This month’s worthy cause is the Australian Marine Conservation Society. AMCS is an independent charity. It is staffed by a committed group of professional and passionate scientists, educators and advocates. It has defended Australia’s oceans for over 45 years. AMCS work tirelessly to create sustainable fisheries, protect threatened species, tackle threats to our oceans and to create marine sanctuaries.
I love the sea, and it is such a source of inspiration to me, so I like to help protect and save our beautiful ocean habitat! Therefore, I will be giving 10% of all sales for the month to the Australian Marine Conservation Society to support their good works. Head over to The Silver Forge Shop now and do your bit. The threat to our environment is getting worse by the day. Without clean healthy oceans, we are nothing!
Passionflower Vine Curl (photo credit to Simone Carter)
Many of the world’s park rangers work in extreme conditions while protecting our endangered species and ecosystems. Low pay, lack of equipment, poor living conditions and the threat of severe violence is the daily reality for many of these frontline conservationists.
The Thin Green Line Foundation provide protection for wildlife rangers around the world. Over a thousand rangers have been killed in action in the last ten years. The Foundation provide vital equipment, training and resources to rangers in the field, predominantly in high value conservation and conflict zones. The also remember the widows and children of our fallen conservation heroes, and provide meaningful and effective social support.
Supported by such diverse people as Jane Goodall, Gotye and Tex Perkins, The Thin Green Line Foundation are partnered with the International Ranger Federation, and these are the only organisations around which are dedicated to protecting wildlife rangers.100% of donations to The Thin Green Line go to supporting projects on the ground. Donations are fully tax deductable.
The Silver Forge will be donating 10% of all sales this month to The Thin Green Line Foundation, so pop over to the shop and see if there’s anything you can help with!
EDIT: If anyone would like to own the divine photo at the top of this post, Simone the photographer has very kindly offered to donate the proceeds to The Thin Green Line. Simone’s shop, Kudos2uPhotos, is full of wonderful things – pop over and have a look!
The Mountain Kids are a fantastic brother and sister team, aged 5 and 7, who have their own great JuniorMadeIt shop on MadeIt.com.au.
I got to know of them as I have become fast online friends with their lovely mum (Kylie from Raw Toys), and after checking out their newly opened shop, Mountain Kids Creations, and the lovely goodies within, I commissioned them to make me this divine rainbow necklace.
I just love it! When I’m not wearing it, it hangs in my study and brings me joy each day!
The Mountain Family came to my place the other day, as they were interested to see what a silversmith at work looks like. It was such a pleasure to meet them in real life! I gave them a tour of my workshop and a bit of a demonstration. A few days later, and what did I find in the mail, but a lovely thank you card, and this divine bracelet.
I truly feel blessed to know such a lovely bunch of people. Do pop over and check out The Mountain Kid’s shop, and if you find yourself a little something, you’ll be helping them support the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, too. Thanks, Mountain Kids, you rock!!
I was recently contacted by Kelly, who is arranging a fundraiser at Vani-T Emporium in Glenelg to raise much needed funds for HeartKids. HeartKids are dedicated to providing support, encouragement and hope to families of children with heart disease, while raising awareness and providing vital funding into researching the causes of this chronic disease.
Kelly was looking for raffle prizes, and I was happy to donate these two pairs of earrings to this worthy cause. Good luck, HeartKids, I hope the fundraiser is very successful!
I saw a request from Camille, my fellow MadeIt seller from the gorgeous CurlyPops, asking for donations for a raffle and trivia night being held for the Heart and Lung Transplant Trust. Camille has recently undergone a double lung transplant, and I was happy to do something, however small to help by donating a pair of earrings.
Almost $2500 was raised, which is enough to cover the accommodation costs for one transplant recipient and their carer (from country Victoria or interstate) who are required to live close to the hospital for 3 months post transplant. Well done, Camille and the team! Do consider giving support if you can, and I strongly urge everyone who is not already signed up to get yourselves on the Organ Donor Register.Talk to your loved ones today. Maybe your legacy could be that you save some lives.
I don’t quite recall how I came across the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital (on Facebook I think) but the more I read, the more the story of the Hamlins and their fine work touched me. In our western world, we take it for granted that we have access to medical facilities, in particular obstetric facilities should something go not quite right while we are giving birth. (Both my children were delivered by emergency caesarean section, so I know how that can be!)
It wasn’t until I read ‘Hospital By The River‘ and ‘Catherine’s Gift’, written about Catherine and Reg Hamlin’s life in Ethiopia, that I started to really understand what life might be like if I had not been able to have those caesareans. For thousands of Ethiopian women, their lives are torn apart when they have difficulty in birthing their babies. First, their baby dies. As if that wasn’t more than anyone should have to bear, as a result of days of labour with the baby pressing down into the pelvis, blood supply is cut off to the walls of the vagina, and tissue dies, resulting in holes that are known as obstetric fistulae. The contents of the bladder and bowel leak uncontrollably through these holes. The woman is usually ostracised by her village because of the leakage and the smell; often her husband leaves her, and sometimes, there is nerve damage to the legs and feet, making walking difficult. Also, from lying still over many weeks in an attempt to stop the leaking, she can suffer atrophy and tightening of the tendons making it impossible to walk.
