February 2012
23 posts
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An honour & a privilege to run for RAFT
Hello my name is Michael Huke, I have the honour and privilege of representing RAFT and raising funds on their behalf by running the 2012 Virgin London Marathon.
Running for RAFT has a particular pertinence to me and my family. 10 years ago, my daughter was badly scalded when she was 3 - this resulted in skin grafts and some wonderful care from the staff at Frenchay Hospital near Bristol. So an...
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Cakes for Cash
Enora Lereculey-Peran (left) with friend and Mary Pearmain (RAFT Accountant, Right)
My name is Enora and I have been fundraising for RAFT since late September with two other girls from my school. Together, we chose RAFT because, as it was a local charity, we knew what the money would be used for.
To begin our fundraising, we did a bake sale at our school at break time. With the help of many cake...
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Funny Women Charity Challenge
We are women. We are funny.
Challenging perceptions about women and how they use humour. Funny Women was founded in 2002 by Lynne Parker former journalist, broadcaster and marketing consultant and has become a leading comedy brand, promoting new female talent through live events, workshops and training programmes. In celebration of their 10th Anniversary, Funny Women are holding an event on...
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Running RAFT - musings of a CEO: Making a profit
The charity sector is also known as the not-for-proft sector. The assumption is that we don’t operate in order to make a profit. This doesn’t mean that we don’t work like a business. On the contrary, if we didn’t act in a business like way, RAFT would not be making best use of our money - the money you donate to us. Or as I prefer to think of it - the money you entrust...
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Nine steps to make your media strategy work -...
Our thanks to Ann Wright of Rough House Media for her advice on making a media strategy work
Does your charity have a press department? Does it have a public relations strategy? There’s no doubt that charities which are good at PR make more money for their own particular good cause. And if you can become the media’s favourite expert in the field in which you work, that can also do wonders for the...
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Inspirational People: Sarah Bull and Lucy Mason
With more than 3 months until the Virgin London 2012 marathon takes place, cousins Sarah Bull and Lucy Mason are already planning their fundraising activities. They have a joint target of £2,500 which they hope to raise for RAFT before they take on the challenge of the London marathon next April (Sarah is also taking on the Paris Marathon too!!).
Sarah, who ran in aid of RAFT last year with her...
Running RAFT - musings of a CEO: What makes the...
I was recently invited to write a blog for TrusteeHome. This is a new site for trustees of charities to share knowledge, experience, advice and opinions with other Trustees all over the country.
Being a Trustee is an important role. It can be exciting, interesting and fulfilling for the individuals invloved but it can also go badly wrong. The relationship between Trustees and the staff of the...
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Pro Bono Work
The team is hugely grateful for all the pro bono legal work that has been so generously given to RAFT over the past year. Much of this work has gone to help move forward the Smart Matrix™ project.
For example, you will have read about RAFT’s exciting – albeit extremely busy – time preparing to take the Smart Matrix™ to clinical trial this year. As Chief Executive, I am caught in the middle. On...
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The importance of HR Management
RAFT’s HR Consultant - Richard Pell - explains why HR management is important
When I shuffle off this mortal coil I hope my epitaph will not be, “he was a good HR manager”. Let’s face it, HR does not always get the best press – we get seen as the deliverers of bad news, the “police” who set out to stop line managers from doing what they want to do and fans of red tape.
In some circles HR...
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Why are Lawyers the Only Ones Who Get To Do Pro...
Thanks go guest blogger Ami Bloomer for explaining why all types of pro bono are so important to charities
Why Are Lawyers The Only Ones Who Get To Do Pro Bono Work?
During my stint as a law student and latterly a baby barrister I had many opportunities to apply my legal prowess. The same could not be said to be true for my scholarly counterparts. At best, they could get into a heavily...
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Presentation to Ruislip Northwood Probus Club
On the afternoon of Friday 3rd February, I was delighted to be invited for lunch and then to speak at Ruislip Northwood Probus Club’s fortnightly meet at Ruislip Conservative Club.
I received such a warm welcome from its members and joined the President on the top table for lunch before addressing the members for my presentation.
The duration of my talk was approximately 40 minutes, in which I...
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OneLeap: An easy new way to help RAFT while you do...
I’m excited to tell you that RAFT is a featured charity on OneLeap. OneLeap is a fantastic new way for us to raise funds and profile for RAFT - without having to ask our valued supporters for more donations. More than that, it helps our supporters’ businesses and careers. What is OneLeap? An award-winning platform, OneLeap is the first philanthropy-powered market for attention in the...
Recycling limbs, rebuilding lives
A foundation started by a UK-based doctor is bringing used prosthetics and their components – prohibited from reuse in the UK – to Sri Lanka and refitting them for local use.
Sri Lanka was plagued by a civil war which lasted for more than 25 years, only ending when Sinhalese forces from the south successfully drove north into Tamil rebel-held territory. During the fighting 2,061 square...
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The Soulful Concert - an evening of harmony,...
An evening of harmony, beauty and song took place last night at The Soulful Concert at St Bride’s Church on Fleet Street. The event was organised by Sister Snog to raise funds through song, for RAFT and The Katie Piper Foundation.
