Everyday we’ll suggest original stocking fillers for the active person in your life.

Today Charitable Gifts

Christmas is a traditional time for giving. But why not give to a charity at the same time by buying their charity Christmas cards and gifts.

Better still give to someone you don’t know, who’s life you could help or save with your gift. Give on behalf of yourself or on behalf of your office at work, or someone who would appreciate a donation being given on their behalf instead of receiving a personal gift this year.

Below are four charities who would welcome you support this Christmas. Click here, to find retailers whose also are selling charity Christmas cards.

Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading charity dedicated to beating cancer through research. They have discovered new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer that together have saved millions of lives across the world.

Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival rates double in the last thirty years. But one in three of us will still get cancer at some point. Their groundbreaking work, funded entirely by the public, will help ensure that millions more people will survive.

They work in partnership with others to achieve the greatest impact in the global fight against cancer; provide life-changing information to anyone affected by cancer; run awareness initiatives so that cancer can be detected early and help people reduce their risk of the disease; And campaign and lobby keeping cancer at the top of the political agenda.

They receive no government funding for our research so our supporters are crucial if we are to continue to make real progress against this disease.

Cancer Research UK have some great products available in their Online Shop – whether you are looking for cards and decorations for the home, gifts for him, her or the kids, or something to treat yourself with, Cancer Research UK have superb quality products and competitive prices – and you can be sure that 100% of the profits go straight to lifesaving research.

Below is a selection of gift ideas available from Cancer Research UK’s online shop.

Solid Silver Pendant – £29.99

This abstract silver pendant on silver chain combines unique design with quality solid silver craftsmanship. This item has been handmade by award winning British jewellery designer Lucy Q, from her studio in Chester. A timeless piece of jewellery, ideal as a Birthday or Christmas present.

Silver square cufflinks inlaid with wood -£59.99

Classy silver square cufflinks inlaid with Indian laurel wood.

Adopt a Penguin - £19.99

This unique gift set is your chance to make a real difference to the lives of these lovable flightless birds. In association with SEA LIFE who help to safeguard our seas and their inhabitants, this gift provides you with the opportunity to adopt a Humboldt penguin for 12 months and contribute to the future survival of a vulnerable species. Simply decide which penguin to adopt and then register the gift following the simple gift registration details inside. A personalised supporter certificate, a colour photograph of your adopted penguin and a complimentary ticket to any SEA LIFE centre will then follow in the post. You can then visit your penguin at its SEA LIFE centre home!

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

Guide dogs have been bringing independence and mobility to blind and partially-sighted people for over 75 years, and today there are more than 4,700 guide dog partnerships in the UK. Each year Guide Dogs breeds around 1,000 puppies, which spend their first year in the homes of volunteers, before working with specialist trainers who teach them the skills needed to guide a visually-impaired person. This takes about six months, including several weeks’ training with the new owner. A guide dog has a working life of around six-and-a-half years, and it’s not unusual for someone to have five or more dogs over their lifetime.

You can sponsor a guide dog puppy either for yourself or as a gift for someone you love, choosing to  sponsor either Misty, Julia or Kasper. Guide Dogs will bring the whole sponsor a puppy experience direct to you – through fascinating regular Pupdates at key stages of your puppy’s training and during the early stages of their new life with a blind or partially sighted person, photos and an exclusive calendar featuring shots of our cute puppies. In fact, it’s the next best thing to being right there; sharing in your puppy’s little moments of achievement on their journey to becoming a guide dog.

If you don’t want to commit to regularly sponsoring a dog then you can give a one off donation to the Christmas Puppy Chain Appeal. £15 could buy 2 puppy jackets for guide dogs in training and £45 could buy a harness, handle and lead for a guide dog.

Oxfam Online Shop

Oxfam GB is a leading international NGO (Non-Government Organization) with a worldwide reputation for excellence in the delivery of humanitarian aid and development work. Oxfam GB is part of a global movement of people working diligently with others to fight poverty and overcome suffering & injustice.

Ethical Collection

Oxfam really is the place for conscientious shoppers. Their Ethical Collection has a range of great products that have been selected for a variety of reasons – organic, recycled, FSC or solar-powered ~ many of which have their own story.

As well as the Fairtrade food products they stock, there is a huge range of gifts, homeware & stationery all of which have been sourced in line with Oxfam’s Ethical Purchasing Policy.

In addition to working hard to eliminate the abuse and exploitation of anyone in their supply chain, these specially selected eco and Fair Trade gifts make living and giving more sustainable.

100% of all Oxfam Online Shop profits will be dedicated to fighting poverty. From developing projects that put poor people in charge of their lives and livelihoods, to putting pressure on world leaders’ for real lasting change.

Oxfam Unwrapped

Oxfam Unwrapped offers a chance for people to share with their family, friends or loved ones a gift that can make a real difference to someone’s life.

