Raising Money
Raising money is the most popular way to take part in Non-Prophet Week. This year we are officially supporting Survivors Voice. They are a relatively new charity and are still quite small, so the money we raise has the potential to make a huge difference to both the charity and people’s lives.
If you feel you or your members are more enthusiastic about another charity, you are welcome to support them instead... and it doesn’t have to be just raising money. In the past people have planted trees, donated blood and collected clothes to give to a charity shop as alternatives to or alongside fundraising (more here). There are suggestions for other secular charities that you might like to support, listed below.
Be as creative as you want and we will support and help you as much as we can.
Age UK
Age UK has recently formed following the merger of Age Concern and Help the Aged. They believe that those of old age need respect, kindness and sometimes help. Age UK has a vision of a world in which older people flourish. They aim to improve later life for everyone through information and advice, campaigns, products, training and research.
Alzheimer's Society
Alzheimer's affects around 465,000 people in the UK. Alzheimer's Society support people locally, provide a reliable telephone service and online information and invest money in research to find possible cures. They help train people who care for those with dementia and campaign on various issues to raise awareness.
In Scotland? Try Alzheimer Scotland - Donate now
Amnesty International
Amnesty International campaign around the world for universal human rights. This is anything from a person's right to safe drinking water to a rape victim's right to an abortion. They support the victims of political problems and their families. They are against the death penalty and stand up for people's religious and political freedoms.
Barnardo's
Barnardo’s transforms the lives of vulnerable children through the work of their projects, campaigning and research expertise. They believe they can bring out the best in every child whether the issue is child poverty, sexual exploitation, disability and domestic violence.
Children In Need
Their mission is to make a positive change to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in the UK. Their vision is a society where each and every child and young person is supported to realise their potential. Last time (2009) over £39 million was raised. Every penny donated goes towards projects helping disadvantaged children in the UK. Their running costs are covered by investment income and Gift Aid.
They provide support in the form of grants to organisations working with children who may have experienced mental, physical or sensory disabilities; behavioural or psychological disorders; are living in poverty or situations of deprivation; or suffering through distress, abuse or neglect.
The size and scale of the BBC Children in Need Appeal means that they are able to give grants to hundreds of different organisations, some of which are very small and do not have the resources to fundraise for their selves.
East African Playgrounds
East African Playgrounds (EAP) is a UK-based charity that sends out teams of volunteers from the UK and builds playgrounds for schools, orphanages, charities and other organisations in East Africa. In realising this aim, EAP intends to: provide an important space for children to be children and escape the stresses of life; support local people and use locally-sourced materials; enhance relationships between peoples and countries and develop our volunteers' cultural understanding.
Education for Choice
Education for Choice support a woman's right to choose if she has an abortion. They campaign and educate on these issues. They call for young people to have the facts on abortion, whoever they are, whoever they ask, wherever they go.
Kiva (Humanist Lending Team)
Kiva's mission is to connect people, through lending, for the sake of alleviating poverty. Kiva empowers individuals to lend to an entrepreneur across the globe. By combining microfinance with the internet, Kiva is creating a global community of people connected through lending. As of November 2009, Kiva has facilitated over $100 million in loans.
Your society could lend money. When you get it back, relend to help more people around the world.
Marie Curie
Marie Curie provides care for cancer patients and their families. They are carrying out the research and innovation necessary to find out what the best possible care is and how best to provide it. They are determined that the needs of the dying remain on the political agenda and will continue to campaign for patients to be able to die in their own homes in all four countries of the UK. Their core values are putting patients and families first.
Médecins Sans Frontières
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent humanitarian medical aid organisation. They are committed to providing medical aid where it is most needed, regardless of race, religion, politics or gender. They also aim to raise awareness of the plight of the
Donate now people they help.
National Aids Trust
National Aids Trust (NAT) is the UK's leading charity dedicated to transforming society's response to HIV. They provide fresh thinking, expert advice and practical resources, and campaign for change.
National Blood Service
Blood drives have been popular with AHS Societies. Just set a date to visit a blood donation centre (if one is near). Remember to book. If any of your members have not given blood before check they are allowed to. While most European countries are fine, it is better to check are eligible in advance. If there is anything they are unsure of ask them to ring the hotline, 0300 123 23 23.
See also Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
One Laptop per Child
One Laptop per Child's aim is to create educational opportunities for the world's poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning. When children have access to this type of tool they get engaged in their own education. They learn, share, create, and collaborate. They become connected to each other, to the world and to a brighter future.
One World Action
One World Action works with local partners in developing countries to ensure marginalised people have a voice. Women's rights are central to all they do. They believe just and sustainable development is not possible if half the world is excluded.
Oxfam UK
Oxfam is a vibrant global movement of passionate, dedicated people fighting poverty and doing amazing work together. People power drives everything they do, from saving lives and developing projects that put poor people in charge of their lives and livelihoods, to campaigning for change that lasts.
Plan UK
Plan is one of the largest child-centred community development organisations in the world, helping children and their families in 48 of the poorest countries to break the cycle of poverty.
Shelter
Shelter help homeless people find homes and support people at risk of being homeless. Housing is the key factor determining a person's health, wellbeing, and prospects in life. 1.8 million households in England languish on council waiting lists, and the numbers stuck in temporary accommodation have soared. Shelter has achieved great things in its history, but work will not stop until everyone in Britain can access a decent, affordable home.
Sightsavers
Sightsavers are an international charity which works with partners to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote equality of opportunity for disabled people in the developing world. They work to both cure people who have reversible eye conditions and prevent people from becoming needlessly blind. They help people who are blind to live a more independent life.
Sparks
Sparks' vision is a world where all babies are given the best possible start in life and where a medical condition or disability at birth is not a barrier to opportunity and fulfilment.
Their aim is to achieve this by funding high quality medical research that is intended to have a practical and positive effect on the lives of children.
Survivor's Voice
Survivors Voice Europe is an international charitable organisation, which has, at it’s heart, the focus on empowerment of survivors of Catholic clergy abuse. They were founded in 2010 and focus on connecting with each other as a support network, to try to come to terms with their abuse.
UNICEF
UNICEF is the world's leading organisation protecting the rights of children and young people. Around the world, children's rights are being denied on a daily basis, including in emergencies such as natural disasters and conflict.
UNICEF is working in over 190 countries to protect children's rights to be educated, to be healthy, to a childhood, to be treated fairly and to be heard. They work with local communities, partners and governments to ensure these rights are upheld.
Uganda Humanist Schools Trust
The Uganda Humanist Schools Trust was established in November 2008 as a charity to raise funds to support the efforts of Ugandan Humanists, who have founded three schools which offer students a secular humanist education.
WaterAid
WaterAid is an international non- governmental organisation. Their mission is to transform lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world's poorest communities.