Just a quick post to say happy Christmas from eveyone at JustGiving! There’s only one week of the year, and indeed the decade, left so a big thank you to everyone who’s fundraised with us so far, but if you’re determined to do something else before 2010 breaks, how about a boxing day run or swim to burn off some of that stodge?

No, us neither.

Merry Christmas!

Congratulations to Holly, Philip and everyone involved in the This Morning Christmas Appeal for raising more than £220,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Scotland. That’s more than twice their original target, the team announced on the show yesterday.

The appeal is now closed, but it’s well worth looking at both the This Morning JustGiving page and the This Morning website as they’ve made great use of some of our top fundraising tips including breaking down what different donation amounts could be used for. For example:

A donation of £15 could enable Alzheimer’s Society or Alzheimer Scotland to answer one call to their helplines and to provide vital support and advice to that caller.

On the This Morning website, they’ve also got some great video interviews, including Coronation Street’s Angie Lonsdale talking about her mother’s Alzheimer’s. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, with mobile video technology now so widely available, you don’t have to be a celebrity to have this kind of content on your JustGiving page. Just find a camera, press record and start talking about what your cause means to you. You’ll be surprised at the results.

To make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Society, click here.

Following on from this blog post last week we’re very pleased to announce that not only is Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name” the Christmas number one, but also Rage Against The X Factor has raised over £80,000 for Shelter - and that doesn’t even include Gift Aid or the money the band has pledged to donate following the unexpected windfall generated by the campaign!

That’s what we call giving in the name of and it’s why we’ve decided to make ratm4xmas founders Tracy and Jon Morter our fundraisers of the month for December.

We caught up with Tracy and got her to testify how it feels to be the voice of the voiceless…

JustGiving: Hi Tracy! Congratulations to you and Jon on creating a phenomenon and raising so much money for Shelter. How does it feel to have a Christmas number one?

Tracy Morter: Overwhelming to say the least! Although it’s not really our number one: it belongs to everyone who supported us.

JG: There were a lot of voices in this campaign: your passionate supporters, reaction from the X factor camp, the press and in the later stages the band themselves. I’d be really interested to hear, in your own words, what inspired you to do this in the first place?

TM: Nostalgia mainly, we missed the charts being unpredictable. The Christmas race used to be so close. X Factor having such dominance had made it boring for us and it appears many others too.

JG: And how did the charity element come into it?

TM: When we realised a lot of people were joining and it was mentioned that many Christmas records are for charity. We thought we should
make use of the attention to help others, so I set up the page for any supporters who felt like donating.

JG: Why did you chose Shelter?

TM: We chose Shelter because this has been a really hard year for people trying keep a roof over their heads, and at this time of year, especially when it’s cold outside, you think of those without a home.

JG: How has the media frenzy changed your lives?

TM: I’m eating a lot less. I’ve not had time to cook for myself days! It’s just totally manic here right now.

JG: Rage have now pledged to donate a portion of their proceeds to Shelter as well as perform a free UK gig for supporters of the campaign. How did that make you feel and will you be attending?

TM: I am so please Raged are delighted and it’s brilliant they are offering the fans this gig in return. If we’re invited, we’ll certainly be there!

JG: And finally, one thing we ask everyone we speak to is what would be your top fundraising tip?

TM: I think in this day and age using social media is an amazing way to raise money and making people aware. Hash tag use and twibbons on twitter can be particularly helpful!

Hi,

I’m Rachel Collins (that’s me, top left) and I’m the new Head of Customer Service here at JustGiving. I joined the team back in October this year and I’m responsible for the delivery of a first class customer service for all our users, be they a fundraiser, a donor or a charity worker after some support or advice. The team here, while small, are perfectly formed! One of my first tasks was to recruit some new helpdesk advisers to join our existing (predominately male) team. So after quite a bit of searching, we found three fab new people to join the team (and it’s purely a coincidence that they are all girls!).

