Sunday 16 August 2015

Thank You!

Hello Everyone!

In August last year, I set up this blog in order to encourage myself and others to give more frequently, and essentially, raise awareness to as many charities and organisations as possible. Throughout this year and '12 Months of Giving', this blog has seen participation in charity events to facilitating educational workshops in schools, and has achieved not only a 'Making a Difference' award, but an overall spreading of support and kindness to sometimes, complete strangers.

Throughout the last 12 months, this blog has covered ALOT of ground:

1. September - Memory Walk for 'The Alzheimer's Society'

2. October - 'A Night of Hope' for 'World Vision'

3. November - Creative Workshops for 'Anti-Bullying Week'

4. December - Donating to 'Crisis' Charity for the Homeless

5. January - Donating to 'Multiple System Atrophy Trust'

6. February - Donating to 'The Ben Kinsella Trust'

7. March - Celebrating 'International Women's Day'

8. April - Donating to 'Mind' Mental Health Charity

9. May - Giving to Yourself

10. June - A Gift to Celebrate 'Carers Week'

11. July - Volunteering at 'Cancer Research UK Race for Life'

12. August - Raising Awareness to 'Certitude' Charity

Typing out each month's deed one after the other makes me feel so proud of just how much this blog has achieved, and so thankful for all of the encouragement I have achieved throughout the last year. Therefore, I'd like to finish up this post by thanking everyone who has shown this blog support, and for making this project feel so worthwhile, your support has been so motivating and incredibly inspiring.

Be good!

Kizzy :)

Sunday 9 August 2015

August - Raising Awareness to Certitude

Hello Everyone!

As some of you may know, last month I was awarded the 'Making a Difference 2015' award by London-based charity 'Certitude'. I am sure that '12 Months of Giving' had a big part to play in this incredible honour, therefore, I would like to thank you all for the continued support. As we come to the last 'official' month of the '12 Months of Giving' blog, it is so humbling to have this massive 'Pat-on-the-Back'!

When I received this award, I knew I wanted to thank Certitude in some way, and after spending some time thinking of a 'deed' for my last month, I decided that the best way to thank them was to use this platform that they so generously acknowledged, to raise awareness to their charity and the amazing work they do, as my way of giving back to them, and thanking them for all of their support.

Therefore, this month I am raising awareness to Certitude, a charity that works on the ethos of 'everyone has the right to a good life'.



You can visit Certitude's website here: http://www.certitude.org.uk

Certitude offers support to individuals with learning disabilities and mental health needs, as well as their carers and families, such as confidence building, independent living, and finding employment. They also provide their own opportunities through apprenticeships, work placements, and volunteering roles. Certitude encourage people to find new interests, make new friends, and have fun, as well as offering respite care and short breaks for carers and families. They also work closely with local authorities, communities, and others involved in delivering support to individuals and their families.

In my experience and close relationship with learning disability and mental illness, there has been several occasions where I have felt frustrated with the way in which individuals who need support have been 'dealt' with. I think it is important to acknowledge that many authorities and managing bodies  work to a strict and specific procedure, putting it down to the high volume of individuals and not enough resources. However, I am sure we can all agree that everyone is unique. Each individual's needs, abilities, and progression is specific to them. Therefore, I am extremely thankful to Certitude for priding themselves in not working to a formula, and for treating each individual in a way that suits and is beneficial to them, in order to support, guide, and give aid to them in the best way that they can.

If you have not already, I strongly encourage you to spend some time on Certitude's website and educate yourself about the amazing work that they do, as personally I believe it to be so encouraging and without a doubt, incredibly inspiring.

Lastly, I would just like to thank everyone at Certitude again for this amazing acknowledgement, and more importantly, making it their aim to work alongside individuals, their carers, and their families, in order to help them by carrying out the amazing work that they do, and enriching the lives of many.

Be good!

Kizzy :)

Sunday 19 July 2015

July - Volunteering at Cancer Research UK 'Race for Life'

Hello Everyone!

Last Sunday, I spent my morning volunteering at Cancer Research UK's annual event 'Race for Life.' This fundraising event is held all over the country, and is an amazing opportunity for people to show their support for the work Cancer Research UK does, in order to not only find a cure, but develop ways to manage the harsh reality of living and dealing with cancer. You can find out more about the work Cancer Research UK do, and how this benefits the fight against cancer by visiting their website: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/


You can register to volunteer at your local 'Race for Life' each year in the months leading up to the event, although you do also have the option to sign up on the day. A few weeks before the event, you receive emails with all the relevant information outlining how your dedication and valuable work will benefit the event, and ensure it is an effective and enjoyable fundraiser. 

After signing in or registering on the day, you are well instructed of what your role and responsibility is for the event. Roles can vary from marshalling to setting off pink-coloured smoke canons at the start of the event. My role this year was to assist on the 'Start' and 'Finish' line. This meant that my role was to help manage the 'runners', 'joggers', and 'walkers' into their designated areas, making sure they were lined up ready to make their way to the 'Start' line and begin the race. After all of the participants had crossed the ribbon, we were told to promptly make our way to the 'Finish' line as the first runner could be sprinting through the 'Finish' in just 18 minutes. 


