Last minute Valentines...

February always seems to fly by, so if you've been caught unawares by Valentines this year, we've got some last-ditch attempts to (help!) save you! Whether you've just been rushed off your feet, are a bit short on cash, ordered something online which hasn't arrived in time, or, let's face it, you just plain old forgot, we've got a few ideas left up our sleeves to help save you from trouble!

• Cook up a storm: Can't afford those hiked up Valentines day prices, or just don't fancy the busy restaurant scene? Then why not cook something from home. Get some candles on the table and cook a couple of courses, however basic your cooking skills are you'll be sure to master something. If cooking isn't usually your forte and you take the effort to cook for your date, chances are they'll be pleasantly surprised and it'll be even more appreciated than a meal out... unless it tastes bad that is, maybe give it a try before you serve it up!
• Get creative: There are a number of gift ideas which you might find on some quite expensive sites, where they offer personalised posters and cards. A lovely gift idea, but probably one you could make for yourself. All you need is a computer/laptop or probably even a mobile app, and you can use some quirky and fun fonts and colours to create a really nice poster, personalised however you want it, pretty much for free (apart from the paper and ink). Head to a supermarket or homestore and buy a frame, and they'll never know it didn't cost the earth. 
• Brave the shops: It might be that you hate the shops, but you do still have time to make it in and out alive! If you think creatively you might even get away with visiting the 24 hour Asda!
• Chocolate: For men and women alike, chocolate is generally a safe bet. Plus, you can grab it while doing your food shop, nice and easy and sure to be appreciated (unless they don't like chocolate, of course!)
• Flowers: You need to get them fresh anyway so you can't be accused of not being prepared (even if you weren't) and they're a pretty safe bet, even for the men (although maybe not the most masculine of ideas)
• IOU?: If all else fails and you don't get round to getting anything or the inspiration is lacking, write them out an IOU, and if it's for something like a day trip, weekend away or something similar, it's a fair excuse for not providing anything much on the day!

Valentines day is a created holiday, arguably to grab our money but also a nice excuse to show someone you love them. Of course don't feel pressured into taking part, and if you're single this Valentines, make the most of that reduced chocolate the day after and hold a chocolate party with your friends! 

Wear it. Beat it. This Friday- Get involved!

This Friday is the 'Wear it. Beat it' day for the British Heart Foundation. You may have come across it a couple of weeks ago here on our blog, where we explained the main idea of the event, which is that as many people as possible get involved and wear red, or do something red themed, in order to help raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

Showing solidarity and commitment to the cause through wearing red is a great way of showing support, but it doesn't need to stop there. The British Heart Foundation are encouraging as many people as possible to get involved in the 'Wear it. Beat it' campaign, by hosting red themed fundraising events and activities.

For more information about fundraising ideas and what the day entails, have a look at our previous blog by clicking here, where you can also visit the official British Heart Foundation page. There are so many ways of getting involved, it would be great if everyone could in some way!

But what does the British Heart Foundation do? The British Heart Foundation is the nation's heart charity and the largest independent funder of cardiovascular research. Their work has been vital over the years in discoveries of treatments which are helping to change the UK's fight against heart disease.

The British Heart Foundation was founded in 1961 by a group of medical professionals who wanted to fund extra research into the causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of heart and circulatory disease. Over the years their research has contributed to helping improve treatments and increase the life expectancy and comfort of those who live with heart diseases, most babies born with heart defects today now survive, which was not the case in previous years.

Get involved with the Wear it. Beat it. day to help contribute to further breakthroughs in research. You could host a red themed coffee morning, at home or at work, or you could encourage all your colleagues to wear red for a donation to the British Heart Foundation. Whatever you do this Friday, it's well worth making the effort and getting involved. Let's Wear it. Beat it.

Wear it. Beat it.

Two weeks today, join people across the nation in wearing red to support the British Heart Foundation. Wearing red shows a stand of support for all those with heart conditions, and by getting involved and fundraising, you can help raise funds to go towards the life-saving research of the British Heart Foundation. With one in four people lost to heart and circulatory diseases, money for research is key to helping find cures and better ways of treatment.

You can sign up now for your free fundraising pack, and throw a fundraising event at work or in your local community, encouraging people to stand together in support of heart disease research. As well as wearing red, there are a number of other ideas of ways to raise money for the cause. These include holding quizzes, raffles, red-themed movie nights, red-themed meals, red cake sales, the possibilities are endless! Why not get involved and help raise money for a great cause by sending off for your fundraising pack now? You've still got two weeks to spread the word and plan for your event, and original ideas can also be used- just make sure there's an element of red involved!

Click here to visit the website for more information, and to download your very own fundraising pack.

#igivehope... What's it all about?

If you're a keen Twitter follower or tweeter, you may have noticed the hashtag 'igivehope' flying about a fair bit yesterday. What's it all about? Well yesterday was the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, organised by the United Nations in order to try and combat trafficking in persons across the world. This is the first ever of these days, and people across the world have been encouraged to show their support to victims of trafficking by 'giving back hope.' By tweeting using the hashtag, particularly sharing pictures of hands making the shape of hearts, the United Nations hope to be able to raise awareness of trafficking in persons around the world.

Human trafficking is something which can too often be thought of as extinct, thinking of slavery in old terms which in most places appears to be off the radar. This is sadly not the case however, UNICEF estimate that over 1.2 million children are trafficked each year, being taken against their will, brought sold and exploited. This doesn't just happen in places like Africa and India as we are sometimes led to believe, human trafficking takes place all over the world and can be found in our own cities.

While tweeting a picture or saying 'igivehope' may not seem to be making much of a difference, it's a step in the right direction in terms of raising awareness about the problem. Show your support with a picture of your hands making a heart and #igivehope, and show solidarity to those who are and have been victims of human trafficking. On a more practical level, the United Nations ask people to be aware and involved in their local communities to both raise awareness and repot anything which may be related to trafficking.