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Home / Tips & ideas / Charity

10 reasons why orphanage voluntourism must stop

May 12, 2016 by Gretta Schifano 25 Comments

I’ve written about orphanage voluntourism before – in my post Orphanage voluntourism holidays. As an adoptive mother, I’m passionate about this subject, as anyone who’s ever  talked to me about volunteering abroad will know. I’m writing about it again, because The Better Volunteering Better Care Network have asked me to support their #StopOrphanTrips campaign to raise […]

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Categories: Travel advice
Tags: orphanage, orphanage tourism

Top chefs call for an end to child hunger

April 27, 2016 by Gretta Schifano Leave a Comment

Action Against Hunger, Man Awan displacement camp, South Sudan. Copyright Andrew Parsons

When, as often happens, my kids aren’t keen on the meal which I’ve made them, I’m really irritating. I either a) invite them to take over the duty of cooking for the family whenever they feel like it or b) tell them about the millions of hungry children around the world who would love to be eating […]

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Tags: Action Against Hunger

London Museum Dash for Sport Relief

March 11, 2016 by Gretta Schifano 3 Comments

Team Honk relay - London. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Do you remember when I danced at Wembley for six hours straight, wearing a fluorescent tutu? And the day when I scootered across London wearing a red onesie? I’m actually quite self-conscious, and don’t really like drawing attention to myself (honest!), but I’ve been proud to take part in these Team Honk charity fundraising challenges. Team Honk was set up by bloggers […]

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Tags: Comic Relief, Sport Relief, Team Honk

How you can help UNICEF

December 21, 2015 by Gretta Schifano 2 Comments

Mvd1156984

Currently around 30 million children have been forced from their homes because of conflict and violence, according to the United Nations. One in 10 children now live in conflict-affected areas (an estimated 230 million children worldwide), in places like Syria, South Sudan and Yemen. Children are being killed while they’re at school. They’re being forced […]

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Tags: #WorldTurnedUpsideDown, UNICEF, World Humanitarian Summit

How you can help Syrian refugees

September 5, 2015 by Gretta Schifano Leave a Comment

#SaveSyriasChildren

Last summer when we were on our family holiday in Sicily hundreds of refugees were rescued from a fishing boat in the Mediterranean. Many from the boat drowned. The survivors were taken to safety just along the coast from where we were staying. My husband and I talked about trying to find where they were, to […]

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Tags: Save the Children, Syrian refugees

Sir Ranulph Fiennes: Marathon des Sables

March 19, 2015 by Gretta Schifano 29 Comments

Sir Ranulph Fiennes – Ran to his friends – is 71 years old, has had cancer, two heart attacks and a heart bypass operation. Sir Ranulph is currently training for the Marathon des Sables, also known as ‘the toughest footrace on earth’. I meet the explorer at London’s Kingston University. He’s training in a Heat […]

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Categories: Seasonal
Tags: Marathon des Sables, Marie Curie, Sahara, Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Red Nose Day Danceathon

March 5, 2015 by Gretta Schifano 32 Comments

Team Honk for Comic Relief Red Nose Day

This Sunday I’m taking part in the six-hour Red Nose Day Danceathon to raise money for Comic Relief. The event is at Wembley Arena in London and will be hosted by Claudia Winkelman. I’ll be with Team Honk – a group of around 100 bloggers and their friends and relations led by the marvellous Annie […]

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Categories: Seasonal
Tags: Comic Relief, Danceathon, Red Nose Day, Team Honk

Comic Relief and Team Honk in Kenya

January 29, 2015 by Gretta Schifano Leave a Comment

HIV project in Kenya. Image by Team Honk

This week is the official launch date of Red Nose Day 2015, a fund-raising event for the charity Comic Relief. Last year I took part in the Team Honk blogger relay to raise money for Comic Relief and this year I’ve signed up for the Team Honk blogger dancethon at Wembley on March 8th (if you’d […]

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Tags: Comic Relief, Red Nose Day, Team Honk

5 inspirational adventurer mothers

March 27, 2014 by Gretta Schifano 21 Comments

Davina McCall Completes Her BT Sports Relief Challenge

I’m in trouble with my kids. I’m not going to be at home on Mother’s Day. I’ll be on my way to Sicily instead (for work) and have been told that I ‘won’t be getting any presents then’. I said that we could celebrate Mother’s Day the following weekend if they’d like to, when I’m […]

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Categories: Active, Seasonal
Tags: Mother's Day, Sport Relief 2014

World Water Day – why water matters

March 18, 2014 by Gretta Schifano 16 Comments

Image courtesy of Just a Drop

I’m lucky. I live in England and take it for granted that my family and I have access to clean, safe water. I turn on a tap in my house and out it gushes, ready to use: lovely, fresh water. We drink it, cook with it, shower in it and brush our teeth with it.  […]

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Categories: Seasonal
Tags: #watermatters, charity, Just A Drop, water aid, World Water Day

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This is a personal blog written and edited by me, Gretta Schifano. Sometimes I’m given products or sent on trips to review, but I always make this clear and give my honest opinion. See my About page for full details.

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