Steve Cram and George the Giraffe launch the Schools 500 Games
COCO's mascot, George the Giraffe and founder...
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Support Us
CORPORATE CLIMB KILIMANJARO FOR KIDS - June 2012
In addition to our student trek, COCO now offer our corporate supporters the chance to climb Kilimanjaro.
Whilst the challenge is not an easy one, all you need is a good level of fitness and a real sense of determination. The trek lasts for 7 days and whilst in Tanzania you will also have the chance to visit some of COCO's projects and witness first hand the impact of your support on the lives of the children we work with.
COCO will cover the cost of your accommodation, transfers and trek. All we ask is that in return you commit to raising a minimum of £3500 and cover the cost of your flights. Prior to the trip you can take part in training weekends, social events and plenty of opportunities to get to know your group. We provide you with plenty of fundraising support and advice along the way to ensure that you can reach the target and at the end of it all you can proudly say that you have reached the roof of Africa!
To join us for this fantastic challenge please contact Laura at COCO or call 0191 261 7427.
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Raise funds for COCO, have fun and gain valuable experience in the UK and overseas.
- Want to use your creativity for a good cause?
- Looking for an internship?
- Want experience of the charity sector?
- Want to climb Kilimanjaro?
Volunteering, whether helping out in the COCO office, at an event or overseas project is one of the best ways to get involved and really make a difference! Talk to our volunteers and hear it from them! Call 0191 261 7427 or email laura@coco.org.uk
STUDENT CLIMB KILI FOR KIDS: JUNE/JULY 2012
Calling all students!!! Join COCO for our 2012 student Kilimanjaro challenge which aims to depart in June 2012. You will have the chance to reach the summit of Africa's highest freestanding mountain and make friends for life as you'll be joined by over 30 students from other Universities. Whilst in Tanzania you will be able to visit COCO's projects to meet the children who will benefit from your fundraising.
If you are interested in getting involved with our 2012 Student Climb Kili for Kids trek then contact laura@coco.org.uk or call 0191 261 7427.
To find out more about COCO's projects - the reason for your climb, please visit www.youtube.com/cococharity.
FUNDRAISING EVENTS WITH A DIFFERENCE
Whether climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, playing Golf with Celebrities or cycling the Coast-to-Coast route, COCO can suggest an event for you! COCO works closely with all our supporters, helping to develop fundraising ideas and ensuring supporters learn the vital impact of their fundraising achievements.
SOCIAL EVENTS
Join us at one of COCO's annual social events held in fantastic locations such as the Celebrity Golf Day or Red Ribbon Ball. Celebrities always support COCO events, bringing unique appeal and entertainment!
June 2012 - Steve Cram Celebrity Golf Day in Aid of COCO, De Vere Slaley Hall, Northumberland
December 2012 - Red Ribbon Ball
RUNNING AND SWIMMING EVENTS WITH TEAM COCO
Team COCO run across the UK and overseas in races such as the London Marathon, Great North Run, New York Marathon and Comrades Marathon in South Africa. Team COCO also offer entries to events like the Great North Swim so whatever your sport, join Team COCO and run or swim towards brighter futures!
For TEAM COCO EVENTS visit the Team COCO page
Cram-Alert - A precaution worth taking
The production of Cramtags has now come to an end but in their place is a more powerful and comprehensive service provided by Cram-Alert. Cram-Alert provide a range of products, an online datastore and a 24/7 emergency support team to assist you and your family in times of crisis.
The Cram-Alert service allows you to be identified using a range of ID products including stickers, tags, wristbands and key fobs. The 24/7 support team can give you and your sporting club the peace of mind that if an emergency was to occur, they would be on hand to help with ID and provision of detailed information to the people who need it.
Steve Cram's brother, Kevin, tragically fell ill and died whilst out running in 2001. Like most runners he was not carrying any ID. His identification was consequently delayed by several days adding to the distress of the incident. Cram-Alert products aim to prevent future tragedies like this. For more information about Cram-Alert please visit www.cram-alert.co.uk.
