What is this?

On the first working Monday of every month (Monday is one of my busiest days) I will donate the daily income of Chocolate Tortoise to a selected charity, and post to this blog detailing the charity chosen. This blog is not intended to tell the world how generous I am. I am less generous than many people. The blog is intended to firstly log who I have donated to, and secondly to hopefully inspire others to do the same, or similar. For more information, see my first post.

Wednesday 13 May 2015

May 2015 - Sense About Science

One of the benefits that comes with donating regularly to different charities is that you can choose a variety of different types of cause without feeling that 'more worthy' causes are missing out. Donating to an educational cause, or pressure group, is not something that would be a first choice of mine, but is still something I would like to do on occasion, so this month my chosen charity is Sense About Science.



I am very disappointed with the British media. They are far too powerful, far too believed by the people and have too strong agendas. The shambolic outcome of the Leveson enquiry only goes to show how much power they have and how much disregard they show for.... well.... anything or anyone else. I stopped reading newspapers years ago for this reason - I am not sure whether to believe anything that is written.

I have a background in science. I know a little about it. I can see when the media are trying to drive an agenda or just to drive up sales using false or manipulated scientific statements or uneducated hyperbole. Unfortunately the general public do not always see this happening. Sense About Science aims to educate, to correct misinformation and to promote good scientific thinking and methods. Dr Ben Goldacre is a hero of mine and a personified example of all that Sense About Science stands for (he is also a great supporter and fundraiser for them). I have great respect for Dr Simon Singh, a victim of the terrible libel laws this country has, who is on the board of this orgaisation (they are also pushing for libel law reform). I am very happy to help out such a cause.

Sunday 3 May 2015

April 2015 - Missing People

The chosen donate a day charity for April 2015 is Missing People.


A client of mine, Ross, who has a lovely cat called Tinx, works for this charity and was being sponsored for their "Miles for Missing People 2015" run in May - an ideal opportunity for my donate a day charity in April.

Missing People is an independent charity, funded by donations, who search for missing people on behalf of the people they leave behind - offering help and support for all parties.

From their website https://www.missingpeople.org.uk:
Missing People is the only charity in the UK which specialises in, and is dedicated to, bringing missing children and adults back together with their families. Some missing people you will have heard of, but many more you won’t. For their families, life without them can be a desperate and unbearable struggle. We are there for them 24 hours a day, every day of the year, at the end of a phone, text or email, ready to use every means possible to search for and find their missing loved ones and to provide vital on-going support to families where the agonising wait turns into years, not just days.