Compéred expertly by BBC London radio presenter Jeni Barnett, more than 140 guests were treated to a full programme of soulful music by four amazing choirs; Sisters of...
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Looking forward to The Soulful Concert Tonight!
RAFT is looking forward to stepping into Spring tonight at St Bride’s Church, for The Soulful Concert, a not for profit event which is being arranged and staged by Sister Snog, one of London’s leading business clubs for women. All profits from the evening are being kindly split between RAFT and The Katie Piper Foundation.
Sisters of Soul, All The King’s Men, Eden Voices and...
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Katie The Science of Seeing Again
RAFT and The Katie Piper Foundation are the joint beneficiaries of the forthcoming Soulful Concert taking place in Fleet Street on 8th February. Both charities are working to help those affected by major skin traumas, and RAFT is pleased to be developing a relationship with Katie’s Foundation, set up to make is easier to live with burns and scars.
Model, Katie Piper was badly disfigured...
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Ashbourne Golf Club Ladies Raise Money For RAFT
Ashbourne Golf Club, Derbyshire’s Oldest and Friendliest Club, was 125 years old in 2011. Being asked to serve as Ladies’ Captain in any year is an honour, being asked to take on this role in the Club’s 125th Anniversary Year is not just an honour, it’s very, very special.
Each year the Ladies’ Captain is allowed to choose a charity and the proceeds from three of the ladies’ competitions are...
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Are you a budding Chef? Or the Hostess with the...
There’s nothing better than a meal with friends, chatting over a nice bottle of wine is there!
Who would have thought that by having friends over for a meal you could also be raising money for RAFT!
Dinner4Good is a great way for anyone to support RAFT - simply host a dinner and send your invites out via Dinner4Good by setting up a Dinner Page - you can let your guests know what’s...
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Why scientists at RAFT need the equipment we raise...
Science is in its own right, as old as time. Scientists have existed for as long as humans have. It becomes impossible to determine when science officially came about. But I like to think the first scientist was a caveman named Ook, who wanted to know what would happen if he poked a sleeping sabre tooth tiger with a stick. I am sure he had a hypothesis; the sabre tooth tiger would wake up. But...
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Charity Partnership : RAFT & The Lindsay Leg Club...
RAFT is delighted to have formed a Charity Partnership with the Lindsay Leg Club Foundation.
The Lindsay Leg Club Foundation was set up in 1995 by Ellie Lindsay, a district nurse in Suffolk, who knew that social factors and isolation could significantly affect leg ulcer patients’ response to treatment. Ellie introduced the concept of community-based leg ulcer care, which has grown into a...
January 2012
21 posts
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Charity Partnerships
RAFT is honoured and delighted to have formed charity partnerships with two other charities – The Douglas Bader Foundation and The Lindsay Leg Club Foundation. Patient need has always been, and will always be, crucial when selecting our research projects. Working with other charities allows us to improve our understanding of the complexities of traumas to the skin, both from the patient and...
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Life as a Scientist
Since starting as a recent graduate at RAFT, I have learnt that it is, to say the least, incredibly frustrating. It involves a lot of forehead slapping, and exclamations of ‘Why God, Why?’ Even though you’re not entirely sure if god exists, this seems the perfect opportunity to appeal to a higher power.
Some people think that science is about spending large amounts of time holed up in a tiny...
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Meet the RAFTers: Sam Laidlaw
At RAFT we are lucky to have Trustees who have the expertise and experience to make us even better at delivering research to patients. One of these is a name that is familiar to many as the head of one of the UK’s largest gas companies - Centrica plc - but his charity work is not so well known.
Sam became an early supporter of RAFT (when he was Chief Executive of Amerada Hess) after...
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Better alternative to skin grafts
RAFT’s Smart Matrix™ has the potential to become the new standard-of-care in the treatment of a variety of full thickness, life-threatening skin wounds.
Skin, the largest organ in the body, can suffer wounds that are difficult to treat and heal. Burns and skin ulcerations in particular can challenge any doctor and can easily lead to premature death. Although the outer layer of the skin...
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RAFT is a finalist for Work Placement of the Year...
RAFT has just found out that it is a finalist for this year’s National Council for Work Experience (NCWE) Awards for 2012 in the Charitable Sector category.
After receiving a record-breaking number of entries, finalists were announced this week, with winners announced at the NCWE Awards Final held in March. Win or lose, this is an extremely prestigious honour for RAFT considering other charities...
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Clay Pigeon Shoot 2012
RAFT will be holding its 15th Charity Clay Pigeon Shoot on Wednesday 20th June this year at the Holland & Holland Shooting Ground in West London.
We hope to beat last year’s fundraiser and raise £100k+ in aid of RAFT’s research into the treatment of severe burns and chronic wounds and if you want to enter a team and help us achieve that, contact Event Organiser Christine Miles on...
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Raising money the easy way
I love using easyfundraising. I can do all my online shopping and raise money for RAFT at the same time - all without it costing me anything extra.
