JK Rowling's charity, Lumos, is asking people around the world to support its Light A Birthday Candle campaign, a year after changing its name from the Children’s High Level Group.
On and around International Children’s Day, 01 June 2011, the charity is asking people, community groups and organizations to take part in this initiative to help raise vital funds and awareness for the one million children in institutionalized care in Central and Eastern Europe.
Separated from their families and isolated from their community, these children receive little human or emotional contact. Year after year, the staff who look after them cannot provide the individual attention they need so desperately, meaning they don’t have access to the educational or social activities we take for granted – from attending school to marking each passing year by celebrating a birthday.
In many institutions, 01 June, International Children’s Day, is often chosen as the day these young people mark their birthdays; however the notion of a child’s individuality is lost – with some children never knowing their actual birth date.
So why not celebrate International Children’s Day and Light a Birthday Candle for Lumos? Lumos is encouraging people to host cake and candle themed fundraising events on and around 1 June 2011, in honor of the thousands of children unable to have their own birthday parties.
There are three main ways to get involved this year:
- make a donation: by simply clicking to light a candle online
- bake and take: by organising a workplace bake sale
- tea and cake: by hosting a fund-raising afternoon tea for friends and family
A number of celebrities have joined the campaign, including Jane Asher, Gary Rhodes, Ainsley Harriott and more.
To find out more, click here.
