession.

Dame Suzi Leather, who chairs the Charity Commission, said: “Clearly the impact of the financial downturn on charities is widening and deepening. Some charities still face that double whammy of a drop in income as well as an increased demand for services.”

Worst hit are moderately large charities, which lack the powerful brands of the largest organisations but cannot survive on the generosity of a few wealthy donors. Among charities with an annual income of between £100,000 and £1m, 42 per cent said the overall impact of the downturn was “significant” or “very significant”.

But the survey also shows that a surprisingly large number of charities feel relatively unaffected by the recession.

Only a quarter of charities overall said the impact had been significant or very significant – lending support to the maxim that charitable giving is one of the last activities to be hit in a recession.

Stuart Etherington, chief executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, said: “This demonstrates that the recession is having an impact on charities, but that not all charities are experiencing the downturn equally, and that some will need more support than others.”

He was encouraged by the survey’s finding that one-third of charities were already taking steps to combat the effects of the downturn.

These steps are often painful, however. Some charities have responded to the credit crunch by drawing on their reserve funds, but for many smaller charities such funds are limited. A more common method was to reduce costs, according to the survey, which covered England and Wales.

In several cases, including that of the overseas aid charity Oxfam GB, this involved job losses.

Dame Suzi said drawing on reserves “is not a step that should be taken lightly”. But she added: “It is important to remember that reserves are collected for this purpose – now is the rainy day they have been saving for”.

Commenting on the recession, John Low, chief executive of the Charities Aid Foundation, said: “The vulnerability of smaller charities is of particular concern.”

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