Today marks the 6th annual International Day of Charity!

It was officially declared in 2012 by the United Nations and is commemorated on the 5th of September marking the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa. Established to help enhance and increase social responsibility amongst us all, and as a way to encourage people to support charitable individuals and organisations around the world.

We wanted to take the opportunity to shine a spotlight on some of the fantastic charities that are close to our heart and share how you too can get involved in supporting them!

Equinox Cycle

Every September we are thrilled to take part in the Equinox Charity Cycle which raises funds for Headway Ireland and TempleStreet Children's Hospital, two organisations that are very special to us and do amazing work!

We're delighted to have raised €140,000 over the past 7 years, and we hope to continue the cycle's fantastic record of consistently raising €20k a year for our beneficiaries. We'll be on our bikes again this September 22nd with 50 cyclists travelling from Clontarf to Salthill, a total of 230km, in one day.

If you would like to lend us your support, please visit our donation page. 100% of our corporate and public donations goes to the charities.

Barnardos

Barnardos is a children's charity who have been working with vulnerable children and their families in Ireland and campaigning for the rights of all children since 1962. We are big supporters of their work and participate yearly in their Christmas Toy Drive.

They offer a variety of ways to support their endeavours, from volunteering to campaigning to shopping in their charity stores. You can also make a once-off or monthly recurring donation via their Donate page. Check out their website for more info on how you can help!

Friends of Rosie

Friends of Rosie started life over 27 years ago with a resolve to raise money for children's cancer research after five-year-old Rosie Larkin lost her battle against cancer. The charity is Manchester based and volunteer-led, meaning almost every penny raised goes directly into funding research into the causes, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancer.

For more information on Friends of Rosie, please visit their website and be sure to check out their Fundraising Packs!

BBC Children in Need

BBC Children in Need is the BBC's UK corporate charity, who with the support of the public, are able to make a real difference to the lives of children all across the UK. Providing grants to projects in the UK which focus on children and young people who are disadvantaged.

For more information on how you can donate to this great cause, please visit: www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/fundraisinghub

Save the Children

The world’s first declaration on children’s rights was written by Save the Children’s founder, Eglantyne Jebb, in 1923.

Since then, Save the Children has gone on to work in 68 countries around the world in order to protect children, provide them with a healthy start, combat poverty, hunger and fight for their rights.

Find out more about how you can help them: www.savethechildren.org.uk

Macmillan Cancer Support

Macmillan Cancer Support run Coffee Mornings to raise funds for their organisation who support people affected by cancer. The World's Biggest Coffee Morning takes place on Friday 28th September 2018 and you can sign up now to recieve a free kit from them full of everything you need to host your own amazing Coffee Morning. We can tell you they are great fun for a great cause!

For more information on how you can donate, please visit: www.macmillan.org.uk

Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

Earlier this year our Manchester studio did a cycling challenge to help raise funds for Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, which is where many of the victims of the Manchester Arena attack were treated.

Royal Manchester Children's Hospital is the largest and busiest children’s hospital in the UK with 371 paediatric beds. You can support them through the Manchester Foundation Trust Charity which helps by providing vital equipment and paying for research into lifesaving treatments at each one of their family of hospitals.

For more info, please visit: www.facebook.com/RMCHCharity

Special Olympics Ireland

Special Olympics Ireland is a sports organisation for people with an intellectual disability, but it provides athletes with far more than the physical benefits of sport. Special Olympics changes lives. Through sport, athletes develop both physically and emotionally, they make new friends, realise their dreams, and know they can fit in.

Special Olympics Ireland currently has almost 8,872 registered athletes participating in 14 sports in 352 affiliated groups throughout Ireland. These athletes are supported by their families and a team of 25,000 volunteers who give of their time to help out at sporting and fundraising events.

Their vision is to build the programme offered by Special Olympics Ireland so that every person with a learning disability has the opportunity, in their local community, to participate in high quality sport and development activities that bring life-changing experiences of increased skills, self-confidence and joy.

For more information on the great work they do and how you can get involved, please visit: www.specialolympics.ie

SickKids

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), affiliated with the University of Toronto, is Canada's most research-intensive hospital and the largest centre dedicated to improving children's health in the country. As innovators in child health, SickKids improves the health of children by integrating care, research and teaching.

With a staff that includes professionals from all disciplines of health care and research, SickKids provides the best in complex and specialized care by creating scientific and clinical advancements, sharing knowledge and expertise and championing the development of an accessible, comprehensive and sustainable child health system. 

Our Toronto studio hosts an annual Cards for SickKids event which brings together our studio artists, who volunteer their creative skills to decorate holiday cards for the children at SickKids Hospital.

If you'd like to find out more about how you can get involved, please visit: www.sickkids.ca/ways-to-give

Happy International Day of Charity!