Sad and worrying news in today’s Metro, that almost 500 English species have now become extinct in the past 2,000 years. A new study published by Natural England published a study has shown most have disappeared more recently in the last 200 years, which have included the lynx, bears, wolves, the short-haired bumblebee and mouse-eared bat. The study has warned that 1,000 other species, including the leatherback turtle, and pine martin are under threat.

It seems most species have disappeared because of land management changes – industrialization of farming, habit loss, persecution and pollution. Dr Tom Tew from Natural England said that the government should step in and spend up to £800 million a year on conservation – 50 times more than what they are spending now. 

Do something! 

While this seems like an impossible amount for the government to cough up, and perhaps an unlikely amount, then there are plenty of Leaps you can do to help make a difference:

Short on time?

If you don't have much time to spare why not donate money simply by clicking your mouse? With every click.com - When 10% of the internet searches in the UK are carried out on Everyclick, WWF wil raise £211,000 for charity every day, that's over £77million per year!

Commitment Shy?

If you're a bit commitment-phobic when it comes to volunteering then GO London offer one off opportunities that you can fit in around your own schedule. You can volunteer on city farms, help clear rubbish from parks, cemeteries and river banks, and even learn some ancient environmental skills like coppicing. 

Have a dinner party! 

No need to run, no need to jump from a plane or shave your head. Just enjoy a meal with your friends! Host a dinner party for International Animal Rescue and dinner4good will send out the invites and set up a donation page, so all you have to do is decide what to cook! 

Tagged in news, Inspiration

What would you think if your boss said: "Ok, you get paid 5 days off per year to volunteer, we encourage you to use them."

It could happen sooner than you think.  Then again, maybe it won't.

Our pal Damien over at the volunteering portal Timebank posted on their blog about the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NVCO) Manifesto calling for all companies to give 5 days off to their staff each year. 

My thoughts:

V interesting. More than anything 5 days sends an unequivocal signal to working Britain that volunteering should be front of mind.  The immediate next question is "Sounds interesting, any ideas about what to do for 5 days!?"  That's where the problem comes in.  

If Simple were a suburb on a map, the village of Volunteering would be on the other side of the planet.  They aren't even remotely close to each other.  So how can we expect hard-working and busy Britains to find something to do for not one, but five days?  A 6-8 week process to complete your Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) check, difficult to schedule orientation meetings and long-term time commitments make volunteering harder than sussing out a Rubik's Cube. 

Rant over.  Deep breath. 

We couldn't agree more about wanting more people doing more good. It's good for individuals. It's good for Society. But it's GOT TO BE more simple, more about the fun, less hassle. 

We've posted some more here on our blog about a new wave of volunteering.

Thanks for the post Damien and let's keep thinking about simplifying doing good NVCO.

Tagged in news

Here's another member of the creative Leap team. (He's also one of the best shredders out there, you know.) 

Tagged in Leap HQ, leap anywhere, leap team, Having fun doing good, creative

A lack of trust in the NHS means that black and Asian people are being put off from donating blood believing their DNA will be used by police. The African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust has found that people believe that if they give a DNA sample it will be added to the national DNA database. 

Of the 16.9 people registered on the NHS Organ Donor Register only 1.2% are from Asian communities, and 0.4% are from black communities. Organ and blood donors are always urgently needed especially as figures show that 1,521 Asians and 779 members of the black community need a transplant. Finding a bone marrow match is notoriously rare, and the trusts founder, Beverly De-Gale states “You are more likely to find a match in someone with the same background.”

De-Gale also added that 'People don't trust the system'. As well as a lack of trust there is clearly a lack of clear information being given about being a donor. 

If you want to find out more about giving blood and organ donations visit http://www.blood.co.uk and http://www.organdonation.nhs.uk

Tagged in news, Campaigns, NHS, organ donation

Oxfam could look set to receive £300,000 after Nicholas Newliffe left his estate to charity after passing away last year.

Newliffe, from Kidlington Oxfordshire, also had stakes on tennis and cricket matches running until 2020. If Fedderer wins Wilbedon in June, Oxfam could gain £100,000.

