Watching Sport Relief over the weekend puts into perspective what £65 can do to help people in difficult situations and sometimes I do wonder whether I should contribute more personally to allieviate suffering in 3rd World countries.
Recently I have been receiving a range of requests for £65 and have realised that I prefer to give to people who are willing to match me - not necessarily with money, but also with time and effort - to make a bigger difference.
Much of my time is spent opening people's minds to think differently, which causes them to act differently and hence achieve better results. So with this in mind I am paying for a couple of my team to travel to Macedonia and be facilitators for innovation groups at the "Uncovering New Solutions - Building Communities and Making the Most of Resources" Conference organised by Handicap International for family organisation leaders. I hope that this investment, whilst much greater than £65, will lead to greater differences being made.
So what genuinely is the greatest difference you can make with £65 of my money? Are you willing to match it in some way to make a geater difference?
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29 comments:
Wow Andy,
Thank you so much for your offer. We will donate all the money we save to The Fireside which is an organisation which helps feed the homeless in Birmingham, City Centre. This will become an annual donation and we are very excited about supporting them. Thank you also for your inspiration and suggestion.
Marie
PS I will email you my personal details.
Dearest Andy,
We have thought about your suggestion this morning to make the garden more environmentally friendly. We will include growing herbs and spices which can attract certain types of wildlife. We will keep thinking on this. It is a great challenge for us all!
Thank you so very much.
Mother Anderson
Thank you Andy,
I will make up some example recipe cards and then allow the children time to experiment with the ingredients and make up their own recipes and make their own cards to take home and keep. This gets the children thinking as well. Do you have this effect on everybody?
Thank you kindly.
Marva
Hi Andy,
Thank you for your time. Reading the site has really warmed me to know so many people are trying to make a difference and help others.
Gwen
Thank you, thank you, thank you,
She will be sooooo happy! It's amazing what a hat can do.
We will continue our work for the community and it is so refreshing to have somebody value what we are doing.
Cheers J.S.
Hi Andy,
I have spoken to the young people I do street dance with and we thought we could use the money to perform at our local community carnival. The youths get bad press from the community who think they are all trouble makers. Not all of them are and our group wish to share their skills and show their talents. All of the community will benefit from seeing what these youths can do. The youths will also get their half an hour of local fame. The money raised for the community carnival goes back into the community, so it's win win all around.
Thank you from
Broken Silence Dance Troop
Hello Andy,
I run a small outdoor exotic botanical garden in Birmingham. We also have African Art and Artifacts. We want to start a community Afican Heritage Learning Centre. I have done some planning but I would like to know what the community wants too. Could I use the 65.00 to hire a min bus to collect a group of local children and their parents to come and see the centre and give me some feedback. They would have an imput in the planning and I would be able to develop an even better facility for the community. I would provide refreshments for them and teach them what AKAMBA is all about.
If you are ever this side of the city feel free to pop in and see what we are working on.
Respect
Chris (AKAMBA)
Hi Andy,
I would like to request the money to book a hall for a community workshop. I want to help regenerate my local community and talk about self employment business opportunities which exist within the community. Too many people are draining the community and the economy of this country when they could be doing something productive to help build it. I have had some coaching from one of your coaches on the GO MAD system and I am so ready to start making a difference. I haven't yet returned to work after my maternity leave so my finances are low but my spirit is high and I have the time. I can use this energy, with your financial backing to help others.
Please help me help them.
Tamar
Dear Andy,
I would like to nominate my step son Aidan, who is 16 years old. He would like to become a psychological illusionist and most of his pocket money goes on buying books and magical effects. He is also keen on juggling and circus skills. He is working hard in his spare time on a one man show which he would like to share with his community at local community centres, schools and nurseries so he can practice his performance skills. The money would help him buy 2 more tricks and promote himself across the area. His father and I will transport him around safely and his grandparents have donated some money to help him take part in a course to improve his skills at the end of the month. A little bird told me that you have a few tricks up your selves too. Aidan would love to meet you and share some tips. Maybe that would be asking too much...
Thanks Andy
From Priscilla
Hi Andy,
I would like to organise a football match for a rural team from Ross On Wye to come and play an urban team from Handsworth, Birmingham. I am often in Ross On Wye and I am disgusted at the racist attitudes that are still so common down in that part of the country. This is filtering down to the young people. I work in Birmigham promoting sport and I have already started the work in breaking down these negative attitudes. It costs 29.00 per pitch for 2 courts of 5 a side at Powerleague. Youths will have to organise their own transport. I will put on a spread for them afterwards so that they will have the opportunity to get to know each other a bit better. Racism is such a dangerous concept that more should be done in rural areas to draw communities together. I think this is a good start.
Thanks Andy
Mr. J. White
Hello there Andy,
What do you think about a fish tank and some tropical fish for the community centre where I have been a volunteer for over 10 years. We have lots of different groups which meet here and we find that this type of water and life feature is very theraputic and calming. The young and old would both benefit. I would maintain it, keep it clean and the fish feed. Just an idea for the community.
