CAN YOU HELP US?
We pride ourselves on running a ‘tight ship’ and because we work largely through third party organisations, we rarely need full time support. However, we depend on our TLF Volunteers, our Corporate Sponsors and of course Supporters. Here’s how you can help in whatever way suits you.
Becoming a Volunteer
Volunteers can do two things for us:
1. Fund Raising Events
2. E-Mail Cascade Collections – Local and International
Fund-Raising Event Volunteers
We organise various fund-raising events each year – including the 'Fireworks and Fun' event at Maidenhead United Football club in November, where around 2,000 people came to watch the spectacle, the Maidenhead Relay Marathon in June and other, smaller fund-raising activities in between.
We need help just before and during our planned events with activities such as putting up posters, setting up stalls, collecting and delivering equipment, contacting suppliers, acting as Event Stewards, event planning and organization. If you’d like to help for a couple of hours - or a whole day - we’d really appreciate it and we’re sure you’d have fun too! The sorts of things we need help with are extremely varied and can be dependent on your skills and preferences.
E-Mail Cascade Volunteers/Friends
Local Collections
Periodically we receive urgent requests from local residents, Health Visitors, Partner Charities and Women’s Refuges for children’s clothing, toys, bedding and equipment (eg pushchairs, high-chairs, cots etc).
We have set up an 'E-Mail Cascade' system to help in these situations: the Trustees identify a request and send out an e-mail to all those on the E-Mail Cascade list (usually parents with young children) to ask for the specific items that are needed. The E-Mail Cascade Volunteers can then forward on the e-mail to their contacts/friends, thereby increasing potential contributors enormously.
Contributors can either drop off the items to the Trustee (Maidenhead based) or they can be collected.
It’s an extremely fast and efficient way of fulfilling local needs at minimum cost. In addition, many local mums and families have told us that they find it very rewarding to know the children’s clothes, toys and equipment they no longer need (but which are often in excellent condition) can be so important to others.
International Collections
Throughout the year we make collections of new and nearly new small toys, toiletries, clothing etc., to send to orphanages and other children’s charities that we work closely with – mainly in India and South Africa. Once again our E-mail cascade volunteers help by passing on the request for contributions thereby increasing our potential contributors enormously.
How To Volunteer:
If you would like to help with any of our events, to be added to either our local or international “E-Mail Cascade Volunteer” lists (or both), we would be delighted to hear from you.
You can either call us on 01628 860325/860310, email una@linkfoundation.co.uk or send a donation to:
The Link Foundation
Vandervell House
Vanwall Business Park
Maidenhead
SL6 4UB
We will acknowledge every donation made. Thank you for your contribution to the children in need of your help.