Follow The Shining Stars To Support New Charity

Project Work and Other Clients Press releases

John UrquhartAn innovative campaign has been launched to offer people in Scotland an alternative way to support local communities, charities and good causes.

The Give More Challenge, running from 16-22 September, calls for people across Scotland to come forward to make a pledge towards helping a charity, community or good cause of their choice.

The campaign aims to encourage people from all walks of life to offer to give more time, money or energy to charities and good causes in their local areas – at the end of the week, the plan is for a map of Scotland on the www.givemorechallenge.org website to be completely covered with pins of peoples’ pledges.

The Challenge is part of the Give More campaign, a movement which has already secured more than 32,000 pledges – with almost 2000 of those from Scotland – from people across the UK giving more to charities and good causes they’re passionate about.

Each person taking part will be offered an easy way to begin or continue their giving journey over the course of the week.

A Give More Challenge Quiz (www.givemorechallenge.org/quiz) has also been developed to tie in with the week which aims to test how much the public know about the issues facing their area. The aim is for the quiz to raise awareness and support for all charities and community groups across the region and enable those who take it to feel more connected with the communities around them.

The campaign is being supported by a number of kind-hearted Scots who have been given the title of a “Give More Star” by the campaign in recognition of the work they are doing in their communities.

They include Finlay Wilson from Lanark who has been recognised for setting up the charity, Heart Space in 2011. He has helped to change the lives of more than 1,500 people through yoga, helping cancer sufferers, the elderly, victims of abuse and those with low self-esteem.

People in Edinburgh have also benefitted from the help of Jackie Baillie who works at the Serenity Cafe in Edinburgh to help people recovering from addiction.

Julie Christie from Glasgow has been helping the city become greener by working with a local Community Growing Project to encourage eco-friendly living and John Urquhart has also been giving his time by fundraising and volunteering at the Highland Hospice since his passed away there.

John is now encouraging everyone to take part in the Give More Challenge and pledge to give more to the causes they care about.

He said: “By getting involved in the challenge we can find ways to give more in our communities that really make a difference and change things for the better for us all. “Once you’ve made a pledge online, or taken the quiz, your pin can go onto the map alongside everyone else who’s planning to make a difference across the UK.”

Tamar Ghosh, Campaign Director, said: “We’re hoping that every community across Scotland will be represented on the Challenge map.  John’s work is representative of the many fantastic things going on across Scotland. 

“The more people who can respond to his challenge and see how they can give more, the better in terms of strengthening communities in the region at what’s proving to be such a difficult time for so many”.