Over at the 'Finish' line, we organised ourselves into medal, snack, and water distributers at either side of the line, and soon after the first person sprinted through the pink ribbon. Thanks to the supporters on the side line, the participants making their way through the 'Finish' line, and the enthusiastic attitude of the volunteers; the atmosphere was amazing, so supportive, and most of all passionately positive about curing cancer sooner. From current sufferers, survivors, dedicating relatives, and empathetic supporters, the participants of the event, all varying in athletic and medical abilities, demonstrated just how effective the fight against cancer can be when we all come together, and work towards something that affects so many people. 

If you happen to find a free weekend in your diary next year around May, June, or July, I highly recommend you experience the atmosphere of this worthwhile event yourself. Whether you are running, cheering, or handing out water, I can assure you that you will be convinced cancer is a battle we CAN win!


Sunday 21 June 2015

June - A Gift to Celebrate 'Carers Week'

Hello Everyone!

Welcome back to the '12 Months of Giving' blog!

This month I am focusing on a campaign which takes place annually titled 'Carers Week'! This campaign aims to raise awareness for caring, and the challenges carers experience, as well as recognising their contribution to not only their families, but the community!




You can find out more about the annual campaign 'Carers Week' here: http://www.carersweek.org/about-us

This year the focus for the campaign is on building and maintaining 'Carer Friendly Communities.' This enables carers to look after the individual that they care for to the best of their ability, whilst also encouraging them, and others to recognise their own needs too!

Wanting to contribute to this year's focus of the campaign, I had the idea to contact a local day centre within my area which I had heard of, and ask for permission to donate a gift for their garden. By doing this, I felt the staff and visitors of the centre would be able to enjoy the gift, and it would be a reminder within their garden that the work they are doing is so important, and simply amazing!

In order to support this year's 'Carers Week', I have donated a lavender garden plant to 'The Elms Day Centre'!
















'The Elms Day Centre' provides support to the carers of individuals, as well as the individuals themselves. Attendees who use the centre may be elderly, have a mental health condition, have a physical disability, or care for these individuals. the centre is run by volunteers who can provide support and guidance to carers on subjects such as dementia, in order for them to care for an individual the best they can, as well as feeling supported in doing so. The centre also acts as a day rest-bite scheme, where individuals can take part in activities, which supports socialising and communicating with others in a similar situation, which I feel is extremely important as the challenges carers face can sometimes cause them to experience loneliness, and the feeling that they have none to care for and support them.

By donating this gift to the staff and attendees of 'The Elms Day Centre', I hope that they can feel constantly supported in the selfless work they do in order to improve the lives of others, and feel encouraged to recognise their own needs, in order to keep themselves happy and healthy also! Ultimately, I hope that every time they see the gift in the centre's garden, they are reminded of just how amazing they are, and how deserving they are of the praise given to them for all that they do.

Maybe after reading this month's post, you will feel encouraged to let someone you know who cares for either you or someone else, whether it be the simplest daily task, how amazing they are and how thankful you are for them and the things that they do!

Thank you for reading this month's post, and I will see you again in July for another month of giving!

Be Good!

Kizzy :)

Sunday 10 May 2015

May - Giving to Yourself

Hi Everyone!

This month, I wanted to talk about giving to yourself.

Although this blog was set up with the intention to inspire and motivate myself and others to give to individuals or charities as an act of giving, otherwise known as a 'good deed.' Recently I have been thinking about the need to continually give to others, as well as yourself. Now, I haven't invested in this idea so much to the extent of buying myself lavish items every couple of days and refusing to share anything that I class as 'mine.' But I am starting to realise that acknowledgement for your own needs, is definitely as important as acknowledgement for others.

When it comes to yourself, I think it is important to realise that there is a huge difference between being selfish, and being fair. Every once in a while, I think it is important to remember to give to yourself. Whether it be space, time, attention, focus, compliments, honesty. Whatever problem or issue you may be experiencing, someone else in your life will more than likely experience that same thing in the future. So take the time to give yourself all of these things, in order to be able to 'give better' in the future. Allowing yourself to be as honest with yourself as possible allows you to realise just how much knowledge and understanding you can offer someone else.

'It is important to be there, but not to be left waiting.' Giving someone your time and attention, and offering yourself to them as someone they can count on or talk to is incredible. But remember to set boundaries for yourself as a 'giver' to that person, not on their countability on you. Giving too much of yourself to someone can leave you feeling as if they have robbed you of everything that you were, when really you just gave them all of yourself, and left none for you. Knowing how to give is something I have always struggled with, but is something that keeps you balanced. By doing this, you are not 'limiting your kindness', you are being responsible as a 'giver' to someone who may be dealing with something that does not allow them to think about this factor in the situation.