It is such a great idea that I asked Becky from easyfundraising to explain how it works
Who or what is easyfundraising? Everything you ever wanted to know…
You may already know that RAFT raises money via easyfundraising.org.uk but you might have...
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Has Santa been yet?
No, that wasn’t the first thought when I woke up on Christmas Day. It was in fact, “I’m going to go for a run!” Marathon training really does do crazy things to people, but I thought that if I went for a run, just a little one, I might be able to eat a few more pigs in blankets. So, I put my Santa hat on and off I went. Round the lake, seeing only 3 other runners during my 4.5 miles....
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Goodbye to RAFT – from Mary Pearmain
RAFT’s Accountant Mary says a sad farewell to RAFT this week. Here she speaks highly of her four year’s in post.
When I joined as RAFT’s accountant four years ago, I had no idea what an amazing experience was in store for me.
In some ways, I wasn’t the ideal candidate – my background was in audit and large consumer goods blue-chip companies. It was a steep upward learning curve to...
Donate more without paying more
It sounds like magic but it’s true, you can donate more to RAFT at no extra cost to yourself - all thanks to Gift Aid. This is a special programme which is a great deal for all UK taxpayers and RAFT. Let me explain.
Gift Aid increases the value of your donations as it allows RAFT to reclaim the tax that you have already paid on this money. For every £1 you give to RAFT, we can claim 25p from...
The inspiration starts…with a visit to Grand...
Grand Designs Live, the UK’s top contemporary home show, returns to Excel London from 5-13 May 2012. Presented by design guru Kevin McCloud, and based on the hugely popular Channel 4 series, the show offers visitors a unique opportunity to see all the latest trends for the home.
With areas dedicated to interiors, technology, kitchens, bathrooms, build and gardens, there’s something for every...
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New Year, New Challenge?
With all the New Year’s Resolutions flying around, with getting or staying fit probably being at the top of everyone’s list, we thought that an exciting challenge for 2012 might be right up your street!
“Mighty Mount Snowdon” Climb – Saturday 9th June 2012
Take on the challenge of climbing the highest mountain in Wales – an 8 mile journey with a total ascent of 3500ft!
Get some friends or...
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The Lovely Reindeer Jumper Gift!
I doubt any of us can deny that we received at least one present this Christmas that we didn’t like or already have!
Well I have the perfect solution! Donate it to RAFT!
RAFT now has a dedicated volunteer, Roisin, who is our ‘eBay Queen’ and will be spending the next few months adding items to eBay to sell on behalf of RAFT.
We have already raised over £150 with just staff...
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Sisters are doing it for themselves...
and for RAFT.
I’ll let SisterSnog tell you what they are doing for RAFT on 8th February 2011.
There’s only one place to be on 8th February 2012. At The Soulful Concert at St Bride’s, the cathedral of Fleet Street and spiritual home of the media. It promises to be an unforgettable evening of haunting melodies and heavenly harmonies. Open to all. Everyone. Everywhere. There are...
Goodbye Mary
After over four years of being with RAFT, our accountant Mary is leaving us. As well making sure that all our financial systems are robust and transparent, Mary voluntarily took on other roles to help RAFT.
From fundraising events to interviewing interns, Mary’s cheerful enthusiasm and commitment for RAFT has always been at the forefront of everything she does.
A keen Morris Dancer,...
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Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two...
So said Aristotle 300 years before Christ. I would adapt his saying to say that charity is a single soul dwelling in many bodies because that is what happens when you take part in charity. You become part of something much bigger than just yourself; you become a small part of something large that is achieving something amazing.
As CEO of RAFT I am in the lucky position to experience this every...
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Happy New Year - A little crystal ball gazing
In Spain there is a New Year tradition of eating 12 grapes as the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day. At each stroke of the clock, you eat a grape. I’ve always been told that for each grape that you manage to eat, you get a month of good luck. Of course, it is impossible to eat all the grapes at once (12 grapes in 12 seconds) and what normally happens is...
December 2011
14 posts
A Merry Christmas
To all those wonderful people who support us - without you RAFT wouldn’t be able to carry out all the work it does. So a huge thank you.
For those of you who don’t yet support RAFT - we hope you will consider doing so in 2012. We don’t get Government funding and all our research is funded by donations. If we don’t get donations, the research has to stop.
We want to...
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Running an Organisation: Bad Behaviours: Habit 1
I was reading in an old Forbes online issue, a blog by Martin Zwilling on the nine bad behaviours of struggling start founders. He reviewed the points made by Denny F Strigl, former CEO of Verizon Wireless, on the bad habits of managers who struggle.
Whilst reading the blog, I realised that these bad habits are true of everyone: whether mangers or not; whether in start-ups or established...
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Running an Organisations: Bad Behaviours: Habit 2
I was reading in an old Forbes online issue, a blog by Martin Zwilling on the nine bad behaviours of struggling start founders. He reviewed the points made by Denny F Strigl, former CEO of Verizon Wireless, on the bad habits of managers who struggle.
Whilst reading the blog, I realised that these bad habits are true of everyone: whether mangers or not; whether in start-ups or established...