Jo Malone White Lilac & Rhubarb Charity Candle

Charity projects always put me in two minds: is the money reaching the end target? Are the brand doing it purely to satisfy their CSR demands? 

So when something like this comes through, it puts my sometimes-too-cynical mind at ease.

When you purchase this new candle from Jo Malone they will donate the full retail price (less VAT) to a number of charities including the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester, St Mungo's Broadway in Bristol, the Kirkdale Country Garden, Rotunda Limited in Liverpool, Redhall Walled Garden, Scottish Association for Mental Health and Thrive - the Society for Horticultural Therapy in Battersea.

Working with community charities across the UK and the USA, through the sales of items such as this, Jo Malone supports their work with adults living with mental health issues and the fourth Jo Malone charity garden will open this June in Bristol. With the help of homeless charity St Mungo’s Broadway, it enables homeless clients to gain horticultural qualifications that could lead to long-term employment. 

The candle itself smells exactly like you would expect, soft fruit mixed with the white lilac. I am breaking my Limited Edition rule and already burning into it on my desk.

White Lilac and Rhubarb Scented Candle is available for £42.00 in all Jo Malone stockists including www.jomalone.co.uk (although it is not showing on there as yet)

Inspiring Women

During the latter half of last year, I signed up to volunteer for the Inspiring Women campaign.
This week I gave my first talk at a secondary state school for special needs young adults in London. To say I left feeling humbled and inspired would be a massive understatement.
Inspiring Women is a national campaign launched a year ago that has 12,500 women ready to talk with girls in state schools about the ‘job they do’ and the route they took. Their ambition is to see 15,000 women from a wide range of occupations going into state schools, by summer 2015, talking to 250,000 young women.

If you are interested in volunteering your time, I can't recommend the experience highly enough. More information on the Inspiring Women Campaign can be found on the website here and in the video below.

New posting address for Give and Makeup.

Long time readers of this blog will know that I started Give and Makeup as a vessel to direct the excess of product that I had to good causes. Notably Refuge and Women's Aid. Today I am thrilled to announce that we are extending our support to the brilliant work carried out by the CRI (Crime Reduction Initiatives) in North London.

CRI is a National health and social care charity working with individuals, families and communities across England and Wales that are affected by drugs, alcohol, crime, homelessness, domestic abuse and antisocial behaviour. We will particularly be supporting their work with their EXIT project that aims to move sex workers out of prostitution by offering advice on substance misuse, alcohol, physical health, mental health, housing, education and employment. 

It emphasises assertive outreach by engaging a client group that is traditionally not represented within substance misuse or health services. Service users accessing the project will be offered a safe environment to discuss their needs with a dedicated keyworker, who will provide one-to-one support to break down the barriers to leaving the sex industry. 

These women, in a lot of cases, have nothing. And to walk away sometimes means literally having the clothes on their back. We are helping by giving them everyday essentials to build their confidence and allow them to focus on recovery.

In particular this group need the following:

• Underwear - bras and knickers. Washed and clean please! We all have underwear that no longer fits us in our drawers. And it's not heavy to post!
• Feminine hygiene products. Sanitary towels, tampons, washes and wipes. Desperately. If you work in the industry and have access to these items please ask your CSR department to consider helping these women.

THE ADDRESS CAN BE FOUND HERE: Give and Makeup

As always, thank you for your continued support. Give and Makeup is nearly 4 years strong and we have donated hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of goods to needy causes. 

Please consider helping us. Thank you for your continued support.

The Body Shop partners Teenage Cancer Trust

Always known for their ethics and work for amazing causes - The Body Shop have this year announced their partnership with The Teenage Cancer Trust - the only UK charity dedicated to improving the quality of life and chances of survival of young people with cancer. 

The two organisations will be working together throughout 2013 with The Body Shop aiming to raise £250,000 for the TCT.

There are various initiatives including:

• From April all customers can choose to get involved by making a 10p donation at the end of their purchase in stores nationwide. I personally love this option - I always, always donate in these situations - its so easy.

• For the first time The Body Shop has launched a charity single, Beauty With Heart written and performed by Leddra Chapman available to download now for 99p here.
  All proceeds go to The Teenage Cancer Trust.
• The Body Shop are the Official Headline Sponsors of the Teenage Cancer Trust Concert Series at the Royal Albert Hall taking place from 19 - 24th March.

This year the concerts are compered by Noel Gallagher and include performances by:

 Paul Weller, Kasabian, Primal Scream, Echo & The Bunnymen, Ryan Adams, Rizzle Kicks & Labrinth, Damon Albarn - Graham Coxon & Noel Gallagher (performing) and an evening of comedy with Russell Brand and Noel Fielding.

Twelve years of concerts has raised over £15 million for Teenage Cancer Trust - enabling them to build more specialist teenage cancer units in NHS hospitals across the UK, thus allowing young people to be treated together in an environment suited to their needs.

Tickets and more information can be found here and start at a beyond bargainous £25.00.

Please do what you can to support the cause.

www.thebodyshop.co.uk
www.teenagecancertrust.org
The Teenage Cancer Trust Concert Series
Beauty With Heart download

Tomorrow: Q & A with Leddra Chapman.