Charity events of the year!

It's been rather interesting trying to get some events organized in Lancashire,UK and I have finally managed to sort out two major ones that are looking good and well under way!

The first is a womens only charity auction called "Sweet and Sexy" which will have free chocolate for all attending, and sexy auction items from Ann Summers as well as local beauty parlors
It's looking good,now all we need to do is get people there
It has a facebook group if anyone wants to check it out and invite someone:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=311918715023&ref=mf

The second is a student event at Lancaster University in cooperation with KidsCan,a charity for children with cancer
It's called Jailbreak and people attending has to get as far as possible in 30 hours on no money and raise £100 on the way.Last time someone made it all the way to Hong Kong so it's gonna be very exciting.We are splitting the money with KidsCan and help each other get things sorted with paperwork ect

There is a lot of talk of difficult economic times but reading newspapers and blogs it is evident that it can't be as bad as they say-charities are still getting support and people still show up to events of all kind.It's about quality and fun and that's the main idea for both my events

Invite anyone you think might be interested and let's go sweet,sexy and charming for charity :)

People nodding along

I get about 15 google alerts every day. Some of them are relevant and inspiring, and goes into my substantial file of internet pages for future reference, and some are just internet waffle.

Not often do I find anyone that agrees with me on all issues I've raised in this blog, at least not on the internet. Talking to people, especially the UN made it clear that I'm not the only one who is fed up and looking for alternatives to pity and guilt used for fundraising, but few are putting it out there in the media.

And then I found this link in my inbox-

http://www.toryradio.com/2009/08/04/sometimes-i-really-really-dislike-big-charities/

I usually don't get involved in general politics, I don't know who I would vote for as the people I like are not in power,. But here is someone that agrees with me on this, and is not afraid to say so, and it cheered me up so I will share it anyway

Have a nice day everyone

M

A lot of people and businesses find it hard to take time out for doing things like charity work and team-building weekends. Its considered a luxury, and so it is as well, but it doesn't have to be. What if your job, just going about your daily business could help others? What if you could do something you love and see new results?

This is one of the basic ideas behind The Light Project- delegating what people have to spare and making charitable work exciting. Any hobby can be useful to someone, any interest could inspire an idea in someone else and any knowledge can be passed on.

I could go on and on all day but to make my point clearly, have a look at these guys. They make toys, they love it, and they are doing good with it.

That's the spirit! :)

http://www.squishable.com/s/charity

My main inspiration

The way of solving problems requires one fundamental change, a big one, and that is learning that the challenges of our generation are not us versus them, they are not us versus Islam, us versus the terrorists, us versus Iran, they are us, all of us together on this planet against a set of shared and increasingly urgent problems. By understanding those problems, understanding them at their depth, understanding what we share with every part of this world in the need to face these challenges, we can find peace.

Jeffrey D Sachs in the BBC Reith Lectures (07)

For those who need hope

First examine our attitude towards peace itself. Too many of us think it is impossible, too many think it is unreal, but that is a dangerous, defeatist belief. It leads to the conclusion that war is inevitable, that mankind is doomed, that we are gripped by forces we cannot control. We need not accept that view. Our problems are man-made, therefore they can be solved by man, and man can be as big as he wants. 

No problem of human destiny is beyond human beings. Man's reason and spirit have often solved the seemingly unsolvable, and we believe they can do it again. I am not referring to the absolute infinite concept of universal peace and goodwill of which some fantasies and fanatics dream. 

Genuine peace must be the product of many nations, the sum of many acts. It must be dynamic, not static, changing to meet the challenge of each new generation, for peace is a process, a way of solving problems. 

J.F KENNEDY

To give or to give well, that is the question

As I went for a stroll in Lancaster, underneath a very uncertain grey sky, I was approached by a charity, as I'm sure all of us have been. He was outgoing, good looking and trying very hard to be funny. And he reminded me why I started this project, why I can't just go and find a group and work for them. Who has ever felt like they got anything meaningful out a meeting on the street like that? Did you feel anything but a pang of guilt, suddenly feeling like you've forgotten parts of the world, but also a slight annoyance that yo had to be told by a man in a yellow coat?

It might seem stupid to say that supporting a cause in that way is inefficient, it gets them money doesn't it? The good ones get the job done don't they? Sure they do. The point is not that the work being done is not good, the point is that it is so miniscule compared to what could be done if more people understood the situation. In Tanzania men are sitting in the streets, playing games, kicking dust and growing thinner. Its not because they are lazy-lets get that understood first. They are not lazy and they don't spend their money on booze either. What has happened is that there is no innovation, there are no idea that have not been tried out and succeeded, there seems to be so few options. Industry, technology and internet makes our own grandparents feel outdated and nervous, even our parents don't fully understand it, I'm not even sure my own generation knows how to really take advantage of it, but these people where hit by it within a very short period of time, and are now left behind. Its not just about age, younger people, with education and plans for the future also struggle to understand what is going on and how to ride the wave. This is not ignorance, it is not lack of imagination. Its just a world out of their control.

What is needed, what really would be useful and that could change the world is ideas. Money is great, building wells are great, but if you can give people in development countries an idea of how to build a well that fits their own environment then a major battle is won. We can keep stuffing money in, sending and giving by the millions but if there are no ideas, no opening of opportunities for innovation then we will keep wasting our energies. Its a blunt truth but it is true none the less. Yes, some charities do amazing work, they really do, and they are worth helping. But any charity that makes you feel guilty, by quoting you facts and showing you images of starving children do not deserve your money or time. If that is the attitude they bring to any poor country they will do more harm than good, making people dependent on others, not just for food,  but for ideas of how to change their lives. We should not, and can not understand how to best run their country, their schools or even their village. But we can give them the power and the space to take charge.

Anyone who hasn't seen or heard of a millennium village please do so. It is the most successful project the UN has ever had, and it is growing rapidly. the UN might not have been very impressive lately, but this is a project worth knowing something about.

Link: http://www.millenniumvillages.org/about/index.htm

I know it sound like I'm telling you what to do, or not to do and I know I don't have the right. But please consider thinking twice before donating, check out where the money goes, look at the way they talk to people and the message as well as the work. Ask me about t, I'm happy to help you find a charity that really speaks to you, that really matters and that is worth your time, your resources or whatever else you have to spare.

That's the point really of all my work- delegating what people have to spare to the right places. 

Let me know if I can do it for you

HM

Norwegian bliss

As I find my way into White Knight, slowly handing over my other job to someone far more competent and excited about it, I feel a strange urge to not talk about it. How do you tell those who are still looking, still trying, still not in the right place at the right time that you've been given your dream job? I fin it hard. On the one hand I work harder than most, I take one every challenge I get and I look for more things to learn, more things to do all the time. I do deserve the opportunity, but I wish others around me where getting what they deserve as well. 

But it would be worse if I didn't know how luck I am, how blessed I have been. It would have been worse if I didn't listen but paraded good news around. I really don't want to do that, but I am excited and happy and I will share it all here as no one reads this if they don't want to know.

Funny though how some types of friends are only around when things go bad,when they can be the strong one or the better one. Being happy, it seems, is a good way to loose friends. Or some types anyway

I'm home in Norway at the moment and I'm having a lovely time with family. I'll be singing on Saturday, with a really great norwegian artist (Age Steen Nilsen) and my old choire as well as my Dads orchestra. It gonna be awesome! And when I go back I'm gonna miss people here a lot, thanks to everyone I've seen and will see. I miss geekyness and quirkyness and good coffee. And my lovely family. I hope everyone in the UK is gonna treat their dads on Fathers Day coming up. Anyone have a really good way to do that?

Be well,God bless

x