Megan and Gillian join Aaron, Huu and Jules on the Consumer Helpdesk (who look after our fundraisers and donors) and Victoria joins Axel and Davin on our Charity helpdesk.

Increasing the teams means we can really focus on providing the best level of service and to be available at times that suit our users. As part of this commitment, we have extended our support for our consumers to seven days a week (working 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Friday and 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on the weekends).

One of the biggest impacts increasing the team has brought is the massive reduction in wait times on emails. Not too long ago, if you sent an email it could take up to 24 hours to get a response, but this has now been reduced down to under four hours and is continuing to dwindle. Speedy and well put together responses are key and it’s one of the reasons why we’ve been recognised by consumer website verygoodservice.com as a ‘very good company for communication’.

Feedback is also important so we will shortly be introducing a simple question at the end of all of our emails: ‘Did this answer your question?’ We can then make sure we are answering all queries right the first time. We will also be surveying our users on a regular basis, to gain valuable insight into why they needed to contact us in the first place so that we can continuously improve the service and support each of our fundraisers and donors receive.

Another objective is to look at the tools our helpdesk advisers use. It’s vitally important that they have the best technology available at their fingertips as this helps to improve the service they provide. So, 2010 is going to be an exciting year for the JG helpdesks. Lots of changes, but masses of improvements and it’s all for the benefit you, our users.

Proof once again that a seasonal event plus comedy suffering is a recipe for fundraising success, creative agency Karmarama’s Sprout Aid sees their creative director Dave eating one sprout for every pound donated via their JustGiving page, and Dave hates sprouts.

The team are taking it in turns to feed Dave their sprout-based recipes, which you can find on the site along with Dave’s video reactions and lots of other great content.

They’ve already raised well over £1000 for The White Ribbon Alliance, which means Dave is set to be eating sprouts well into the new year.

The White Ribbon Alliance is an international coalition of some 3,500 organisations and individuals working in over 140 countries to reduce the risks associated with pregnancy for woman all over the world.

You can view Dave’s progress by checking out sproutaid.com, and you can make a donation on the Karmarama JustGiving page here.

We’re very proud to announce that JustGiving has been awarded the “best use of technology award” at The Sunday Times Tech Track 100!

The Sunday Times Tech Track 100 is a list of the fastest growing private technology companies in the UK. A new entry this year at 34, JustGiving is the only company in the list to provide its technology services exclusively to the third sector. It is also the only company in the top 50 led by women –  our CEO Zarine Kharas [pictured centre] and our MD Anne-Marie Huby [pictured left].

Zarine had this to say about the award:

“We’re proud to have featured in this list for the first time, and it is testament to the enthusiasm of our charities, fundraisers and donors that we are growing so quickly. Adoption of online fundraising is increasing all the time, as people realise it’s the most efficient and easiest way to raise money for charities, allowing individuals and charities to use widgets and Facebook applications to fundraise.

Winning the award for best use of technology, among such impressive companies, also shows that JustGiving’s continual investment in technological infrastructure and products is still leading the way. Our focus is solely on online fundraising and developing technology to help individuals raise money for the charities they care about, so it is humbling to be recognised for doing so.”

Mic check.

If you’ve been on Facebook or Twitter in the last few days, you’ll have had a hard time missing renegades Tracy and Jon Morter’s hugely sucessful Rage Against the Machine for Christmas No. 1 campaign.

But just in case you did, as a protest against the marketing power of shows like X-Factor to lock up the charts to the exclusion of all else, the pair are trying to take the power back by encouraging people to buy the Rage track “Killing in the Name” from chart-eligible download sites, but not until the week of the 13th to the 19th of December otherwise it won’t count.

In response to supporters’ comments that some of the proceeds from the X Factor single go to charity, Tracy and Jon have set up a JustGiving page for Shelter and raised an amazing £3000 - and counting - in just three days!