A spokesperson for the charity, speaking to The Metro said, “This case proves legacies can come in all shapes and sizes.” The bets, which were placed from 2000 to 2005 have so far won the charity £16,750. 

Tagged in news, charity, oxfam

At Leap, we've rounded up the top 10 charity events in London this week that offer fun things to do good. From comedy to clubbing, from ball's to benefits we've got it covered. 

Monday 8th March 

Women’s International Day at Amnesty International Part of the Amnesty International Media Awards programme of free events, an evening of speakers discussing women’s portrayal in the media today. 

Funny Women Stand Up Featuring Dead Ringers star Jan Ravens, Shazia Mirza these gunny women are standing up not just for comedy but also for a good cause.

Tuesday 9th March 

Fat Tuesday Comedy Club Birthday It’s Fat Tuesday 5th birthday and to celebrate they are having one mad comedy show with loads of amazing acts, special guests and general comedy madness. 

Wednesday 10th March

Seeds of Peace Market Join 1,000 remarkable friends and celebrities as the Peace Market transforms M2 into a market offering tastes, scents, sounds, and art from the Middle East and South Asia. 

Private Tour of Hampton Court Palace Join the British Red Cross for a private tour of Hampton Court Palace, by the chaplain of the Chapel Royal, followed by a thai buffet lunch in the private rooms of the Chapel Royal Choir.

Thursday 11th March 

12 x 12 @ Red Bull Music Academy '12 x 12' brings together 12 heavyweight producers with their 12 seminal London anthems. Each will be playing for 12 minutes - celebrating those 12 inch records that changed modern music forever - From Planet Rock to Voodoo Ray, Blue Monday to Back 2 Life. 

Oxfam Outreach We ask Outreachers to campaign with us for at least three events during the year, and in return we arm you with the knowledge, equipment and opportunity to join the fight for an end to poverty! 

Friday 12th March 

Live Art A charity fundraiser for Hope For Children, celebrating up and coming artists offerin people a chance to buy their work and watch them in action. Over the next month a collection of highly talented artists will be creating works of art for Hope For Children.

Saturday 13th March 

The Variety Club Annual Dinner and Ball Variety Club’s 58th flagship Annual Dinner and Ball to be held at the London Hilton on Park Lane in March welcomes International star Dionne Warwick, who will be performing some of her greatest hits supported by members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.  

Retro Spective Retro Events presents an evening to remember at The Sterling Bar in The Gherkin Tower. This event is raising money for the "Art Of Living" School in the Dharavi Slums in Bombay (the slums featured in Slumdog Millionaire and recent Ch4 Documentaries) Tickets £15. All profits go to charity.

Tagged in Events, Campaigns, Cool things to do, fun things to do in london, London life

I bet you're wondering just what goes on at Leap, who works there and what we do. Well wonder no more as we give you a glimpse at the people who make up the team and what they think about Leap. Enjoy! 

Tagged in Leap HQ

After news that two-thirds of charities are expecting a loss in Government income, there is now news that the Government has announced an increase on funds for volunteering. 

The volunteering charity V will see an increase in funds from £38.1m in 2009-2010 to £39m in 2010-2011. While funding for the Government's own Access To Volunteering, which aims to help disabled people into volunteering, will go up to £1.35m from £650,000.

Another scheme benefitted will be the Generations Together scheme, which funds projects that strengthen relationships between young and old people, with funds increasing from £1m to £1.5m. 

What do you make of this funding news? Would it encourage you to seek out more volunteering opportunities knowing there is more Governments funds behind them? 

Tagged in news, Volunteering, Charities

The Evening Standard’s feature on the ‘The Dispossessed’ has shone a light on the level of poverty in London. Many solutions to the problem have been talked about one great solution, which has caught our eye, is to make volunteering fun. Backing up Boris Johnson's view, David Cameron has said one way to tackle the problem is to “unleash a new wave of volunteering.”

If you want to be part of a new wave of volunteering, we’ve found fun ways to make a difference with homeless charities who have great volunteering opportunities that can take you to Glastonbury, London and even Paris. 

