I have been thinking for a while that I should offer a day or two of my design time free to a registered charity and thought perhaps others would like to join in. During the summer months and with a slow economy I am sure many designers and design companies are finding a little more free time on their hands. Of course also during the recession charities are suffering as people just can’t afford to give as much money to them as they used to. So why not put these two together?
I would like to offer a day or two of my time free (working/ briefing remotely) to a UK registered charity. If any charity is interested they are welcome to contact me through my contact page and I will select one to work with. Why not join me, if you are a designer/design company who would like to offer a day or two free design time to charity why not make a post on your blog with what you are offering (and perhaps the type of charity you would like to work with) and if you let me know by commenting on this post I will link to you at the bottom of this post.
Maybe together all of us can may a few spare days design time increase the profile of some charities and give us all some fresh design inspiration working on something new. If the idea works well perhaps its something that we could continue on a regular basis every few months a year? What do you think?
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44 Comments
It is always good to give – he who has hands that are open to give, will also have hands that are open to receive – is a mantra that really works miracles. Hats off to you for coming up with this initiative, as marketing is really skills that are lacking in these organisations that are focussed on alleviating suffering.
That’s a great idea. I’d volunteer if I wasn’t so busy. Hope you find more people to join in on this!
Great idea. Helping others make one more happy than he will be. Nice to see benovelent persons like you. Hats off to you.
Funnily enough we are designing and printing 3 jobs for local fund raising efforts free of charge at the moment.
However I fully appreciate that for lots of small firms this is not possible.
hi, it’s a great idea. to bad i’m a programmer if i am a designer i’ll join you.
Thanks for the post. I think charity is a good thing for the people who are in great need. Sometimes unfortunate things happen and people need help. However, when someone begins to rely on it for long term support, there is a problem. Charity is to help people so they can help themselves, it is not to make them lazy. As always, there is a balance to things. I would like to join you, but I have already have my own group… I wish you good luck!!!
wow thats a great idea But how to i really wish to join you But oh god i dont have enough time
I am a logo designer so would be happy to offer a free logo to a charity if there is one out there in need. My site is not really a blog so it would be difficult for me to add a blog post about it on my own site but if you would like to offer a logo for a charity and then select one either by random or by most in need I would be happy to offer my services.
hey you got a good idea iam logo designer too if you wish contact me
Hi
Thanks for all your comments.
MJStapleford and Mark, thanks for offering to join in we’ll see if anyone contacts us
Happy to provide video backgrounds and animation, feel free to email me
Sadly I’m not even a decent designer so I can’t join you but we have actually been talking about doing something similar on our company on a monthly basis.
I have allot of respect for anyone who does charity work, I find it hard to make the time to do the things I need to do let alone help others.
You can count me in too. I think you have hit on a great idea.
It’s very kind of you to think of something like this, i’m not a good designer cause i’m a programmer but i’ll try to make one and just give you an update if I get it done. goodluck to this idea of yours! =)
Hello…
I was just blog surfing when I found this post. This is something I am currently doing at my blog. I offer a free design out to my readers or anyone once a month. Check out how I do it on my website.
Cheerios!
I try to do something free for a worthy non-profit at least once a month. A website, some online promotion or whatever they need. Doesn’t pay the bills but I feel good about it.
I just hope there is something like “free software foundation” for the design community, a “free design doundatons”, maybe? free as free in speech.
This is such a good idea and it’s great to see professionals giving back and leveraging their skill sets. Bravo!
Hi Tara
My first blog reply……ever! and yes, I think doing something for charity is a great idea. Count me in.
Just recently gone freelance…..(wondering why now, with the recession an all) but this is a real positive thing that I’d like to be involved in.
I’d be up for this, I work for myself and I’m always very quiet in August. Crazy busy the rest of the year but if you want to keep my details and if August is good for you then let me know.
Cheers
As a freelancer, this idea was awesome! thumbs up!
Hi, I run a Graphic Design studio (GREC Graphics) for a registered Scottish Charity (GREC) – we aim to provide a professional, bespoke and competitive design service. We concentrate on designing mainly for other Charities & Voluntary organisations and are kept very busy.
I would welcome any freelancers that wish to donate their time for free – please contact me with your details, thank you.
Hi – I published a comment yesterday regarding charity work, but it seems to have vanished… Can you email me?
Great idea. I’ve always accepted pro-bono work from certain charities but I like the formality of your idea. In fact I think it deserves an official holiday, extended to all industries. How great would that be if 1-2 days out of the year ALL for-profit enterprises offered their services to non-profits / charities!
If it takes off, all credit to you Tara!