There’s a nice message here about the negative effects of cultural monopolies, but whether you’re a fan or Simon Cowell’s output or not (and personally we at JG Towers can’t get enough Rage) we wanted to highlight Rage Against The X-Factor as great example of  taking something topical, such as X-Factor/the Christmas No. 1 and setting up a JustGiving page either for or against to it. This creates a debate, which leads to both sides raising more money for charity, and in the end, isn’t that what really matters?

So, while we encourage you to go out and buy the X-Factor charity Christmas single, remember that Tracy and Jon aren’t offering to sell you the Rage single, so if you make a donation via their JustGiving page, you don’t have to uncheck the box that says ‘I’m not getting a ticket, product or service in return for my donation’ and we can still reclaim Gift Aid on your donation.

You can make a donation to Shelter via the Rage Against The X-Factor JustGiving page here, and to find out more about how you can help get Rage Against the Machine to No. 1 this Christmas, check out the campaign’s Facebook page here or search for the trending topic #ratm4xmas on Twitter

Ian Tate [pictured right] is Head of Challenges at Norwood, a charity that supports people with learning disabilities as well as children and families in need. He’s also one of their top fundraisers, having completed 10 international tandem bike rides with partners who have learning difficulties and who have benefited from the services provided by Norwood. Ian’s latest conquest is a mammoth six day, 500K ride through Rajasthan, which he completed with five-time partner Ian Spellman [pictured left].

Spellman is a real Norwood success story. Having spent his early years living in a supported home in London, he is now 100% independent, living in his own flat, working full-time and raising funds for the charity himself.

We caught up with the first of the two Ians when he got back to the UK to ask him all about this inspirational challenge.

JustGiving: Hi Ian! How did it go?

Ian Tate: Very well, but incredibly challenging! There were 150 of us in total, including 12 tandem teams, cycling up to 100km per day – a total of around 500km over the course of the week. It was very hot, unsurprisingly! That said, it was, as always, an amazing experience,. We visited the Taj Mahal and finished cycling in the bustling “pink” city of Jaipur. On route, we took in amazing countryside and landscapes, met some wonderful people, were educated about the very interesting history of the region, saw beautiful palaces and temples, visited a number of schools and much more! It was incredibly humbling to see the smiling faces of the school children as we took digital photos to show them and gave them simple gifts of colouring books, crayons and calculators.

JG: This is your 10th international challenge. How does it compare with the others?

IT: The challenge of Rajasthan wasn’t so much the cycling as the terrain was pretty flat, but the food and accommodation were basic at best. We camped on four consecutive nights, with very limited washing and bathroom facilities. Hygiene was an issue with quite a few (including me!) picking up bugs during the week. All the Norwood rides have been so different. We have been all over the world during my time here (19 years!) including rides in Brazil, America, Vietnam-Cambodia, Israel, South Africa and many others, and it has always been such a privilege for me to be part of our unique tandem team.

JG: Does a tandem bike ride on this scale require any special training or equipment?

IT: Training is imperative and the more we train before the ride the more we tend to enjoy the experience. We are lucky that Norwood has a dedicated group of experienced riders who have set up the Norwood Cycle Club, which organizes monthly training rides throughout the year for people either signed up for or interested in doing one of our international rides.

JG: You actually work for Norwood. Is it a different experience fundraising for them?

IT: It probably helps me that I work for Norwood and really enjoy the whole fundraising experience! It’s been a great way of getting back in touch with many people I haven’t seen or heard from in a very long time and I find that most people are happy to donate when I send round my begging emails!

JG: Could you talk a little about why the charity is close to your heart?

IT: Every year Norwood enables thousands of people to change their lives, one by one. We support people with learning disabilities and children and families in need. We believe people should live the life they choose and we work with individuals to change their lives and achieve their goals. Having taken part in the rides over so many years and having seen first hand the changes that have actually been made to the lives of so many people with disabilities is quite something. We also try to involve people with special needs in as many of our other Challenge events as possible, and this is always a very positive experience for all involved.

JG: What would be your top fundraising tip?

IT: Set up a Justgiving page, of course! Email everyone, and don’t be afraid to send the odd reminder!

