day three

If you're anything like me sometimes you can't help but feel down and defeated by things that go on in the world around us that quite frankly aren't all that pleasant. There is an awful lot of that kind of stuff going on isn't there? The fact that 1.4 billion people are forced to live on less than £1 a day is just one thing that when we think about it, might make us feel some unwelcome emotions such as sadness, pity and perhaps guilt. If you are not one of these people and can ignore those feelings and all the unpleasant things in life, then good for you, how lucky you are. If however, like me you can't just ignore those feelings or the causes of those feelings here are some things that you can do to make a difference and to start adding to your pile of good feelings.


Probably the most obvious and most talked about thing that ordinary people like you can do to make a difference is by using your own money...

• The most obvious of these ways is probably donating money directly to a charity. This is also the quickest and simplest way to use your own money. You can just set up a standing order and the money comes out of your account each month. It doesn't have to be much, as little as £2 a month makes a difference too. You can also of course donate to our charity and sponsor us for doing this challenge-http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserPage.action?userUrl=livebelowthelinegang&faId=223559&isTeam=true
• Shop in charity shops. If you're feeling a little hard up why not do your next round of shopping in a shop that will use your cash for something good. Handbags and shoes are great things to look out for. 
• Buy fair trade products. Swap your clothes, make-up, coffee, tea, bananas, chocolate, sugar and loads of other cupboard essentials for fair trade brands. Buying fair trade helps producers get a fair price for their product and stops them being exploited by more powerful people like you and me. 
• At Christmas or birthdays buy charitable gifts for people across the world or send charity cards to your friends and family. Most charities make their own cards, and you can give really interesting things now like goats!

It's not just your money that is valuable and can be used to make a difference, using other resources is really helpful too...

• Don't send old clothes, shoes, bras, coats, books, kitchen stuff or toys to landfill, donate them instead. Give to charity shops the things you no longer need or want. However, from personal experience I know a lot of charities are sent things they don't really need which end up taking up valuable space, so it's best to get in touch with a charity to find out what they need the most and what will be most helpful to them. 
• Donate food to homeless shelters. Don't waste food full stop. Buy only what you need, eat up out of the fridge and what you really don't want give it to someone who does! 
• Recycle. A simple one, but still so many people don't do it. If your council are a bit rubbish when it comes to providing the right facilities, speak to them!
• Give blood. Okay so this isn't necessarily going to help people all over the world, but it is going to help someone in your community, or in the community next door, or your parent's community perhaps. It's quite fun actually and you get to eat free biscuits and drink free squash. 
• Spread the word. If you are passionate about something and are already doing something to help, tell people about it. Let them know what you're doing and maybe it will inspire them to do it too.

Finally, we have something else that we can use to help, that most of us probably have in abundance and gets wasted every single day...Time. Give up your time as a volunteer. Volunteering is enormously beneficial not just for the organisation or the people you help but is also beneficial for you. It makes you feel great. There are loads of volunteering opportunities in your area, absolutely loads....

• You can volunteer at a local community centre, you'll meet lots of interesting people of a variety of ages, really old ones and really wee ones. 
• Help run a homework club.
• Keep your community clean and green by doing some local conservation.
• Walk dogs for a animal shelter. 
• Volunteer at galleries and historic buildings.
• Teaching english as a second language.
• Take part in a sponsored activity like swimming, walking or running for charity, having a cake sale, or even Living Below the Line! 
• Litter pick around your house or pop in for a visit with an elderly neighbour to keep them company. Easy. 

I'm not saying I do all these things, because I don't and I too could do so much more but even if you start by doing just one of these things trust me you'll feel so good about yourself and at the same time you'll have made an actual difference to someone or to lots of somebodies. Maybe your one thing today could be to sponsor us!