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Charity at Christmas


Russethouse
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Good idea for a thread.  I wonder, by the way, if there is much charitable giving going on in France at Christmas (this is more for the Culture section, I guess).

Lots of schools (at least in London) do the Christmas box idea and my kids have always loved preparing the boxes, thinking about the excitement that "their" box would stir in the person who gets to open it.

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When there was war in what was Yugoslavia I remember collecting boxes like this and taking them to Sheila Kitsinger (natural childbirth guru) in Oxfordshire. We did boxes for women too - I like this way of giving although I see via the site I posted you can also give practical help to, just as with World Vision and Oxfam.

Perhaps Christine Animal will post  French Animal Charities or the addresses of refuges that would appreciate funds (all of them I expect !)

 

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Funny this should come up on the France forum, I visited the local garden centre on Sunday and saw the pile of shoe boxes all beautifuly wrapped and picked up the leaflet for Samaritans purse,the collection dates are only up to the 20th November, it seems a bit to late to do anything if you live in France,but if you want to post them direct to a collecting point, you could, I would pass any  on, just pm me, perhaps something could be organised a bit earlier next year even trying to find an empty van returning to the U.K.It is such a lovely idea and really inhances the true spirit of christmas, it breaks your heart when you see a toothe brush at the top of the list and a scarf anyway if anyone wants my address just pm me and I will take your shoe boxes to our collection point.We are so lucky and do not realise it sometimes.
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May be there is a similar scheme in France somewhere - I put this in the Lounge because its a UK thing, but there are other UK schemes that possibly have a later 'cut off' date...........'This Morning' often do a toy collection via superdrug for instance.

Just add ideas and schemes to the thread and I'm sure that we can sort out practicalities somehow, between us.

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[quote user="verviale"]Maybe I am wrong but I do not see the charity stuff in France like we have in the U.K. Childeren in need, comic relief ect.am I right or have I missed somrthing.[/quote]

The only big public charity thing I have ever known in France is the Telethon which occupies some 36hours of one TVchannel. People do lots of silly stuff as in 'Children in Need, Comic Relief etc...' and monies raised usually go to one charity only. Last year I seem to remember that it went to fund more research into the cure for multiple sclerosis.

Another charity which I've heard of and spearheaded by Madame Chirac is 'Les petites pièces d'or' (or som'it like that) . You are supposed to gather up all the loose change in your pocket, your purse, your house and take it to your nearest bank who will put it into that charity's account. It is to help build more and/or to fund existing children hospitals or pediatric units in hospitals.

All other French charities are really very discreet about themselves and rely on these big posh dooz with lots of celebs and bling, with loadza cash that evening they come to quaff their faces.....

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What about "Secours Populaire" and "Secours Catholique", as well as the Red Cross?

Both Sec.Pop and Sec.Cath. organise food parcels, have special events to send some children away for one day in the year (such as in Sigean Nature Reserve, for the "Journee des Oublies" i.e. the "forgotten children". Both organisations are in fact quite similar, Secours Catholique being close to the deliberately secular Secours Populaire.

And "Emmaus".

And "Petits Freres des Pauvres"

Then there is the most popular one: "Restos du Coeur" - It is a winter campaign that lasts 16 weeks, with branches in most towns and cities, where food is being distributed, either in the form of parcels or hot meals. This organisation was started by Coluche, a French comedian with a big heart, 20 years ago. He died shortly after, and would probably never could have imagined that "Restos du Coeur" would get so big, as demand and needs increase every year. There is a special branch for babies. Thousands of volunteers commit to working part-time each winter. In Herault - 34 alone, last year there were 35 centres and about 1,000 volunteers. For Christmas in the local branch where I work, there is a great effort made to provide some Christmas parcel for each child whose family is beneficiary. It is often featured as a French news item every winter.

www.restosducoeur.org/ - if you would like to find out more. Plenty of scope for more volunteers too!

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