Ideas?

Is there anything like The Trevor Fund across the pond? Something to help the LGBTs out there?

Anyone know what we have had over the last few years?

It's probably not right for this but I always think Air Ambulance services are an amazing cause and they save a lot of lives.

Good idea but unfortunately they are a bit regional.

Yeah, that's why I didn't think it was right for on here. It needs to be a more national charity.

I personally think the RSPCA is very important.

But were you looking for a charity that is more topically related to the forums? Stonewall?

I think this would be a great choice in the current climate.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/

That's not a bad suggestion at all YG

Coming from someone as discerning as you, it's like high praise.

I actually think The Children's Society is a pretty good cause.



It helps in a lot of different ways too.

Still no suggestions for my bank account?

There are ways you can get a joint account in Yorkshire.

Is there a charity called "Help the Gaumless"?!

I'd really love it to be a smaller, lesser known national charity rather than a big one which receives millions a year anyway.

Any suggestions then?

What about LGF?

London Gymnastics Federeation?

Lesbian and Gay Foundation, you cheeky man.

How about the "FMF" charity? Spend the money on a new server and software!

My vote goes for ShelterBox. My parents are involved and know the founders.

By raising funds, you will be directly providing aid for people affected by disasters all over the world.

They create boxes which get shipped out all over the world to help people directly affected by disasters. Every box bears its own unique number, and they monitor exactly which donations are spent on which boxes and they can let you know where your box gets delivered.

Have we supported the Albert Kennedy Trust before?

Aww Pads it's so kind of you to want to take a young person off the street for £15.

I was going to say, that if there is any charity that has directly helped a member of the forum, or a charity that a member of the forum is involved with (even by proxy through parents, for example) that might be quite good?

I would like suicide prevention / help line etc. A young friend of mine is lying in hospital after trying to kill himself not long after coming out. Unlikely he will be making it back. I would donate in a heartbeat.

In the UK and Ireland one of the best known suicide prevention Charities is Samaritans.

While there are others which offer a similar service (some of which are Government funded but can only be contacted within certain hours) as far as I know Samaritans is the only one where you can speak to a "real person" (i.e. not an answering machine) at any time of the day or night, on any day of the year.

I happen to know this as one of my friends is a volunteer with his local Branch of Samaritans. This year he's not meeting up with friends & family on Christmas Day until the afternoon, so he's volunteered to be on duty from 7.00 - 11.00am.

If you want to know more about who they are and what they really do, here's a note of their website:

http://www.samaritans.org/

The GMFA promotes health and a healthy lifestyle among gays. While mainly in London, because of the gay demographic, it is also nationwide. Can this be considered, please?

Click here for more.

Great idea, I def think it should be something that benefits the GLBT community in some way since nobody else will do it or really cares about (gay) causes.

I'd quite like the charity next year to be an Animal one

Save the beaver?

Yeah, that'll do

Depression Alliance UK

http://www.depressionalliance.org/

I think this year's was a big success because it was cancer-related. A big percentage of the people on this forum will be affected by cancer (directly or otherwise) at some stage of their life, so I think it would be a good thing to stick with. What charity to choose specifically, I don't know. But something in the same vein as this year would be good, IMO.

Personally I don't think an animal charity would be best. I appreciate that some animals in this country get treated in horrific ways, but I think you'd get a much bigger response from something that helps humans. After all, not everyone likes animals, but I very much doubt anyone would reject a cure for cancer. (I know that's a bit of an extreme view, but you know what I mean - it has to be something that lots of people can relate to.)

A smaller/regional charity would be good, but then you'd get people who might not want to donate as it's not anywhere near them. It probably wouldn't affect my decision, but I'm just trying to be practical/realistic.

I guess something to do with prostate/bowel/colon cancer would be my suggestion...

I'm with Liam, I'd prefer an animal charity for a change.

They're so much more loveable than 80 percent of humans.

Animal charities are a great point. I've been seeing a lot of commercials to help them lately, and they break my heart.

There are a lot of animal charities and I give to a few usually having to do with ocean wildlife mainly and wolves but...
what are the Gay charities these days and who gives to them?
I don't see any charities that go to gay organizations and there are some, I don't consider the AIDS drives having too much to do with gays anymore even all the ads that run for AIDS is full of pictures of poor African's without a gay man in the whole commercial like it doesn't effect us anymore.
I say all the organizations have plenty of people donating to them so we should Take Care of our Own and find a good org. that helps the GLBT community in some way.

Are there any charities for gay animals?

Save the gay beavers

I agree with Boy1der, I think it should probably be gay-related. Or that should at least be higher up the list than an animal charity. I think you'd alienate a bigger percentage of people if you picked an animal charity, myself included. Adverts about animal cruelty break my heart too, but I personally wouldn't donate to any animal charities out of principle. Even if I had to give up Premium for a few months.

We definitely need to pick an animal charity then, get rid of Ross in premium forums

Help Harry Help Others is one close to me at the moment. Not to do with animals though.

http://helpharryhelpothers.com/

Be nice to help to continue his legacy. Or if not, buy a bracelet anyway.

My Betfair account is an animal charity.

Wait... I mean

Well you can't please everyone... oh wait...

Save the depressed gay cancer stricken beavers anyone?

You forgot homeless...

We having the usual poll on it this year?

I expect so. As much as I love animals, I do feel we should select a charity that helps people.

what about a charity that helps people who dress up as animals?

That would be amazing.

Surely that would be about mental help?!