Hello there, Fundraisers!

A big shout out to anyone who has a birthday in January. It’s the month where many people avoid fun or indulgence – a penance for the wild abandon of the past few weeks. So, birthdays in January tend to be subdued – especially if your birthday is on January 2 (like mine).

It’s the worst day of the year to have your birthday (I mean, I can prove it, I have graphs and everything). And I get why – because who wants to party on that day? Either it’s the first day back at work or the day before that. Forget it, we’ve had our fun, sorry, but go away. Oh, and I got you these socks in the sales at TK Maxx.

Monday this week, January 16, was officially Blue Monday, the day when we collectively feel at our lowest. Brilliantly, the Samaritans also promoted Brew Monday, encouraging people to meet up with someone who needs a chat over a cuppa. And that’s fantastic – because the ‘worst’ day of the year must be followed, logically, by 348 much, much better days.

And so it is for us, fundraisers. 2023 will be filled with days of awesome success and amazing results. This month (as we’re catching up on boxsets and reviving our livers) is the time we can make the plans to put this awesomeness in motion, starting now with inspiration from our latest edition of Word on the Beach.

Enjoy…and a very happy birthday to all of you fantastic January babies.

Ash

founder of Pebblebeach / birthday boy / sock lover

A focus on…Brew Monday by the Samaritans

We love the Samaritans’ Brew Monday. It’s the antidote to Blue Monday (16 January – officially the most depressing day of the year). Samaritans have reclaimed this day as a time to reach out to friends and catch up over a cuppa.

The charity wants to dispel the myth about the third Monday in January being ‘blue’ and, instead, use this day to unleash the power of talking – especially for those going through a tough time. Samaritans also hope Brew Monday will raise funds for and awareness of their work in reducing feelings of isolation and disconnection.

So this January, grab your friends or colleagues and pop the kettle on for a warm hug in a mug and a chat to carry you through the winter blues.

Highlighting…Race Against Dementia Day

21 January is officially Race Against Dementia Day (or ‘RAD Day’, for short). On this day, Race Against Dementia aims to raise £127,000 towards research and development in the search for a cure or treatment for dementia.

We’re in awe of the thinking behind this day. You see, 1 in 3 people born today will die of dementia. This equates to 127,000 babies born every day.

To raise their £127,000, the charity is calling for people to “do 3 your way”. They say:

“This can be a 3k run, scoot, walk…3k notes on an instrument, tell 3k jokes, play 3k minutes of board games, make 3 cakes and sell them for donations – your “3”, your way!”

We think this fundraiser is fabulously inclusive. Make sure you check it out below.

A moment to raise awareness of…Cervical Cancer Prevention Week

Did you know that only 1 in 3 people with a cervix take up the invites for their cervical screenings? Yet cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer globally…and it is preventable if caught early.

During Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (23-29 January 2023), Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust aims to raise awareness and uptake of cervical screenings. They’ll be using the #WeCan hashtag on socials, highlighting that ‘WeCan work towards a future where cervical cancer is a thing of the past’.

Celebrating…Sobell House and their garden transformation

We were honoured to work with our friends at Sobell House Hospice for their Garden Transformation Appeal in 2022.

We heard from Peter, who spoke movingly about his late partner Anny – and the therapeutic powers of gardening and growing a haven of colour and calm. His compelling words, coupled with some beautiful illustrations, allowed us to immerse Sobell’s supporters in the benefits of this project.

So immersed were their supporters that the appeal surpassed its fundraising goals – allowing Sobell House Hospice to transform their garden into a space of serenity for patients and their families to enjoy.