26th November 2021

November is usually remembered for three events: Remembrance Day, Black Friday & Cyber Monday. However, a worldwide event is rising and building momentum like no other, placing its claim in November. That day is coined Giving Tuesday! 

Black Friday & Cyber Monday is the pre-shopping spree before the rush of Christmas: bargains, sales & non-stop deals. Black Friday has been around since the 1950s & ’60s, whilst Cyber Monday has only existed in our society for just a little more than a decade. On the other hand, Giving Tuesday is relatively new and slowly becoming more popular and widely known. 

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Giving Tuesday was created in 2012. Its sole purpose is to promote the art of giving and charity, encouraging local and global generosity. Every year, the Tuesday after Black Friday, people worldwide take the time to give back, support others & donate to local & national charities. The message shared around the world is to not live as an individual but as a human community. 

 

Giving Tuesday has racked up some huge numbers in the last two years whilst going through a pandemic. Here are some statistics you might not know: 

• In 2020, information revealed that $2.47B was raised in 24 hours. 
• Giving Tuesday has become a worldwide movement, with over 75 countries taking part. 
• 52% of people who participate in Giving Tuesday say they’re doing it because they want to be part of something bigger. 
• 84% of those who participate claim that the new movement has inspired them to become more giving. 

 

That last fact alone is the true definition of Giving Tuesday. A quote from Confucius goes, “Charity, like the sun, brightens every object on which it shines”. The donations of Giving Tuesday brighten the tens of thousands of local organisations just like us that help local communities in numerous ways. 

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We are thankful to all our supporters who have donated to us at any time or during Giving Tuesday. We call and ask for your continuous support again as the work we do for our community is demanding but has a reward like no other. Just to put into numbers how your donations help those who need our service: 

£5 – pays for one month of online counselling 

£20 – allows us to give someone an assessment of their needs & guide them to a suited rehabilitation programme. 

£50 – provides one day of free childcare for our clients.

Towards the larger numbers and how it helps our clients:

Raising £400 allows us to run our Family and Carer group for one week. 

Raising £600 gives someone living with an addiction four months of in-person group therapy. 

Raising £800 helps someone attend our specialist Disordered Eating group for one year. 

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We rely on the support of our local donations to continue helping those who are living with different forms of addictions. This year, Giving Tuesday falls on November 30. Here are a few ways you can support The Living Room this Giving Tuesday: 

• Donations – You can donate securely here. No matter how big or small the donation, we are thankful for everyone who contributes and supports us. 
• Charity Shops - We accept most donations of goods. Unfortunately, We cannot take videotapes, large white goods, kitchen knives or television sets. Take a look at the list here. Even if we cannot sell your items in our shops, we can recycle them for money, so we welcome them even if you have very worn clothes to donate! 
• Birthday/Celebration Fundraisers – If you have a birthday coming soon before the end of the year or have something to celebrate, you could use this moment to fundraise for The Living Room! Instead of gifts, ask for donations and truly provide the gift of giving. 

Overall, there are always many ways to give as long as you have the intention. Giving Tuesday is a reminder to act & do good. As Mark Twain once said, “Kindness is the language the deaf can hear, and the blind can see”. Therefore, marking giving as THE universal language...

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