Community: Red Cross call for bright ideas

The ‘Hundred 2 Hundreds’ fundraising challenge invites young people across the south east to make a bid for £100 of funding, explaining how they would use it to raise more.

A judging panel will consider every proposed project, and the winning ideas will be awarded the money to put their ideas into practice.

Red Cross community fundraising support manager Patricia Dillon, who runs the initiative, said; “I love being involved with Hundred 2 Hundreds because it works on so many levels. It helps us to raise funds for our lifesaving work, both abroad and here in the UK, but it’s also great for the young people who get involved.

“They get to gain some great work experience in areas like event management, administration, budgeting and volunteer supervision, and an H2H project can do wonders for the CV.

“Participants can get a really interesting insight into the workings of a big international charity, and contribute to a great cause.

“In the past we’ve had some brilliant fundraising initiatives. Last year one group put on a live music event at a school in Rochester called the ‘Red Rave,’ which raised over £300.

“We also had ‘Create for Cross’ in Cambridge, where a group of young people organised an art show and auction promoting student artwork alongside pieces by established artists. They made over £1,000 for the British Red Cross.”

All funds raised will be used by the British Red Cross to support overseas relief projects, and to run community services here in the UK. In Bedfordshire the British Red Cross provides a range of services including short-term care in the home for adults recovering from illness or a stay in hospital, first aid training courses and first aiders for public events, medical equipment loan, emergency support for victims of crises such as house fires, floods or evacuations, humanitarian education, therapeutic care and refugee services and international tracing and messaging to help reunite separated loved ones.

Applicants for Hundred 2 Hundreds must be between 15 and 25, and must nominate a project manager who must be 18 or over. Applications must be submitted by 5pm on Monday, November 7, and winning teams will be announced the following day.

For more information or to apply, see www.redcross.org.uk/hundred2hundreds or contact Patricia Dillon on [email protected].