Sunday, August 1, 2010

The loose coins down the back of your sofa, at the bottom of your bag or lying around the house could help support children at a special school

Dirhams - some keep a few in their glovebox for parking meters, others have them in a pot by the front door to tip delivery drivers. Most of us will have lost dozens down the back of the sofa. Even in this difficult financial climate, few of us make an effort to make the most of our small change. But we can. Rashid Paediatric Therapy Centre, a school for special needs children, recently launched a fundraising drive that simply involves keeping a jar and filling it with coins. With the financial downturn affecting many companies and individuals, the Rashid Paediatric Therapy Centre has seen a reduction in donations, but it’s hoping the Coins 4 Charity drive will help raise some much-needed money for the school. The idea came from Lizelle Jansen, whose three-year-old son attends the school.

“I just realised that most people have coins lying around. People don’t care for their coins that much, so it’s easy for them to part with them,” she says.
“Therefore the giving of coins during this recession would still make it possible for people to support charity, without feeling it in their pockets.” Since setting up the project, Lizelle says it has spiralled with more than 280 special jars being given out from the centre in Al Barsha. Members of the public are now being encouraged to do their bit to help the centre, which receives no direct funding from the government. Head teacher Janette Stewart Graham says even if you just keep a container for coins in the house, you’ll be surprised by how much you can amass. “You don’t need to use one of the school’s jars which we’re giving out at reception, you can use anything - put it in a bag, get a little pouch, put it in a flask. “The Municipality and the RTA are very supportive of us, but there’s no fixed income other than school fees, so we are reliant on sponsorship, fundraising, as well as fees.”

All money raised will help the centre continue its work and provide cash for things such as transport to and from the school. “The school relies entirely on the use of buses - some of the buses travel as far as Ajman, and some children travel three-hours one way by bus, so they’re really important,” says Lizelle. “We could do things such as upgrade the school’s computer equipment. At the moment the school has only one email address for the whole school.” Janette adds that the pupils, who range in age from three to 22, are heavily involved in the fundraising project. From spreading the word about the Coins 4 Charity drive, to collecting coins in their own homes, the children are playing their part too. “A lot of the children understand this fundraising drive, because our children are involved in the community and they deal with money,” says Janette. “Not all of our children have cognitive and learning difficulties. “We have mainstream children here who may have cerebral palsy, physical problems or hearing impairment, who shop and spend money, and buy their own things. They do understand the concept of cash.”

The jars being given out at the centre have a number and a name of an individual pupil attached to them, but any pot filled with coins is, of course, appreciated. The project is ongoing, but the school will count up how much they manage to raise next week, on Wednesday, March 11 from 12-1pm. Radio 4 DJs will be at the centre too, to contribute coins and members of the public are invited to call in as well. Lizelle adds: “People can come into the school to pick up a jar. It’s nice for people to come into the school. It would be a really good experience for them to stop by and meet some of the children.” Anyone wanting more information about the project can call in at the school, phone them on 04 340 0005 or email coins4charity@gmail.com

Here's an idea!

Shopping malls can take part in the fundraising drive too. Head teacher Janette Stewart-Graham makes an appeal to malls in Dubai to offer their water feature to the cause. She says: “People could throw their coins in to make a wish. Every two or three weeks we could collect the coins. “It wouldn’t cost the malls anything but it would really help us.” Contact Rashid Paediatric Therapy Centre on 04 340 0005