Send Sprinkles via UNICEF

Last year my  two gorgeous children (with a little help from Daddy) bought me an Inspired Gift from UNICEF which turned out to be a box full of measles vaccinations which were sent to areas that desperately needed them. Being a keen supporter of the work that UNICEF do I was thrilled with this, and you may read more about Inspired Gifts here.

I’m cutting it a little fine to add this as a Mother’s Day feature this year however children in many areas are suffering all year and not just on Mothering Sunday so bear with me. Research shows that the first 1000 days of a child’s life (throughout pregnancy and up until their second birthday) is a critical time in terms of receiving the proper nutrients that they need to go on and thrive (or survive). I’m told that in the first 1000 days of life a child’s physical and mental growth occurs quickly and that their body weight quadruples while the size of their brain actually doubles. Clearly this really is a key time in any child’s life.

Just £3 will make a huge difference
Just £3 will make a huge difference

Sadly many children in developing counties don’t receive the nutrients they need to support this growth therefore UNICEF are working hard to change this. A child that suffers from malnutrition during these early days will be affected for life and will likely never regain the potential for growth and developing good health that they might have had should they have had enough food, water and importantly nutrients.

This Mother’s Day, on your birthday, one Thursday or on a “just because” day if you spend just £3 or if this amount is spent on your behalf you will be able to provide a mother with micronutrient sprinkles to ensure that the basic and much needed vitamins and nutrients a child needs are supplied. I have it on good authority that I will be sending live-saving sprinkles this year and I hope that you feel able to do the same.

Please visit the UNICEF site for more information, to buy or to browse the Inspire Gifts range.
Thanks x

 

For Mother’s Day I want to help another Mum keep her child alive.

Inspired Gifts from UNICEF

What is the best gift for a Mum on Mother’s Day? I usually get treated to a lie in and a day of not lifting a finger with homemade cards and flowers. A lovely family day! Some people enjoy being wined and dined, a show or even jewellery and I don’t begrudge any of them, us Mothers work damn hard you know!

Some information I was sent make me rethink about what a Mother really wants for Mothers day and in many areas of the world it is to see her child have a meal, some clean and safe water, a life saving vaccination or a blanket to stave off the cold. This puts a whole new slant on Mother’s Day for me.

UNICEF run an amazing scheme called Inspired Gifts. You might have heard me mention something this before as I tried to help raise awareness of it at Christmas. Basically you can choose to buy a gift for your loved ones that helps someone else keep theirs. A nutritional UNICEF Inspired gift really can make that difference.

It is unbelievable to me that in this day and age Mums are having to bury their children because they are dying from malnutrition or illness that ordinarily wouldn’t kill a healthy child but which can’t be fought off by a baby or young child who is basically starving.

You can buy a gift such as some magic milk which is just £12 (the price of a decent bunch of flowers at a supermarket). This life saving milk is used in the treatment of children with severe malnutrition in refuge camps, hospitals and emergency feeding centres.

Buying an emergency gift which costs £18 (a bottle of wine and some flowers) will provide UNICEF with the funds to provide clean water, supplies including medications and other essential kit to areas who are in a dire emergency situation.

For those who really do feel they need to give something they can wrap up, why not choose a gift from the UNICEF shop? There are some gorgeous and useful items there which would make a fantastic Mothers Day gift and the funds raised still go towards helping those who need help the most.

I have asked Roy to help the boys choose me something from the Inspired Gift range (I have my eye on the nutritional biscuits). On Mothers Day I will be able to cuddle up in bed with my boys knowing that another Mum across the world can still hold her children.

Please visit the UNICEF website and choose a truly Inspired Gift this Mother’s Day.