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An innovative Manchester-based non-profit organisation offering a unique hub for giving is encouraging everyone to be ‘wonderful’ and donate time and skills to raise funds for charities as it launches its brand new website, wonderful.org.
The website provides a platform for individuals and businesses offering services from accountancy to Zumba tuition to give a little time to support charity. Like other classified listings websites, visitors can search and book online, the difference being that when a booking is made through the Wonderful website, every penny is passed to charity.
Unveiling the concept, Chief Executive, Kieron James, outlined the Wonderful Organisation’s vision to expand the online ‘one-stop-shop’ to offer as many services as possible, creating a brand new and highly effective funding stream for charities.
James and fellow shareholders in the free telephone conferencing service, WHYPAY? have provided £5,000 to kick start the new non-profit with an ongoing commitment to pass 10 per cent of revenue to the Wonderful Organisation to amplify the organisation’s message.
Having already identified a number of charities who will benefit from the fundraising, including Cancer Research UK and the Donna Louise Trust, the Wonderful Organisation is set to go from strength to strength in its concept to offer services in exchange for charitable donations.
James explains: “The Wonderful Organisation has been created to allow people to give a little time doing things they enjoy and in which they are skilled, trained or experienced.
"If you're a piano teacher, we'd like you to become a wonderful piano teacher by giving a little time to support charity. You might do so on a regular basis or as a one-off, but we really believe that time is the greatest gift of all."
"The idea applies to any service. We want to see bumper stickers that read ‘I'm a wonderful gardener’ and ‘Find me at wonderful.org’ stickers in shop windows and on business cards.”
Honey Lucas of Cancer Research UK said: “We are delighted Wonderful are fundraising in aid of Cancer Research UK. We receive no government funding for our research, so everything we do to save lives relies on money raised by members of the public. Every pound, and every penny really counts.”
The Wonderful Organisation will not deduct a penny from fees for services booked through the site - its operation being funded by philanthropic individuals and businesses.
James says: “Our guiding principle is that everybody working for the organisation must do so on a pro-bono basis. The Wonderful Organisation itself has no payroll since it has no staff. Everybody is on loan - some permanently, others by secondment.”
With the third sector under an increasing level of scrutiny following criticisms about fundraising practices and transparency, the Wonderful Organisation is determined to deliver a positive message.
He concludes: “We’d like to encourage as many people as possible to get involved. We’ve launched the site but now it’s over to you to fill our directory with wonderful services – all supporting the tremendous work of our charities.”
To become a ‘wonderful’ service provider or for more information visit wonderful.org.