Discounts are available to COCO supporters if you wish to purchase a Cram-Alert product. To take advantage of these discounts please email info@coco.org.uk. For every product purchased using the discount code, COCO receive a donation.
SCHOOLS
COCO is running a series of African Maths Games Workshops developed in associating with the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (click here to see the workshop in action!). Pupils learn to play African maths strategy games whilst learning about African culture in a fun and stimulating way-helping children in the international community.
COCO can also offer the chance for your school to use case studies of children in COCO's projects as tools for teaching PSHE/Citizenship and Geography. Please contact Laura for more details - laura@coco.org.uk.
COCO can also help your school to...
- Organise a fair trade coffee morning for COCO
- Hold a non-uniform day for COCO
- Take part in sponsored events e.g. a sports day or danceathon
CORPORATE SUPPORT
By supporting COCO your company can also benefit by enhancing your Social Responsibility and employee motivation whilst making a real difference to the lives of vulnerable children by working towards brighter futures.
COCO can provide fundraising support, advice and information to ensure your fundraising is a success, and we will support you all the way, from planning an event to helping with publicity.
- Join us at one of COCO's events
- Support COCO through a range of exclusive sponsorship opportunities
- Nominate COCO as your company's Charity of the Year
- Be involved in COCO's payroll scheme
- Organise small fundraising initiatives at work such as a cake sale or dress down day
COCO COLLECTIVE
Join the COCO Collective - a group of student volunteers taking part in fundraising collections - local, regional, national and international! There are also opportunities to collect at various sporting events, concerts and fantastic venues with other likeminded people helping to raise funds and awareness of COCO's work.
Enhance your CV and show future employers that you are reliable, motivated team player by volunteering for a worthwhile cause.
Volunteering Overseas
Whilst we have done so in the past, at present COCO is not in a position to offer overseas volunteering placements. The reasons are many and varied but include the following:
* The cost of a volunteer visa in Tanzania, where most of our project work occurs, has risen to USD$500. Our experience suggest that this is an unjustifiable expense for most volunteers.
* We do not wish to run overseas trips without complying with the requirements of British Standard 8848 - COCO's organisational focus is not primarily on volunteering and as such complying with BS8848 adds extra calls on the time of our small team.
However, it is not simply because of these practical considerations that our volunteering policy has altered. The following elements have also given us cause to consider:
- Having unskilled foreign volunteers working on projects can result in local workers missing out on employment they would otherwise have got.
- The standard of work cannot be guaranteed.
- A community, wishing to be good hosts, will often put the needs of the volunteers before their own. This can mean agreeing to projects that volunteers can help with rather than projects that are more urgently needed.
- COCO hopes that the communities we work alongside are able to see that they can solve many of the problems they face with only a minimum amount of outside assistance. Having overseas volunteers working on a project can undermine this message.
- Many of the children at our projects sites are what are sometimes known as "Orphans and Vulnerable Children" (OVCs). The care and long-term nurturing of OVCs can be immensley complex. There is increasing concern about the impact of overseas volunteers forming bonds with such children only to leave shortly afterwards.
None of the above means that you shoudl not consider volunteering overseas with other organisations; indeed we would enourage you to, but some important things to bear in mind are:
- Do you have real skills and experience (e.g. teaching (including TEFL), building, nursing)?
- Can these skills be sourced within the local community?
- Can you stay for an extended period (months rather than weeks)?
- If you will be working with vulnerable people are you qualified to do so?
- Does the organisation running your trip comply with the British Standard 8848?
- How much of the money you are paying goes to the community you will be visiting?
As an alternative, if you are keen to help in the fight against global poverty, and still wish to volunteer in the UK then take a look at the volunteer vacancies section of our website (homepage) to see if there are any current opportunities that fire your imagination!!