This Sunday is Valentine's Day, but with the UK still in lockdown, and people unable to book a romantic weekend getaway or eat out at fancy restaurant, some charities are suggesting people use what they would have spent to help a good cause.
We take a look at what some charities are doing to fundraise.
Healthcare Workers’ Foundation: 'Show healthcare workers just how loved they are'
Healthcare Workers’ Foundation has launched a Valentine’s Day appeal which will help the charity provide frontline staff with PPE equipment, professional counselling and childcare grants.
The charity is calling on the public to donate their unspent Valentine’s Day funds.
Jeeves Wijesuriya, spokesperson for Healthcare Workers’ Foundation, said: “The past year has been rocky for all of us. And we must also remember our frontline workers have been under huge pressure during this pandemic, putting themselves at risk to care for us and our loved ones.
“If we are to keep our NHS and frontline staff going, we must do all we can to support their mental health and wellbeing. We want to show healthcare workers just how loved they are this Valentine’s Day. Any donation, no matter how big or small will go towards helping those working tirelessly to assist us in our hour of need.”
Hft: Poetry challenge
A woman with learning disabilities is writing a poem every day from 1 February until 14 February to raise funds towards a ‘Big Build’ at her service, which is run by national charity, Hft.
Molly has been supported by the charity for five years and was inspired to use her hobby to support a good cause after struggling with her mental health during the pandemic.
The 27-year-old's poetry challenge forms part of Hft’s 1.4 challenge event, which sees the charity asking fundraisers to raise money for adults with learning disabilities by taking on activities based around the numbers 1 and 4, such as dancing for 14 minutes or making 14 Valentine’s Day cards.
Action Aid: Alternative gifts
Action Aid has published a blog that highlights eight Valentine's Day charity gifts can make a difference to the lives of women and girls.
For example, for £10 donors can provide a uniform for a child who doesn't have one or give a goat for £30.
RSPCA: Pets at Home partnership
The RSPCA’s annual Pets at Home fundraising weekend will be taking place this Valentine’s weekend.
Every year the animal welfare charity teams up with the retailer to raise funds to help the RSPCA continue to rescue and care for animals in need. Customers will be given the opportunity to make a donation to the RSPCA at the till throughout the weekend.
Sarah Colberg, senior corporate partnerships manager at the RSPCA, said: “We know that many things have changed over the last year but we’re thrilled that Pets at Home is still able to support the fundraising weekend which raises vital funds to help animals in need.
“We rescue over 100,000 animals a year and so fundraisers like this are vital in ensuring we can continue to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome animals in desperate need of care. Our centres and branch colleagues can’t be in-store this year due to on-going Coronavirus restrictions but they will be supporting the event digitally and hope that shoppers in-store will show a little love to RSPCA animals on Valentine’s Day.”
Over 400 Pets at Home stores are taking part and last year the weekend raised £31,000 to help the animals.
British Heart Foundation: Engravings on a sculture
This Valentine's Day the charity is asking for £20 so you can have a name engraved on the Heart of Steel and help BHF fund vital research.
The Heart of Steel is a monumental sculpture in Yorkshire with space to engrave 150,000 names. This is part of the wider Steel Man project, a future landmark which will overlook Sheffield. The Heart will eventually be included inside the 32-metre Steel Man.
Related articles