Buying an Unwrapped gift helps overcome poverty and unnecessary suffering. They have a choice of 60 gifts, from our bestselling goat and safe drinking water to building a classroom or Training a farmer. Oxfam Unwrapped has something for everyone! When you buy a gift they will send the recipient a gift card that let’s people know what they’ve been bought. Oxfam will then deliver the real item to the people who need them most.

There are 11 designs for the front of the gift card to choose from (or even a picture of the chosen gift), and a personalised message can also be included.

When you buy an Oxfam Unwrapped gift you can also add a gift booklet that tells them about Oxfam Unwrapped gifts or, for people with a sweet tooth a box of chocolates. This can be delivered to the purchaser to pass on in person, or sent directly to the recipient

New for 2010 – They have introduced 6 gift sets this year. These consist of a gift card and a real gift, for example – Coffee with a gift-tin of fair-trade coffee, Honey with a jar of honey and Hygiene kit with posh soap.

Oxfam’s gifts are categorised by interests and personality types to make it easy to find the perfect gift. Regardless of if people are buying for Christmas, Easter or weddings they have got every event covered.

Present Aid

Present Aid has over 40 fun and unusual gift ideas that will be loved by everybody and also help poor communities around the world. Christian Aid is an international development charity working in over 50 countries to help people in the fight against poverty. Whether it is something sporty for a super fit granddad, a new bike for the green member of the family or an unusual pet for the kids, Present Aid is sure to have the perfect gift. And, not only will it be their loved one who benefits, a Present Aid gift will also help to make a lasting difference to someone else’s life.

How does it work? For each present that is ordered they send a gift card that is then given to a friend or family member. Each card describes how Christian Aid helps people in the developing world improve their own lives, and has a space to include a personalised message.

Where does the money go? The gifts on sale are virtual. This means that whatever present bought, the money will go directly to a project fund relevant to the gift. For instance, if you buy a goat, ducks or even composting worms, that money goes directly to our agricultural and livestock fund. They have six of these project funds;

• Agriculture and livestock
• Emergency and disaster preparedness
• Healthcare including HIV/Aids
• Power & energy
• Training and education
• Water and environment

This year spend £50 or more on Present Aid gifts and get their 2011 calendar absolutely free! The calendar includes inspirational images from Christian Aid’s work around the world.

John Lewis

John Lewis Charity Christmas Cards donate 25% of the selling price equally given to Age UK; Child Line; Beating Bowel Cancer and the RSPCA.

Sainsburys

Sainsbury’s Charity Cards are now half price and Sainsbury’s will donate 10% of the retail price, divided equally, to Comic Relief and FareShare charities.

Marks and Spencer

Buy the Marks and Spencer red bauble Charity Cards and 20% of the purchase price of each pack will be divided equally between FareShare and Shelter.
Get 50% off when you buy this Christmas Card. Discount applies at checkout. Offer valid from 29.11.10 to 05.12.10.

Debenhams

Debenhams will donate 20% of the selling price of their charity cards (excluding VAT) to the NSPCC.

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What could be a better goal than to complete a 5k this summer for charity?

Entries are still available for the Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life series this June and July. Whether you want to walk for fun alongside girlfriends and family members, or get competitive with your work colleagues, you can improve your own health and fitness whilst also helping to raise money for Cancer Research UK, whose work has saved millions of lives in the UK and across the world.

5k is an achievable distance for most people and women are being encouraged to come together to walk, jog or run to help raise over £60 million to fund Cancer Research UK’s life-saving work into all types of cancer. 5k is also a good distance to attempt if you are beginning starting a fitness program and with a little bit of training through the summer you may be ready for one of Cancer Research UK’s Run 10k events that occur in the Autumn, when the men in your life can also enter.

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life continues to be the most successful and largest women-only fundraising event series across the UK and has raised a staggering £290 million for the charity’s life-saving research. The 2009 series was the biggest yet with over 730,000 women taking part. This year is Race for Life’s 16^th Birthday and since it began there has been a 15% drop in the death rate from cancer, something that Race for Life has helped to achieve.

If you are looking for something to wear during the event then visit the online shop, where you can buy your fancy dress accessories including fairy wings, bunny ears and pink glitter cowboy hats. If you want to show your support in other more subtle ways there are also socks, sweatbands, caps and key-rings as well as essential T-shirts. These include the new Race for Life 2010 celebrity T-shirts designed by choreographer, Arlene Phillips; girlfriend of Arsenal star Theo Walcott, Melanie Slade; and fashion designer Tracey Boyd.

This year there are over 230 Race for Life events throughout England, Scotland and Wales.  Women from across the UK of all ages and abilities aged are invited to enter, whether you are a cancer survivor, want to test your fitness, celebrate or remember a loved or simply do something positive to raise money for a great cause. Entry fee is only £12.99, although participants are encouraged to also get sponsorship and help is available to set up on an on line fund-raising page. Enter by clicking on the banner below or visiting www.Raceforlife.org.