OPEN THE DOOR TO GIVING
TTwo years ago, KKristinai i Salceanu launched an advent calendar which raises money for good causes. This year, she hopes the Advent Of Change will raise half a million pounds for 48 incredible charities…
As the fallout from lockdown continued, I was heartbroken to read in the news that the charity sector had been hit hard. This year, charities face a £10bn fundraising deficit as events were cancelled.
Yet many charitable services are more necessary than ever, with domestic abuse charities, hospices, food banks and those that help the homeless seeing an influx of calls. It has been an unprecedented year, but I have a fire in my belly and a determination to help as many charities as I can.
Three years ago, I noticed a boom in advent calendars with a twist. Behind the doors www.myweekly.co.uk were gin, make-up, beauty products and luxury gifts. Greggs even sold a sausage roll calendar.
I had an idea for an advent calendar that donates to a different charity every day of December. In January
2018, still working full-time e in marketing, I wrote a presentation for the Advent Of Change and approached charities such as Willow and Born Free. My partner Paul (36) works for a company selling baby goods to John Lewis and I asked him to show my presentation to his contact at the company.
To my amazement, it was passed around until it re ached the John Le ewis Christmas te eam. I received an email from Dan, the Head of Christmas, telling me he loved the idea. Dan is known as Mr Christmas and he was so enthusiastic, it was thanks to him that the Advent Of Change was ready to launch in time for Christmas 2018.
On social media, people sent videos of themselves opening the doors every day. There was an amazing outpouring of people saying it was the best thing they’d ever boughtbought, or that they’d be running a marathon in the new year for one of the charities we’d introduced them to. We raised £100,000 and although it was a relentless, exhausting experience, I knew I wanted to go bigger for 2019.
Last year, we supported 72 charities over three calendars, including one for children and one in Braille. We raised £200,000 and helped Emmaus, the homeless charity, c help guests find safety, warmth, w companionship and support s over Christmas. We helped h Farms For City Children offer o rural respite breaks to inner i city children and we donated d enough to Winston’s Wish W to fund 257 memory boxes b for bereaved children.
We helped Farm Africa