Insights
The charity is promoting activities for families who are self-isolating through its latest online fundraising push.
The Make-A-Wish UK charity has launched a digital fundraising push called #StayHomeStars to encourage families to take part in activities while they are forced to stay at home due to the coronavirus.
The aim of the campaign is to encourage donations and involve families who are experiencing isolation for the first time. The campaign makes note of the seriously ill children the charity supports, who are sadly used to periods of isolation already.
The activities to be undertaken over a 14-day period, include creating a pirate ship from cardboard hospital bowls, playing boardgames and creating a music playlist.
Another is learning about wildlife from Steve Backshall via his Live Wildlife Chat on Facebook and Youtube.
It’s Deadly minus eight minutes! Join our #StayHomeStars and learn about wildlife from our buddy @SteveBackshall t.co/SKmM1o9qlM
— Make-A-Wish UK (@MakeAWishUK)It's Deadly minus eight minutes! Join our #StayHomeStars and learn about wildlife from our buddy @SteveBackshall https://t.co/SKmM1o9qlM
— Make-A-Wish UK (@MakeAWishUK) March 25, 2020
Those that take part are asked to share their activities on social media.
Board games! This is your finest hour! Rummikub highly recommended - even though I lost to my son 🤷♀️😫 #StayHomeStars pic.twitter.com/AhUp7z6Wcr
— Joanne Porter (@JoPorter70a>Board games! This is your finest hour! Rummikub highly recommended - even though I lost to my son \uD83E\uDD37♀️\uD83D\uDE2B #StayHomeStars pic.twitter.com/AhUp7z6Wcr
— Joanne Porter (@JoPorter70) March 21, 2020
Participants are also asked to donate £3 on their mobile phones by texting the word STARS to 70450.
With venues and travel operators closed the charity notes that the wishes of more than 1,000 seriously ill children are uncertain.
The charity’s Chief Executive Officer Jason Suckley said: “We have had to cancel many wishes. At this point we’re not even sure when we will be able to book many of these wish experiences again.
“No one can be sure when it will be safe enough for poorly children to travel again. No one is clear when travel providers may be able to offer experiences in the future.”
Earlier this month Make-A-Wish announced it had been handed £100,000 in National Lottery funding to boost its digital capabilities. The money was awarded to help build a digital platform to better manage application and track children’s “wish journey”.
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