Month: September 2024

UNESCO laureates echo call for urgent investment in girls’ and women’s education in Africa

Stuart Mitchell

Sub-Saharan Africa bears the highest economic burden internationally due to early school leavers and children with less than basic skills. The private costs (costs borne by individuals) due to girls and boys leaving school early are higher for girls, equal to around US$190 billion and US$210 billion, respectively, states UNESCO’s recently published “The price of inaction” report.  At the first Pan-African Conference on Girls’ and Women’s Education held in Addis Ababa from 2 to 5 July, which brought together ministers, policy-makers, civil society, and multilateral organizations, the emphasis was on the…

Read More

Ryan Reynolds Announces More to Parkinson’s® Campaign

Stuart Mitchell

Ryan Reynolds, a world-renowned actor/entrepreneur and Parkinson’s disease advocate, with Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. recently announced the launch of a multi-faceted disease education campaign, More to Parkinson’s®, to raise awareness among caregivers, patients and their care providers about a common, yet under-recognized aspect of Parkinson’s disease – Parkinson’s-related hallucinations and delusions. Notably, around half of the people living with Parkinson’s disease may develop hallucinations or delusions over the course of their disease, but up to 90% of people currently do not proactively tell their physicians about these symptoms.1-3 By sharing their…

Read More

Rays of Sunshine grants 9,000 wish with help from The Fragrance Shop and ambassador Olly Murs

Stuart Mitchell

Rays of Sunshine is delighted to announce it has granted its 9,000 wish in 21 years – a meet and greet with Olly Murs for 18-year-old Sanna.   The wish was delivered with support from The Fragrance Shop, a longstanding corporate partner of Rays of Sunshine. Sanna is currently on the transplant list and undergoing treatment for end-stage kidney failure, and was invited to The Fragrance Shop’s high-tech FQ (Fragrance Quarters) in Manchester alongside Olly, for a day of pampering and photography.   Sanna was diagnosed with renal disease shortly after birth. She…

Read More

Fundraising Regulator releases new guidance on working with professional fundraisers & commercial participators

Stuart Mitchell

The Fundraising Regulator have released a post on their website telling how they recently published two new pieces of guidance for charities: one about working with commercial participators and one about working with professional fundraisers. I enclose the post below written by Oliver Bayer, Policy Officer at the Fundraising Regulator who original published and own copyrights for it. Please check out their ebsite and learn more about the great ork they do. In autumn 2023, we ran a public consultation as part of our review of the Code of Fundraising…

Read More

Charity regulator praises constructive campaigning during General Election

Stuart Mitchell

The Charity Commission has published a report of its casework during the 2024 General Election, revealing a significant decline in serious concerns about a charity’s campaigning activity compared with previous elections. The regulator praises the sector for its conduct during the UK General Election, with its Chair, Orlando Fraser KC, restating the sector’s right to campaign and reminding all that this right is enshrined in charity law.    The report found a rise in proactive efforts by charities to seek advice from the Commission and a 60% decline in high-risk cases…

Read More