Bringing People Together
Fundraising
Our 2020 charity of the year is FIM e.V. The charity works with a wide number of vulnerable women from across the globe. The charity was chosen by the BCT as it was felt that when statistics tell us 1 in 3 women experience physical or sexual violence that it sadly meant some of our members may be amongst those numbers and we wished to support the organisation that does amazing work to support them and can do so in their native language.
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FIM - Frauenrecht ist Menschenrecht eV is an intercultural advice center for migrant women and their families with a focus on Frankfurt am Main. Through them women find advice and support in difficult life situations. Confidential, free and in more than 15 languages. They offer counselling, they also protect trafficking victims and support refugees and asylum seekers and they do so free of charge.
The money raised came from our members those who paid their annual fees, those who host and attend events, write articles, committee members and especially those who help and support at the Spirit of Christmas fair. If you baked or bought a cake, hosted or shopped at a stall, donated a space for us to us you helped ensure we could make a €4,000 donation.
Our BCT 2020 charity was Main-Kind e.V. Main- Kind is an organization based in Frankfurt which supports vulnerable children and young people in communities throughout the city. We felt after the fact this was quite fitting for 2019 as this year, we celebrated 30 years of the signing of the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child.
Main-Kind’s aim as an organization it to ensure all children regardless of any socioeconomics, politics, religion or ideology have the opportunity to experience ‘childhood’ in all aspects of their lives. Main-Kind has created partnerships with several community organizations and programs throughout Frankfurt which cater for the needs and interests of the children and young people whom live and study there.
How it works is that Main-Kind set up ‘projects’ coinciding with each organization’s needs. Projects can range from anything such as activities, excursions, nutrition, equipment, education, life skills training all of which are important aspects of any child or young person’s development and wellbeing. They believe by giving them positive experiences within their community it will transcend into all aspects of their lives both at home and school. By supporting and promoting their talents and affording them opportunities to learn life skills this will have a positive influence on not on their future but the future of the community.
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2018 Charity of the Year - Team United
Our chosen charity in 2018 was Team United, an inclusive football team. What stood out to us as a committee, was that both Team United and the BCT promote the objective of ‘bringing people together’ through shared interests and experiences.
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Team United work to create an inclusive environment that fosters team spirit and individual growth. They celebrate the achievements of each player, promoting self-esteem and sportsmanship. They promote fair-play, fun, and friendship on and off the pitch.
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The BCT has had continued involvement with Team United throughout 2018 and have built a friendship between the clubs through the ‘beautiful game’ and some club members even got to experience a game of blind football!
When playing you are aware that the ball itself is smaller and more compact than a regular football, the reason being there is a rattle inside that sounds off whenever the ball is in motion. This helps the players follow the ball using their sense of hearing. Finding the goal is also not an issue, as the goalkeeper is tasked with shouting out “hier/ here” to his or her teammates.
Julie described the experience as wonderful and her takeaway from that session was consideration: how to be considerate of people in your team, in a sport that is regularly played aggressively with a “me, me, me” attitude. How to be considerate of your own limitations and keep kicking anyway. How to be considerate of people who, no matter what life throws at them, continue to push past that boundary day in and day out.
As she said “Blind football is a bluff of sorts, because it isn’t just a sport. Be it a form of couples’ therapy or a thought-provoking exercise, blind football opened my horizons that day. I do think everyone should have the chance to experience that type of serendipity as they run screaming-laughing after a big,round rattle shouting either “voi” or “here” at the top of their lungs. “
We have over the last 5 years supported a number of wonderful charities doing a wide range of work in the Hessen area. The other charities we have supported are
VITA assistance dogs are "medicine on four paws". They gladly support their human team partners in everyday tasks and open doors - in a real and practical way
The Heart Pillow Project
The Heart Pillow Project makes and distributes support pillows to breast cancer patients free of charge. Our long term member Alison has made thousands of pillows and they are available to those who need them.
A wonderful charity that helps to support people in need all over the region.
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Kinderfὂrderzentrum Therapeutisches Reiten
A therapeuitic riding centre that supports over 200 children a week
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Arch Noah Hospice
Supporting children and their families with excellent hospice care.​