Fancy going to Glastonbury?

Well now you can this summer with Shelter. You and your friends can enjoy the festival this summer, with no previous voluntary experience necessary. In exchange for your time the charity will receive a donation to their work with homeless and badly housed people. Simply work three shifts and the rest of Glastonbury is yours to enjoy. 

Explore Paris.

(image courtesy of TaylorMiles') 

Or rather cycle to Paris. If you feel up to it, on the 25th-28th June you can cycle from London to Paris, enjoying the beautiful scenery on the way. Leave the bustling big smoke behind as you cycle through London, Kent, before crossing to France and travel through the quaint historic Normandy villages. There will be some challenging hills along the way, but it will be worth it to have an epic cycle to raise money for Shelter. Once there you’ll be able to get the Eurostar back to give your legs a rest. 

Jog On. 

(image courtesy of trueffelschwein)

 Throughout the year Centrepoint organizes runs from 10ks to a Marathon. Why not take part, challenge yourself and raise money for the organization who provide help for homeless and disadvantaged people. Run through the streets of London or Edinburgh, complete a goal and raise lots of money for the cause. 

Buy Soup and Donate.

How does donating as you buy food sound? For every soup bought SumoSalad will make a donation to Crisis. How great is that? SumoSalad, will donate 50p for every litre of soup donated. Why not give back as you knock back your soup? Find their nearest store online or visit their London branch at Byward Street, EC3 near Tower Hill. 

Take a Leap! 

 
Do something daring and take part in a sponsored parachute jump for Crisis. Chose from four different types of jumps and raise a minimum amount of sponsorship money to jump for free. Being unprepared is no excuse as all the training you need will be given. Why not take the plunge quite literally and do something out of the ordinary for charity. 

Strip for Charity

(image courtesy alvez)

Get into the World Cup fever by wearing your favourite football strip to work. Make this possible with Strip4Shelter by doing just that and having people sponsor you. As part of Strip4Shelter you can also organize your own World Cup sweepstake with friends and colleagues. Or hold a World Cup party where you and your friends can come and watch the football. 

Tagged in Features, news

As every bookworm knows yesterday was World Book Day. So we thought we would let you know what we at Leap Anywhere delve into on our commute to work.

The Healing Power of Doing Good by Allan Luks

An old favourite that sits on our shelves. Allan Luk's work is a brilliant tour de force explaining how doing good and volunteering makes you a happier and healthier person. We recommend it heartily. 

The Go-giver: A Little Story About A Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann

A classic. A young man is searching for success, he is a true go getter, but he never seems to quite arrive at his goals. One day he meets a mystical figure named simply the 'chairman'. The chairman introduces him to several 'go-givers': a group of people who have succeeded by putting the interests of others first. The message: giving to others often leads to unexpected returns. True. 

Benjamin Franklin by Edmund S Morgan

We love this book and we love Benjamin Franklin. What did Benjamin Franklin actually invent? Well actually... about everything. Aside from his genius, we also like his attitude. I mean have you seen his daily schedule? All I can say is that I've been waking up and and addressing the daily goodness ever since. If you are interested in learning about Franklin's inspirational life and personal phillosophy, Edmund's Morgan's book is the way to go.

Change The World 9-5

This colourful book features 50 simple, practical things which we can all do during the working day to make a difference to the world and those around us, regardless of our profession. From smiling when you answer the phone to enjoying a Fairtrade brew everything is here to make your workplace and the world a nicer place to live in.

Tagged in books, world book day, good reads, Features

Imagine a credit card that donates a portion of your spending to charity. It almost sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? 

Well now the folks at Virgin have created a credit card that donates 1% of all your spending to a charity of your choice. Unlike any of the other charity credit cards out there at the moment, the Virgin Money Charity Card will let you chose the charity you want yourself and change your chosen charity whenever you want. 

The new card will also automatically add Gift Aid to your spending. Which may not sound like much but by that extra donation, but it means the charities will get 28% extra donation from UK taxpayers. The group claims they want have plans to make the card for a long time with their plans to make products that are “better but different” aims to provide value and simplicity. 