JG: Is there anything in particular you like about using JustGiving?

IT: The main thing for me is the ease of use, both for me as a participant and for my friends, family and colleagues as donors. I (unfortunately!) date back to a time when fundraising for Challenge events was done by letter and sponsorship forms. Using Justgiving means I don’t need to keep any paperwork or chase up any pledges or promises. A few simple emails with an occasional reminder and it’s job done! If I include Gift Aid in my total for this year I raised over £4k for Norwood which is a personal best!

Today (December 1st) is World AIDS Day. You can find out more about this worldwide event by visiting the official site http://www.worldaidsday.org, but we wanted to highlight a handful of our many users who are fundraising around the event.

Gaydar Radio are fundraising for the National AIDS Trust (NAT) by doing a special World AIDS Day broadcast. As well as having guests in the studio, the team are getting celebrities to phone in with a safe sex message and holding an auction for a different great prize every hour. Prizes include a signed Take That DVD and a fabulous potrait of the young Elizabeth Taylor, which has been hand painted and signed by the singer Luciana. To enter, listen to the show and make a donation of at least £2 within the hour that the prize your want is up for grabs.

HIV is on the increase in every region of the world, including the UK where it is the fastest growing serious health condition. The National AIDS Trust is dedicated to transforming society’s response to HIV. They provide fresh thinking, expert advice and practical resources, as well as campaigning for change.

You can listen to the show here and you can make a donation to NAT via the Gaydar Radio JustGiving page here.

TV producer, journalist and righteous mummy Daisy Goodwin (pictured, all her own hair) has been in the news recently after she complained to the Advertising Standards Agency about the current TV ad featuring Cheryl Cole singing (not literally) the praises of L’Oréal Elvive Full Restore 5 shampoo and conditioner. “My hair feels stronger, full of life, replenished with a healthy shine. It’s got its mojo back,” says Cheryl. Daisy’s problem with the ad? Cheryl, famously, wears hair extensions.

We caught up with Daisy who is using the media attention around the story to fundraise for the Little Princess Trust. Daisy is asking people to donate just £2.65, the same price as of a bottle of Elvive, which is exactly what you can do by going to her JustGiving page here.

What we particularly like about Daisy’s page is the combination of consumer watchdog and fundraiser.

JustGiving: What inspired you to complain to the ASA about the ad?

Daisy Goodwin: My nine year old daughter asked me to buy Elvive shampoo because she had seen the ad featuring Cheryl Cole. When I told her that Cheryl’s Rapunzel type locks were made of acrylic hair extensions, she was puzzled. “Isn’t that cheating Mummy?” she asked me. I thought she had a point so I went online and complained to the ASA.

JG: How did you feel when they turned you down?

DG: When I got a letter from the ASA saying that the two second disclaimer on the Elvive ad made it legal I was pretty cheesed off with the system. So I contacted The Sunday Times to see if they were interested in running a story. They were, and it was one of their most read stories that week, which suggests that the public do take this seriously. I then went to write a piece in the Mail. But neither L’Oréal nor Cheryl Cole have commented.

JG: Why have you chosen to support the Little Princess Trust?

DG: I decided to use the public interest in the Cheryl Cole hair extensions story to do some good. In the interests of restorative justice I thought it would be good to get people to donate £2.65, the price of a bottle of Elvive shampoo, to a charity that makes real hair wigs for children who have lost their hair through chemo or alopecia.  Because, to paraphrase L’Oreal’s famous slogan, these kids are worth it.

JG: What would be your top fundraising tip?

DG: Exposure! I have twittered about this endlessly and coverage in a national newspaper doesn’t hurt.  I also think that getting people to protest against corporate greed and donate to a charity is a good combo. And asking for a small sum like £2.65 prompts people to be generous. Every little helps! Every £300 we raise will make a wig. God knows how many wigs could be made from the fee L’Oreal paid Cheryl.

http://www.justgiving.com/daisy-goodwin