Catherine Hamlin and her late husband, Reg, have dedicated their lives to assisting these long-suffering women, not just by providing life-changing surgery to repair the fistulae, but by helping these women to make a dignified return to their lives; and also by providing them with ongoing support to ensure that they are able to give birth safely next time.
One of the items that the women are provided with during their stay at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital is a new shawl. My mother, sister and I are in the process of knitting one to send. Acrylic yarn is required so that the women may wash their shawls in the river and have them dry quickly. Information about sizing, a basic pattern, and when and where to send your blanket can be found here.
I highly recommend you read either the books I mentioned above or have a look at the website to see the story of these wonderful people, and of some of the courageous women who suffer so much and sometimes travel hundreds of miles in order to have the operation which will make them whole again. Donate if you can, knit or crochet if you can. Every little bit helps!
This month, 10% of all Silver Forge sales will be donated to this very worthy cause. Head to The Silver Forge shop now, and see if you can help out, and get yourself something lovely at the same time!
(photo credit to Renee Summers, CandyMountainPhotos)
The Daniel Morcombe Foundation needs no introduction. My heart went out to the Morcombes when Daniel first disappeared, and has stayed with them ever since. Their courage and dedication in the face of such tragedy is moving and inspiring.
The Foundation’s belief and vision is one that incorporates a future where all children are provided with protection, education and support in their lives. The objectives of the foundation include educating children regarding their personal safety (including abduction); assisting victims of crime, particularly where crime involves children; and honouring the memory of Daniel by appropriate public awareness.
10% of the proceeds from all June sales will be donated to the Daniel Morcombe Foundation to help with their ongoing excellent work. Pop to The Silver Forge Shop and see if you can help.
My friend Kylie from Raw Toys also donates 10% of her sales each month to the Daniel Morcombe Foundation. Kylie makes the most divine wooden toys. I highly recommend you check them out and see if there’s a little something you might like – and you’ll be helping this wonderful worthy cause at the same time.
One of my fellow MadeIt sellers, Belinda from Studio Astratta, recently lost her Dad to Motor Neurone Disease (MND). She is raising funds this month to assist the Motor Neurone Disease Association of Queensland to provide essential equipment, care and support to people and their carers living with MND. These support services are crucial to enable people with MND to remain active for the longest possible time.
MND is a group of related diseases affecting the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. These nerves are known as motor neurones. As the nerves become damaged the muscles they control weaken and waste.
The muscles first affected tend to be those in the hands, feet or mouth and throat, depending on what type of disease it is. MND does not generally affect the senses, so sight, smell, touch and hearing remain intact, as do the sphincter muscles that control the bladder and bowel. Other areas that are not usually affected are sexual function and intellect. MND is not contagious.
Motor neurone disease is a progressive, life limiting disease and the rate of progression varies greatly from one person to another. There is currently no cure for this disease.
For the rest of May, The Silver Forge will donate 10% of all sales to the Motor Neurone Disease Association of Queensland via Belinda’s fundraising page at Everyday Hero. Do what you can to help this worthy cause by purchasing yourself a little something from The Silver Forge shop, or by going to the Everyday Hero page and making a donation directly.
Don’t forget, if you’re in Brisbane on Friday 3 May (today or tomorrow, depending on when you’re reading this!!), head over between 4.00 and 7.00pm to the Twilight Market being held by the Creche & Kindergarten Northside Family Day Care Educators Association at ‘The Community Place’ on Teevan Street, Stafford. As there are three children in our Northside Family Day Care community who are hearing impared, the market is being held to raise funds for Hear and Say. One of these children goes to Carmen’s Family Day Care with my son, so this is close to our hearts!
The aim of Hear and Say is to help deaf children to hear, listen and speak so they can attend a regular school, have wider career choices and can more fully participate in the hearing community. Hear and Say interfaces state-of-the-art hearing technology (digital hearing aids and implantable technology such as cochlear implants) with the Auditory-Verbal Therapy approach.
I am setting up a Silver Forge stall at the twilight market, and will be donating 10% of all sales made during the market to this very worthy cause. There will be food stalls, art and craft, a playground, face painting and much more. Come and have sausage sizzle for dinner, let the kids race around, and be home in time for bedtime and a nice cup of tea! Make sure you stop by the stall and say hello – I’d love to see you there!
Started by local horsewoman Bid Williams in around 1973, and having an interesting history for the last 40 years, Pegasus provide equestrian activities for people with disabilities with the help and support of volunteers and the local community.
Their programs assist both children and adults, physically, emotionally and socially. Apart from being fun, horse riding helps to improve co-ordination, balance, muscle development and fitness. It also boosts personal confidence, self-esteem, communication skills, leadership and trust.
Pegasus (photograph by Heide Smith)
Pegasus are unfortunately struggling with a financial crisis, and may be unable to stay open past September 2013 unless they receive an increase in public donations, and a much needed boost to their funding from the Government.
Being from Canberra myself, I was happy to find that an Australian Etsy team I’m part of are doing some fundraising for this worthy cause. I will be listing two pairs of earrings, the proceeds from which will be donated to Pegasus.
Head on over to the Etsy fundraising page, and check out the earrings and all the other items that are being sold as part of the fundraising campaign. Who knows what handmade treasure you might find, and be able to purchase to help?
Thanks, Pegasus, for your tireless and wonderful work!