If successful, the cards will have the potential to raise £50 million each year if everyone with a charity affiliated card switched over to the Virgin card.

Great news for those who do good and spend some cash at the same time. You can get your hands on a card here. 

Tagged in charity, fundraising, news

Everybody's single sometimes.

We all know how it is. When your best friends are coupled up and not up for going out so much. When most of your days are split between your home and your work, and the most exciting thing on your sofa is a new DVD box set. So when you feel like shaking things up a little, expanding your horizons and having some fun, where are you supposed to meet new people?

Well that's where we come in. This is Leap Anywhere's guide to doing good while dating. You could call it GetDateDoGood. If you're somebody who likes to help a good cause, this is your opportunity to flirt with a few strangers at the same time.

1) Slow Dating

This is a speed dating night, but with a difference - a whole extra minute's difference. And apparently at Slow Dating "Over and over again, we are told that extra minute really counts."

Intrigued?

Where most speed dating nights give people three minutes to chat, Slow Dating gives you four - PLUS half a minute to make your notes. And a percentage of the profits goes to registered charity Against Breast Cancer.  so the absolute bare minimum that can be gained out of this night is a donation to charity. Not bad eh?

Find out about your nearest event here and follow them on Twitter @slowdating

2) Outdoor Dating

(image courtesy of purprin)

Don't worry, it's not what you think - this is about as respectable as Mr Darcy accompanying Elizabeth Bennett on a walk around Pemberley. The latest Charity Speed Dating Walk near Shipbourne in Kent sets out from The Chaser pub on a spring day, takes in coffee at Igtham Moat and finishes up back at The Chaser for lunch. Delightful.

And there's no chance of getting stuck with someone you haven't got much in common with, as you swap walking partners every five minutes. Then you write down the people you like on your score card and hand it in at lunchtime, so you can swap contact details with your mutual scorers.  

So if you're the more outdoorsy type, or you'd prefer to walk and talk, or you like the idea of some beautiful countryside with your first date, book yourself a place here.

And here comes the doing good part. The event is free, so you're just asked to make a donation to Alzheimer's Society in return.

3) Holiday Dating 

Responsible Travel organises "extraordinary, inspiring holidays that make a difference" - for any budget and pretty much anywhere in the world that you want to go.

Their volunteer holidays range from jungle conservation in Peru to teaching in Tanzania to working with communities in India. And there are hundreds to choose from.

This is a fantastic opportunity to learn, get new skills and have some once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Oh and you get to travel with new people and hang out with them for a week or more, so at the very least you make a new friend. What's not to love?

4) Dance Dating

Each year, Sport Relief calls on us to raise money and change the lives of poor and vulnerable people around the world. This year, they're challenging us to dance our socks off for a good cause by making a dance video or organising a danceathon surely an ideal combination...

So get a group of people together to dance the night away and everyone gets sponsored/makes a donation to join in. So you're doing something worthwhile with a weekend or an evening and have a great time doing it.

Get everyone to bring a friend, that way, not only do you get to meet a whole load of new people, you introduce your friends to new people too - that's double the good deed. Then you could promise an extra donation for everyone who comes out of the event with a date, and do other fun stuff like giving people twenty-minute DJ slots as an extra chance to impress. 

5) Competitive Dating

A modern dating classic with a new twist. Get a friend to write a really good profile for you on My Single Friend on the condition that you'll write one for them too.

So far, so good deed for the day. But then you add an element of competition. The first one of you to get a date has to make a donation to a charity of the other person's choice - as it was them who wrote the winning profile. How much you donate is up to you, and you could keep this up for as many dates as either of you gets... the more dates you go on, the more money goes to a good cause. 

Well, there you have it. A dating idea to suit everybody and you get to do good. The rest is up to you. We'd love to hear how you get on, and your ideas for #GetDateDoGood. And if there are any weddings as a result of this blog post, we're invited. Deal?

Words by Sophie de Albuquerque.

Tagged in charity, Events, fundraising, Feature