Whenever I experience something that makes me feel 'less-capable' than my 'normal' self, I tend to doubt myself. I think " Because I feel like this, I can't possibly help someone who feels the same, I don't even know how to deal with it myself."But I have come to realise that sometimes just giving someone the knowledge that you are 'in the same boat' is enough to bring them some comfort. You will not know how to deal with everything that happens in your life, nor do you have to put pressure on yourself to deal with everything that happens in your life.

I realise that when creating this post, I may have written each paragraph with some type of 'knowledgable aura.' Things that others will read assuming I have it 'all worked out.' I don't. I am learning about how to become a better 'giver' too, starting with giving to myself.

Kizzy :)

Sunday 26 April 2015

Donating to Mind - April

Hi Everyone!

This month, I donated to 'Mind' mental health charity, which supports and offers guidance to individuals to with mental illnesses, and provides them with information about treatment and help with their condition. By following this link: http://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/ you will be able to learn exactly what 'Mind' can do for individuals with mental illnesses, as well as the work they do and campaigns they run in order to challenge and change the stigma of mental health in society today.

One of their campaigns is the 'General Election 2015', which can be found here: http://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/campaigns/general-election-2015/ which focuses on ensuring our new government considers and acts on the needs of individuals with mental illnesses. Another of their campaigns is the 'Access to talking therapies', which can be found here: http://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/campaigns/access-to-talking-therapies/ which focuses on making sure that individuals who are referred to therapies are given aid within 28 days of this recognition.

The charity's 'A-Z Mental Health' feature on their website is useful in educating people about the different aspects of mental illness from symptoms to treatments, in order to provide sufferers and non-sufferers about mental health as a whole, and the current stigma of mental health by educating people on the facts and opinions of mental health, making it clear to determine the symptoms of mental illness sufferers.

I definitely encourage you to take a look at the 'Mind' website, which can be found here: http://www.mind.org.uk/ to explore the different sections in order to learn more about mental health, and help change the stigma of mental health in the future.

Thank you for your continued support of '12 Months of Giving', and I will see you in early April for a post all about my deed for the month.

Be Good!

Kizzy :)



Sunday 12 April 2015

April - Donating to 'Mind' Mental Health Charity

Hi Everyone!

I came across a quote recently that spoke absolute volumes, and became the inspiration for this month's deed. The quote read: "That's the stigma, because, unfortunately, we live in a world where if you break your arm, everyone runs over to sign your cast, but if you tell people you're depressed, everyone runs the other way. That's the stigma. We are so, so, so accepting of any body part breaking down, other than our brains. And that's ignorance. That's pure ignorance. And that ignorance has created a world that doesn't understand depression, that doesn't understand mental health." To who created this 'genius-ly' put together paragraph, I have no idea, but one thing is for sure...it is so, so true. These few lines are written in such a way, and analyses mental health in such a way that makes it somehow make sense, even though mental health itself, doesn't. As silly as it sounds, this paragraph actually made me realise that my brain is a body part just as much as my heart is. 'What you think, you become.' I think it is so easy for us to go through life with a voice and being located in our heads, when in fact our bodies are a shell to all our body parts, including our brains. I realise now that someone having a mental illness simply means that their brain needs help, just as when you break your arm you need a cast to make it better. It is clear to me now that mental health has the stigma it has, simply because it is not understood. Just as so many things in the world, mental health needs awareness, exposure, and education, until it is understood for what it truly, so simply, is.

With this in mind, this month I have donated to 'Mind' a mental health charity, working towards supporting and giving respect to anyone experiencing a mental health illness. 'Mind' offers support, advice, and information to individuals experiencing a mental health illness, as well as running campaign in order to support sufferers of mental health, and raise awareness to the many mental health conditions that there are.

'Mind' has an amazing website which you can find here: http://www.mind.org.uk/ which is able to offer advice to family members and friends trying to help someone with a mental illness, define symptoms of mental illnesses, and shares stories of other individuals with mental illnesses and their experiences. There are a number of 'local Minds' located all over the UK, where individuals experiencing mental health difficulty can find help and support. 'Mind' is able to provide information about drugs, treatments, and emotional support which individuals experiencing mental health difficulty are able to consider in order to allow them to cope with their illness.

It is important to realise that although there will be periods where an individual with a mental illness is coping with their illness, as well as times when their illness is fairly mild, mental illness is something that is very much part of an individual and their life. Therefore, by donating to 'Mind' via their website, or simply educating ourselves about mental health, we are supporting the 1 in 4 of us that mental illness affects, as a way to challenge, and hopefully change the current stigma of mental health.

Although your donations to 'Mind' would be greatly appreciate, even if you were to simply take a look at the website and learn about mental health and charity for yourself, and maybe share this knowledge with another would be one more step to changing the face and negative stigma of mental health.

Thank you for your continued support of '12 Months of Giving', and I will see you later this month with a post explaining just what amazing work 'Mind' is able to do with our support.

Be Good!

Kizzy :)