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Last month we posed the question Are Charity Donations Being Affected by the Current Financial Climate? As a follow up, we decided to look at ways you can support charities on a budget.

Raising cash is the primary objective for a charity, especially when planning for future projects, however you can still help your favourite charity if you short of cash.

Become a volunteer
This will depend on the availability and services in your local area. If you can spare a few hours every week, volunteer in a local charity shop.
The National Trust organise litter picks a couple of times a year in their costal parks, a good opportunity to work with members of your community and clean up the environment for everyone to enjoy.
Macmillan Cancer Support rely on thousands of volunteers for fundraising, helping in offices and support centers.
TimeBank is a charity that finds ways for you to give your time volunteering to best suit your needs and that of the world around us.

Follow Charities on Twitter
Charities are embracing social network websites such as Twitter and Facebook, follow them and find out about their latest news and campaigns

Charities on Twitter include
http://twitter.com/ActionAidUK
http://twitter.com/BritishRedCross
http://twitter.com/macmillancancer
http://twitter.com/nationaltrust
http://twitter.com/timebank

You can also search Twitter for your favourite charity as they will probably be listed on there now.

Raise Awareness of Issues
Women’s Aid give advice on how you can act to stop domestic violence including writing to the leader of your Council or local MP, speaking to family and colleagues, contacting local schools and attending local events.

Create or Sign an Online Petition
The Number10.gov.uk website is where you can set up or sign an online petition that will go before the Prime Minister

Register Your Support
It’s free to register your support for charities visit the Blue Cross Britain’s pet charity for more information.

NDCS Challenges run team charity challenge events both in the UK and abroad to raise money for the National Deaf Children’s Society, which is the only UK charity solely dedicated to the support of all deaf children, their families, and professionals working with them.

Have fun and raise money for charity at the same time! There are different different types of team challenges available including sky diving, walking, climbing and cycling and for all ranges of fitness.

Coming up in the next couple of months is Trek Hadrian’s Wall, where walkers get to explore the beautiful Northumberland National Park and The Big Walk Forward – London 5 mile and 10 mile routes where you get to be more intimate with the capital’s streets!

If you are looking to go further afield, try the challenging Inca Trail to Machu Picchu which is rated amongst the ten best trekking trails in the world! Or if the Comic Relief climbers inspired you, sign up for Trek Kilimanjaro and climb Africa’s highest mountain and stand where Chris Moyles did!

Click here for more information on NDCS Challenges.

As the days are getting longer and Spring has now officially sprung, now’s the time to get out and about and take the regular exercise the health bods keep harping on about. Why not enjoy some wonderful walks with the National Trust? You could perhaps visit one of their beautiful properties, walk around and absorb the history and heritage, then after all that strenuous activity, relax with tea and buns at the tea rooms.

If you are more of the outdoors type, the National Trust website has a section of walks you can download that take in the sights of their other stunning locations including Snowdonia, the Gower Peninsula to name a few. We would recommend the Pennard Cliffs and Rhossili Downs & Bay routes in Gower, but remember to print off a copy of the map so you don’t get waylaid in the Three Cliffs Coffee Shop at Pennard Stores!

National Trust Special Offer
Join the National Trust online from only £35.63 and you’ll receive 12 months’ membership for the price of 9 when you pay by Direct Debit. (Normal price is £47) Plus, when you join online you will receive a free pair of National Trust binoculars!

As a member of the National Trust you will gain free entry to over 300 historic houses and gardens and free car parking at most Trust properties. The free parking is worth the membership alone, especially if you visit National Trust locations on a regular basis. You will also receive a Member’s Handbook, newsletters, three copies of The National Trust Magazine, a car sticker and a map guide.

Click here to for more information on National Trust memberships.

National Trust Heritage 1 1000pcs Puzzle £13 National Trust Heritage 1 1000pcs Puzzle Code: G364 … More Details The National Trust Solar Keyring £2 2 x Bright LEDs … More Details national trust day out for 2 £49 Visit as many fabulous National Trust properties as you wish! Discover the mystery of an historic ho … More Details national trust day out for 2 £49 national trust day out for 2 … More Details

As we have previously posted, Subside Sports have teamed up with the British Legion for the new England 09-11 Shirt, creating a special limited edition “Poppy” shirt to show support for the Armed Forces and to benefit the British Legion.

Now, in case you Scotland supporters were feeling a little left out, Subside Sports have released a 08-09 Scotland Home Shirt with Poppy and British Forces Patch so those north of the border can support Scotland, the British Legion and our Forces all at the same time.

As with the England shirts, each one ordered through Subside Sports, will result in a £5 donation to the British Legion. Each “Poppy” shirt includes the Poppy and British Forces embroidery with the text: “Serving Their Country – The British Forces & England National Team”.

The 08-09 Scotland Home Shirt with Poppy and British Forces Patch (including a £5 donation to British Legion) costs £44.99 – £5 cheaper than the English version! Click here to visit the Subside Sports website for more details.

Subside Sports is contributing all material and labor costs associated with this campaign, so you know that the full £5 will be going directly to the British Legion.

Wonder if there will be a limited edition Welsh Poppy shirt?

08-09 Scotland Home L/S Shirt £29.99 08-09 Scotland Home L/S Shirt … More Details 10-11 Scotland Home Shorts £19.99 10-11 Scotland Home Shorts … More Details 10-11 Scotland Home Socks £9.99 10-11 Scotland Home Socks … More Details 97-99 Scotland Away L/S Shirt + Collins No.11 + FIFA 98 Emb £125 97-99 Scotland Away L/S Shirt + Collins No.11 + FIFA 98 Emb … More Details

Become a member of the RSPB by 14th May 2009 and as a thank you, you will be entered into the RSPB free prize draw to win over £400 of camera equipment. The prize is a fantastic Olympus E-520 digital SLR camera with 14-42mm lens and a copy of the RSPB Guide to Digital Wildlife Photography, to help you get the most out of your wildlife photography.

Adult membership starts from £35 a year and members receive a magazine 4 times a year, entry to over 100 nature reserves and a free joining gift! For every £1 of your membership fee, the RSPB channel 90 pence into their current and future conservation projects. Click here for more information on the membership and entering the prize draw.

The RSPB is the UK charity working to secure a healthy environment for birds and other wildlife. The RSPB currently have over a million members, including over 170,000 youth members and a staff of over 1,300 people and over 13,000 volunteers. They look after the 130,000 hectares in their 200 reserves which are home to 80% of the rarest or most threatened bird species in the UK.