Is your birthday coming up or the milestone birthday of a loved one?
In these lockdown days when it is not possible to meet friends for a celebratory drink or dinner, why not set up a birthday fundraiser in aid of a cause close to your heart. Instead of buying you a drink, or birthday cake, or agonising about what you would like for your birthday, we can matchmake you with a cause you care about, and set up an online donations page to which your friends and family can make donations to mark the momentous occasion. We can also create a birthday fund on behalf of someone you love, if you prefer.
After all, no matter how often we give, or how much we give, generosity to others is surely the greatest gift.
How it began
“I have watched the refugee crisis unfold and felt impotent to help. Instead, I have continued to watch a flow of human traffic engulf the crisis-stricken country of my childhood.Given my own experience, I have been particularly struck by the plight of refugee children and none more so than those arriving, unaccompanied, on the shores of the Aegean.
It is my birthday soon. My lovely family and friends have been asking me what I would like as a birthday gift. I have everything I need. But the seven year old in me who understands a little what it is to lose your home, is asking you to help the other seven year olds out there who have lost theirs. What I would like for my birthday, is for donations to be made here, to support efforts on the ground in Athens, at the refugee entry point of Lesvos, Samos, Chios, Kos, Leros, Orestiada and at the exit point of Idomeni."
In 2015, Anna-Louisa Psarras’s birthday approached amidst Europe’s refugee crisis. She had grown up in Greece and had experienced the loss of her homeland in childhood. She wrote to the Trustees of Prospero World:
An online birthday fund was created for Anna-Louisa in support of the Athens based Bodossaki Foundation, who were working with unaccompanied refugee minors in Greece, and friends from near and far were able to make Anna-Louisa’s birthday wish come true by raising almost £4,500. Anna-Louisa was delighted to be able to visit the Bodossakis Foundation in Athens a few months later and meet some of the unaccompanied refugee minors that her fund had helped.
Click here to read about her visit to the Athenian Shelters for unaccompanied Refugee Minors.
More recently, Wolfgang Schutt, a friend of Prospero’s, and a life-long lover of music, celebrated a milestone birthday.
Rather than receiving presents, Wolfgang asked his loved ones to donate to Prospero World in aid of The Music Fund, a Belgian charity that supports music schools and socio-artistic projects in conflict zones and in developing countries, as well as local projects. The Music Fund collects musical instruments, repairs them and gives them a second life by offering them to music organisations.
We set up an online fundraising page for Wolfgang and his loved ones generously leapt at the chance to celebrate Wolfgang’s birthday in this way. Together they raised £1,500 in support of the Music Fund’s much needed work.
Click here to see Wolfgang’s birthday fundraising page.
How does it work?
The process is simple. Contact us and let us know that you would like to create a birthday fund. If you have a recipient organisation in mind, that is great. If not, we will talk to you about your interests and help you to identify a suitable organisation. You will be invited to write why you want to do this, why you have chosen and organisation and what makes them special. If you would like to, you may also include photographs.
We will then set up an online fundraising page for you and send you the link to share with your friends and family. They will be able to make donations quickly and easily online, in a tax efficient manner if they are UK taxpayers.
Once your birthday is over, we will report to you on the final amount raised and coordinate between you and the beneficiary charity so that you can see the positive difference you have made on your birthday!
It’s really that simple! Contact us now to discuss how we can help you make some magic on your birthday.
PW will deduct a small fee to cover our administration costs.