“Everybody can be great because
everybody can serve.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Why Do People Help Charities?
Why do we help anyone?
What inspires us to help will vary, but there is a common side-effect of helping; you get a boost and feel good yourself!
Two of our Include Champions, Beth and Sarah told us how being a Supported Volunteer (a volunteer with lived experience of communication needs), makes a difference:
Beth says; “Volunteering makes me feel like I have a purpose. It boosts my wellbeing in many ways because it helps me to help others and that is a good feeling that helps not only my mental health but emotional too.”
Sarah says; “When volunteering in The Include Choir it makes me feel helpful and I’m loving working as a team there. It especially helps me forget everything and volunteering cheers me and builds confidence…
…Also it helps me gain confidence to volunteer with other services too. Just by volunteering I forget what happened and I look forward to coming to choir – I am always the first person to respond to events.”
The Champions have produced a FREE Easy Read on this subject:
How helping others improves wellbeing
Audio version on SoundCloud
How Can People Help?
We’re so grateful to all of the people who help Include. As a small charity the kindness of others is what enables us to keep going. We have a number of other amazing people who volunteer with us.
You do not even need to be based in Surrey to get involved!
Neta volunteers her skills remotely with Include, helping to edit some of our videos. She says; “Helping Include adds meaning and purpose to my life, fostering a sense of connection and fulfilment. By lending a hand and making a positive impact on someone else’s life, I also uplift my own spirits.”
Charlotte comes in person to weekly Include Choir sessions, she says;
“Volunteering at Include is the highlight of my week. I feel connected and part of a lovely special group. Singing in a safe environment whilst helping others find their personal joy is sooooo uplifting and rewarding. It truly does make me very happy.”
There are many volunteering opportunities, so whether you would like to attend an Include project like the choirs in Redhill or Epsom, help on a wellbeing walk, or edit videos etc, please just let us know info@include.org
Members of the small part time staff team at Include also gain so much from working for the charity. Susi explains; ” When I read the advert for an Assistant Choir Director for Include, it sounded like the dream job for me – to be involved in music and fun and learning and making friends and sharing important messages. I’m so proud to be part of Include and when I attend rehearsals or performances the feeling of joy is palpable. it’s also incredibly inspiring to see the friendships that are made by others.”
How Can Companies help?
In 2023 there were four stand-out organisations that helped us.
BOOSTFit, PowerTutors, WB Simpson & Sons, and Morr & Co.
Below we share some of the ways companies can, and do help.
Gifting Spaces
As a small charity we work from home and from community buildings rented for a few hours to run our projects. But sometimes we need a space to get together for team planning days and training. Local solicitors Morr & Co kindly allowed us to use the Board Room space in their office in Redhill on several occasions. Thank you.
Mike from Morr & Co says; “We have really enjoyed getting to know the team at Include over the last few years. Supporting the communities in which our team live and work has always been part of our firm’s core values, and providing a space for the Include team to get together or provide training is a really simple way for us to help out”.
Members of the Morr & Co staff team attended Include’s Makaton training (at a discounted price) because of the partnership.
Funding Specific Resources
PowerTutors kindly offered to fund a printed brochure for Include. Naz says; “At Powertutors, we recognise the invaluable contributions of Include in our local community. Their dedication to ensuring no individual faces exclusion due to communication disabilities is commendable. With innovative and thoughtful approaches, Include fosters an environment of inclusivity, empowering everyone to embrace and express their unique voices with confidence. We are proud to support their mission and witness the positive impact it has on enriching lives.”
Sponsored Fundraising
Billy, Max and Kirk from tiling company WB Simpson & Sons’ Head Office in Redhill participated in Ride London on 28 May 2023 to raise money for Include.org.
They raised nearly £1200 and even wore Include branded tops for the ride. Thank you.
Sharing Our Story
Our CEO and one of our choir members have links with a local fitness company BOOSTFit. The company is inclusive, community minded and keen to support charities. As they say on their Instagram bio they offer “A fun workout to heart-pumping popular music leaving you physically & mentally BOOSTed.” Our values were well aligned and they kindly said that they would help with promoting our Big Give fundraiser which raised over £38,000 in one week!
Cassie from BOOSTFit said; “Using our platform to help support Include.org and their Big Give campaign meant we could not only raise awareness and funds, but it opened up conversations between our community too. Our team of instructors spread across the UK and overseas used their own communities to share the story too. It was great to bring together a business and charity and collaborate for such a great cause.”
Follow and share our social media content:
Corporate Volunteering and other help
The funding landscape for charities is very, very challenging now and we’re grateful for the continued interest and support of local businesses in Surrey. If you work for a community-minded organisation please do keep us in mind.
Could you help by:
- volunteering at some of our projects?
- sharing some of our social media content?
- sharing your professional expertise to help us improve?
- getting your organisation to consider us for payroll giving?
- mentoring one of our Supported Volunteers (people with disabilities)
- gathering a team of people from your organisation help to raise vital funds for the charity by taking part in a fundraising event for us – like Run Reigate?
- offering a storage space at your premises…we’d love to be offered a place in Redhill where we can store and easily access some of The Include Choir’s things.
To offer help or to ask any questions please email info@include.org
Communications, Fundraising and Partnerships Lead