Cheers Barbara
Dear Andy,
My name is Kathleen and I work as a link nurse for wound care management in the Maxillofacial Department at a hospital in Birmingham. I would like to ask for the money to buy a polaroid camera to take pictures of the wound site of cancer patients after their operations. I would use the pictures to teach others and keep them in the patient's notes to track their healing progress. I am currently having to draw this by hand. I have put the request in to the management team and have been left waiting for many months. This would make a difference to the patients as they often don't like to look at their scars and this is a good way to show them how well they have healed. They can see colour before and after pictures of their ordeal. I notice you declined an offer for a camera before but I hope you think this request more worthwhile. It would cost 64.99.
Yours Sincerely,
Kathleen
Hi Broken Silence Dancers,
please be more specific about what you need the money for.
What is preventing you currently from entering the carnival? Is there an entry fee for your dance group? What would the money specifically be used for to make a difference?
Andy G
Hi Chris,
Sorry to decline your request but I prefer not use my money for transportation costs. I am sure you can obtain feedback from existing visitors and other sources.
Andy G
Hi Tamar,
I share your desire to help people take responsibility for their lives and create opportunities. However, I need to be convinced that you are able to target an audience and persuade them to attend a session. I have previously given money for hiring halls, only to find very low attendees.
Remember that people need both the desire and self belief to succeed in building a business. What is the objective of your session and how many are you seeking to help?
Andy G
Hi Priscilla,
It seems like your step-son is going to make it with your support and his endeavours. Whilst I love magic, I am sure my money can make a greater difference elsewhere.
Andy G
Hi Mr J. White,
I support the difference you are seeking to make in challenging racism and am willing to give you £65 on the basis that you can persuade the Ross On Wye team to participate. How easy will it be for them to arrange their own transport and how motivated are they likely to be to travel to you?
If you can get them there then I will back you.
Andy G
Hi Barbara,
to reward you for 10 years of voluntary work, I am going to say yes.
Send me your contact details and I will send you £65 for the tropical fish tank.
Keep making a difference.
Andy G.
Hi Kathleen,
the money is yours to buy the camera. I think this is an excellent example of making a difference to help others. It is sad that the NHS cannot provide it to help you do your job more effectively. However, send me your contact details and I am happy to help you make a difference.
Andy G
Hello Andy,
I have just set up on my own running a VHS to DVD conversion, video editing, Photographic restoration and IT Backup solutions company. Myrah told me of your fantastic giveaway, and I was hoping you would be able to contribute to the purchase of a new Inkjet Scanner/Printer I am looking to purchase. Thanks for taking the time to read this comment, Rob.
Hi Rob,
Request declined. Please take the time to read what this site is really about - helping others to make a difference.
Andy G
Hi Andy,
Did you see the Paul O'Grady show and his appeal for woolly hats for babies in the third world? A donation from you could help us produce more than 100 of these hats for the premature babies who are dying of pneumonia in Kenya, Sierra Leone and Tibet. The elderly members of our day centre would love to help and are willing to volunteer their time to this project. We have already down loaded the istructions and we have set ourselves a target of 100 hats in a month. We have asked for wool but we are only getting bits and bobs. Please can you help. The money will also pay for postage and packaging to London.
Thank you for helping me think big!
Marion
Hi Marion,
Get ready to get knitting - £65 is on its way to you and the team as soon as you send me your contact details.
Keep making a difference.
Andy G.
Hi Andy,
In answer what would i do with £65, i would apply for membership to Birmingham toy library network costing £50 this way i could nominate worthy individual organisations to attend the training organised by them this would also buy membership to the National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries, who in turn offer a support program in the community assisting children's centres in creating and setting up a toy loan provision to parents and carers in the community.
Thanks
Jo
Hi Andy,
We have been invited to perform at a community event on the 5th July in Hall Green, Birmingham. The money would help us travel to the event and get t-shirts printed for the crew. We'll sort the carnival money out ourselves as these costs keep changing. We really want to attend but it's outside of our area as we are from Handsworth.
Sorry for the delay in responding.
Broken Silence
Yo Andy,
I have been doing some work with young men on fatherhood and the effects that their own relationships with their fathers has on their relationships with their sons. I do this as a freelance criminologist, poet and author, so my finances are tight. I desperately try to get these young men to keep journals as this is often a very difficult path to travel. I thought I could use the money to buy them some starter kits of stationery so that I can teach them how to record their feelings, emotions and their individual journey. I have also been given one of your books 'Go MAD - the art of making a differnce' and it's great. I may ask the men involved in the project to request a copy. Is that possible? To be honest the book would make more of a difference to them than the 65.00.
Peace
MG
Hi Jo,
Unfortunately I cannot support your request as you are asking for money for yourself. If you can find the money for your personal subscription, I might be willing to support you later in helping others.
Andy
Hi Broken Silence Dancers,
The money I am giving away has to make a difference and not just be added to an existing fund to reduce costs - which I get the impression it might be with your dance group.
If, you can honestly tell me that without the £65 you will not be able to travel to the event and participate, then I will willingly give you the money. However, if my £65 will just make it less expensive to attend, then I suggest you don't need the printed T-shirts and my money could be better used elsewhere.
Keep dancing.
Andy G
Hi MG,
It seems like you are doing some great work and I would like to help you make a difference.
Rather than send you the money, I will supply you with sufficient copies of my books and pens. Please let me know how many you need and send me your contact details.
Andy G
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