Rosie Scribble

Macmillan Cancer Support Centenary Film

The first minute of this film will leave you wondering what you are watching.

In fact, you’re watching six people affected by cancer, shot from the point of view of a webcam, reacting as they read poignant and touching messages of thanks, on the Macmillan Biggest Thank You microsite, received from friends and loved ones.

It doesn’t really need any further introduction from me. We all know someone affected by cancer.

Macmillan’s Biggest Thank You microsite was launched at the start of the year to celebrate their centenary. It gives people the opportunity to come together and thank the people who helped them through their cancer experience.

This link will take you to the Macmillan’s Biggest Thank You microsite.

For more information about Macmillan Cancer Support, visit www.macmillan.org.uk or freephone 0800 500 800 for an information pack.

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Provamel teams up with Tree Aid

Continuing my blog’s recent charity theme, news has just arrived in my inbox than Provamel has teamed up with forestry development charity TREE AID to launch our Join the Movement campaign. A long-standing champion of tackling climate change and cutting carbon emissions, Provamel is committing to plant and protect 5,000 trees in Africa's driest lands. The donations pledged to TREE AID will support its on-going Tree Revolution, which aims to see at least one million trees planted and protected in Africa by the end of this year.

The 5,000 trees will be planted in the West African region of Mali, one of the harshest and driest environments on earth. On top of absorbing global carbon, helping in the fight against climate change and improving the local deforested environment, these trees will be used by hundreds of local people to fight poverty. With TREE AID's help, thousands of people are being taught to use trees sustainably to generate an income – meaning Provamel's 5,000 trees will continue to yield benefits for years and years to come.

All you need to do is like the Provamel page on Facebook to get involved.

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How would you make someone's day better?

What would you do with $1000 to make someone’s day better?

I’m a bit of a pessimist. So while we’ve been decorating and redecorating our Christmas tree this week (my daughter likes to rearrange everything I put up for some reason), it has occurred to me that Christmas isn’t a magical time full of presents and family reunions for everyone.

As I’ve got older, and because I’m on my own with IJ,  I’ve started to think about how difficult Christmas would be if you had absolutely no-one to share it with; if you were elderly and on your own and had to face the prospect of spending Christmas Day with only yourself for company. I expect, deep down, it’s a situation I fear I’ll be in one day. A pessimist, as I said.

Win a £100 Amazon voucher with Capital One

Update: This competition is now closed. Many congratulations to Nicki Cawood who has won the £100 Amazon voucher!

Fancy winning a £100 Amazon voucher? Imagine what you could buy with that – the new Kindle you’ve always wanted, enough books to last half a year or something to get your New Year off on the right start.

Interested? Then read on because one lucky reader will win exactly that thanks to Capital One. First, a little about credit card cashback:

Many of us will associate using a credit card for the purchase of expensive items like holidays, presents, gig tickets and festivals, but did you know that many credit cards offer cashback on products that you purchase? This isn’t like getting cashback on your debit card – it’s normally a small percentage of your purchases credited to your account on a regular basis.

Capital One advise, though, that’s it’s not a good idea to put lots more purchases on your credit card – if you don’t pay off the full amount each month, the money you are getting back is going to be instantly wasted on interest payments. But for spending you’ve already got planned, it can be good way to put your credit card to good use.

Capital One believes that cashback cards potentially offer a better way of earning a return on spending than many current accounts. Savvy consumers who actively manage their finances can generate fantastic rewards each year from cashback credit cards.  They are keen to learn more about people’s thoughts in relation to cashback and will give one £100 Amazon voucher to one reader selected at random who answers a few simple questions about cashback.

To enter the competition:

Answer the following three cashback questions in the comments section of my blog.

The questions are:

1. Do you understand how cashback works?
2. Do you know the difference between cashback on a debit card and cashback on a credit card?
3. Do you take advantage of cashback rewards?

You can simply answer Yes or No or you can provide a more detailed response if you prefer, it’s up to you. Please number your answers 1, 2 and 3.

The important bit:

• UK residents only.
• One entry per person.
• To enter, simply answer the three cashback questions labelling your answers 1, 2 and 3.
• The competition closes at 9pm on December 20th 2011.
• The prize is a £100 Amazon voucher.
• One winner will be selected at random, notified within 48 hours and asked for their postal address.
• I will update this post with the winner’s details on Thursday 22nd December 2011.
• Responsibility for sending out the prize lies with Capital One.

Good luck!

Further Credit Made Clearer videos from Capital One can be found on the Credit made Clearer YouTube channel.

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Tesco Charitable Mum of the Year 2012

Here's a moving, inspirational story to kick off your week, which we would never have known about if one young boy hadn't decided to nominate his mum.

The prestigious Tesco Charitable Mum of the Year Award has been won by Sharon Sambrook from the West Midlands. Sharon has raised £90,000 for The Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust Ben Sambrook Fund – an umbrella group she set up in her son’s name – to help fund clinical trials into brain tumours. She also works to support families whose children have been diagnosed with a serious illness or disability.

Sharon was nominated by son Ben who at twelve years old has already experienced more than many. Ben was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour aged just seven. Sharon and her husband faced the trauma of caring for their son as he went through a six-hour operation to remove the tumour followed by radiotherapy and, due to the kind of tumour Ben had, adult chemotherapy which had to be administered at home by Sharon.

There is currently no cure for Ben’s type of tumour, but against the odds he has been clear for four years, and goes for regular scans to ensure the tumour has not returned. On nominating his mum for a Tesco Mum of the Year Award, Ben said:

“I survived the brain tumour with big thanks to my mum and dad. My mum just wants other parents to get support and not feel so alone.”

The staggering fact that brain tumours account for more deaths among children and those under the age of 40 than any other cancer propelled Sharon into action, making her determined to generate funds for research into brain tumours in the hope of a scientific breakthrough. Since 2007, Sharon has raised a staggering £90,000 through a continuous stream of events including themed charity balls, tribute nights, sponsored sporting events and tea parties.

The Tesco Mum of the Year Awards is now in its seventh year. The judging panel, including Michelle Mone OBE, Arlene Phillips OBE, Denise Lewis OBE, Emma Forbes, our very own Tara Cain and Tesco magazine representatives, reviewed thousands of entries before selecting the winning mums.

Sharon, along with seven other winners, will be presented with her Tesco Mum of the Year Award at a glittering star-studded ceremony in London in March 2012. Many congratulations to each and every one of them.

Visit Tesco Mum of the Year Awards for more information.

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