Words by Smiley Team
From the start of 2021 to its finish, charities have been working non-stop to overcome the multiple challenges we face today.
Despite the difficulties posed by the pandemic, organisations have celebrated a huge range of victories. From better human rights to environmental protections, there’s been plenty of reasons for cheer in the third sector.
Here are just a few of the charity success stories making us smile as we approach the end of the year.
Back at the start of 2021, a range of organisations protecting our oceans, including Surfers Against Sewage, celebrated a campaign victory for life below water. Thanks to their determination, companies acceded to demands for transparency about how their activities impact pollution levels in the sea.
Setting a precedent for the world, the French government was forced to consider ramping up its climate goals in February, after a legal suit filed by the French divisions of Oxfam and Greenpeace, as well as climate justice nonprofit Notre Affaire à Tous, and The Nicolas Hulot Foundation, an organisation created by French journalist and environmental activist Nicolas Hulot.
In a cloud of confetti, BBC One announced the grand total of £52 million raised for Red Nose Day this year. The money went to initiatives tackling issues exacerbated by the pandemic. These included homelessness, hunger, domestic abuse, and mental health problems.
In spring, a food sharing scheme in Milton Keynes successfully delivered over 250,000 meals worth of surplus food to community groups supporting vulnerable people. But that wasn’t all. The Food Connect scheme also saved 1.7 tonnes on transport emissions by distributing the food using only eco-friendly means of transport.
When The Sick Children’s Trust faced a shortfall in vital income due to the pandemic they organised a virtual challenge, Sit Up for The Sick Children’s Trust, which raised £30K - double what they had originally hoped for.
The Salvation Army celebrated a win this summer when they convinced five mayors across England to sign a pledge to end the struggle of people sleeping rough in their cities.
Thanks to a charity run by the British rapper, Stormzy, the #Merky Foundation, 30 Black students received a £20,000 per year scholarship to study at the University of Cambridge.
With the help of current and ex-Paralympians, a Bristol-based charity called Legs4Africa, launched a fundraising campaign to support those with limb differences in sub-Saharan Africa.
Four years of nature-friendly farming and peatland restoration led to the successful return of rare birds to Wales, thanks to conservation work by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Cymru.
A 56-year-old man living with Motor Neurone Disease completed a 100-mile challenge, raising £17,500 for Leeds Hospitals Charity. But he didn’t stop there, immediately committing to walk another 100 miles to raise additional funds.
After annual beach cleanups led by the Marine Conservation Society, the charity has reported that the average litter recorded per 100 metres has decreased for the last three years. Volunteers found just 385 items this year, compared to averages of 425 in 2020, and 558 in 2019.
Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen raised an unbelievable amount in its annual Christmas appeal in the festive season, one of the toughest times for disadvantaged people. Thanks to fundraising efforts by a group of Sunderland fans, the Roker Report, they smashed their original target of £25,000 and now hope to raise £40,000 to support families in need this time.