Can anyone help me? I’ve got some design ideas for Haringey Parent Carers forum, but no idea how to put them onto the computer. Can anyone help. It’s for a business sized card which will be left all over the borough to give out essential help numbers to Parent who care for discabled children. HELP!!!
I’ve been doing this for many years; offering free design work to registered charities.
At the moment I’m doing something to raise £1500 for charity and that’s similar in that I’m offering businesses a logo design concept for just £50.00. So I ask that they donate £50.00 to my charity page in return for a design concept.
If anyone wants to help me with this I’d be eternally greatful. Simply offer this great deal and then ask them to donate their £50 to http://www.justgiving.com/acebananas/ before you work on their design concept.
I’ve had three people take me up on it so far and I’ve raised funds in other ways also. For instance my sister did a half marathon and I asked her to raise money at work for my Just Giving page. She’s just collecting it now and then will donate to the page and has managed to raise about £250 minimum so will be a nice dent into my target!
Any help with my ‘design for charity drive’ would be most appeciated. I’ve got a £1500 target, and even after my sister puts her funds in, I’ll still have a good £950 to raise still.
Thanks
Amanda
that a great idea,as as a designer i’m absolutely suport.
It is always good to share your blessings to other people. TO have a day for a charity is somewhat a big challenge to each of us. I myself would really love to do charity specially to kids on orphanage.
Hi Tara
Ive just set up a website at Santas Knee to help the NSPCC at Christmas. Ive set it up and paid for eveything myself out of free time but im having trouble finding sponsors, you get a free advertisment 125x125px in the right hand column and people only need to contribute 1p per comment and if people are a bit strapped then they can just cap the sponsor at whatever theyre willing to sponsor, the ad will stay up all year round but comments will close on New Years Eve, i have got a justgiving account which is accessible via the website. All the advertisments on the site will use dofollow in the thanks section and the ad so you will also get link love from helping out children at christmas. I hope you dont mind me posting this here as i know its slightly advertising but i think it fits in well with your post.
If anyone is willing to sponsor could you please contact me via this link or go onto the justgiving link and let me know your details and i will put your advertisment up.
Regards
Mike
We already support lots of local charities and wish more people would too – especially in the current environment with businesses giving less to charity.
Good idea! helping charity is one of the achievement in life..
logo designs can be extremely intricate, regarding the thought process and research that encompasses each logos foundation. This is a problem where people may not realize enough about logo design. There is much more than meets the eye, sort of speak. Do not go cheap.
That’s a great idea. I’d volunteer if I wasn’t so busy. Hope you find more people to join in on this!
I`m ready to join
Thats a great idea ,I really wish to join you .
Alas! I wish i could join you. Unfortunately I am far away
. But your idea is great 
What an awesome idea. What ever became of this, did it pan out?
The more you give the, twice it will come back. I love doing your jobs as well. This is great, its just like the charity that I’ve handled for years. More powers.
Hi there,
We are going to buil up a website of Charity for children, and at first, we need a suggestion of logo about it, any ideas and help us?
Hi Jane
What is your Charity exactly – please drop me a line on my contact form and I will see if I can help
What a great idea! Charities are suffering at this time in history. I wish more professionals would give some of their time to people or companies in need, from doctors, denitists and now web designers, making a difference in people’s lives.
BlueFlameDesign are the retained design agency for a certain childrens charity in the UK. From working together with the charity, (and I think that working together is the key to its succes) we have helped to raise the charity’s profile tenfold. The charity is now reaping the rewards of a stonger brand that delivers a more recognisable and impactful message, consistent marketing material and more support from volunteers and patrons.
To have a charity as a client, and to know that you have been responsible in raising awareness for the charity to new heights is a great feeling. Whether they are a paying client or not.
There just seems to be more satisfaction from working together. More so than a new take away menu or colur ad for the local car dealership.
A charity is an organisation which helps one group of people to support another, helps animals or protects the environment. So in response to your thread – I believe that this is a good idea, a very good idea. By ‘donating’ our time and experience to helping the smaller charities is a very worthy cause.
Hi all,
I understand this post is a few years old, but I just wondered if anyone has an hour or two of time they could volunteer for the charity I work for?
See http://www.eikon.org.uk. We support vulnerable young people in Surrey.
I need a professional looking poster produced to promote an event we have coming up next year – a 100km moonlit night cycle through London. I have all the copy and images ready to email over, but need help with the graphic design to make it look as appealing as possible.
Can anyone help? I would be extremely grateful.
Many thanks,
Jessica
jessica@eikon.org.uk
01932 347 434