Rasen Rotrians hear from charities caring for children and animals

The first good cause talk was from Kathryn Biggin, the Charity Manager for Lincs FM’s ‘Cash for Kids’.

This is a grant funding charity, running up to three grant rounds per year and the largest gift appeal in the UK for children in poverty; Mission Christmas.

Cash for Kids supports disadvantaged children from birth to 18 years suffering from abuse, neglect, or who may have additional needs.

The charity fundraiser is by the Bauer Radio group, operating in 22 locations across the UK and linked to their local radio stations. In 2020 they supported over 350,000 children across the UK, raising more than £19 million.

Additionally, they ran a restricted emergency appeal in response to the national lockdown in March 2020, helping more than 50,000 children across the UK by providing support for the essentials like food, electricity and heating.

Supporting children in Lincolnshire and the Newark area, the first campaign in the region was launched last month - Cash for Kids Day appeal,

They will be looking to reach out to smaller community groups, schools and social services to help support the children they work with, at a benefit of around £35 per child.

Kathryn finished her presentation by referring to other local fundraising opportunities being provided in 2021 - a 5k a day challenge; Wing Walk challenge at Wickenby Airfield and a Schools Challenge.

The second caring cause speaker was Hanna Chambers from the Brooke Action for Working Horses and Donkeys, who joined the virtual meeting from Bristol.

Brooke is an international animal welfare charity operating in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

Their mission is to have a world where working horses, donkeys and mules are free from suffering.

The aim is to make a lasting change to their lives and wellbeing. It is not only the equines that are helped, but the people and communities that depend on them as working animals too - so a more permanent solution can be found.

In 2019/20, Brooke estimates they helped more than 1.5 million working horses, donkeys and mules from 8,763 equine owning communities.

One point made about tourism was the damage inflicted by unwitting, often large, tourists taking rides on small donkeys. Owners are obviously very keen to take money to allow the ride.

Brooke has joined a coalition with 50 other charities to look at this aspect of animal welfare and health standards.

Hannah said the lifelong goal of Brooke is that animal welfare will become so well integrated, as a charity its work will become obsolete – however, there is still a long way to go before this goal is reached.