What’s this about?

On this page we’re hoping to cover a range of issues that our Buyers and Sellers are committed to, and various ways that you could get involved in supporting charities.

Homelessness

Duncan’s report from Byte Night

It’s not too late to sponsor Duncan Taylor, people4business MD, for «Byte Night», which took place on Friday October 5. This is the IT industry’s annual sleep out, to raise funds for children’s charity «NCH».

Dear Friend,

It is now 5.07 in the morning and I am sitting in my sleeping bag in Potters Field, looking at a beautiful view of the Tower Bridge lit up against the night sky.

I’ve been awake since 4.20am, having been — uncomfortably — asleep for only two hours. Despite the fact that it is mild night for early October, and the rain has held off, the cold is so intense that it feels like the parts of me that are against the ground are actually burning.

I am wearing all the clothes I have had on today, and a warm fleece, plus a warm hat, plus I have been in a decent sleeping bag on top of a ground sheet. What would it be like without all this, a month from now, when the temperature drops below zero?

I can only try to imagine what it would be like to experience this as one of the young homeless people that NCH are working to help. This brief experience of ‘sleeping rough’ has been truly uncomfortable. And I have been supported throughout this night by the loving care and support of my family and friends, by sharing the experience with 260 others, by the security provided by NCH and, most importantly, by the knowledge that, for me, all this ends at 7am when I can head home to rejoin my family in my warm house.

It’s now 5.30am. Breakfast in an hour, then home, what luxury.

To those of you who have donated to NCH while I have been involved in this I would like to extend my thanks. The total currently stands at £750 and I will donate a £300 speaker’s fee from the CIPD to this. I hope we can still raise the £2,000 I was aiming for. If you’ve not had a chance to make a donation yet I would be very grateful if you can. Please «sponsor me here»

Love Duncan

Other events

In Manchester, on October 14, there’s the «Walk for Home» in aid of Shelter.

Crisis, another homeless charity, also has a number of «events» coming up and they are encouraging entries now for the «Flora London Marathon» in 2008.

Breast cancer awareness

October 2007 is breast cancer awareness month. If you want to know more, «Breast Cancer Care» is the UK’s leading provider of breast cancer information and support.

Add your event

We’d love to hear from you if you have a particular charity or cause that you support. Please contact us with details of future events for your chosen charity and we’ll include them on this page.

The first five Buyers or Sellers to email us either with details of a forthcoming event, or a picture of a charity event that has already taken place, will win a stylish people4business / people4charity t-shirt!

info@people4business.com

Donating your time

Another way of getting involved is by volunteering — many charities are in need of volunteer help. You can search «here» for opportunities in your chosen interest, close to where you live.

Charities need to have skilled people to act as trustees. Detailed information about being a charity trustee is available from the Charity Commission «here».