Like most small businesses we get many more charity requests than we could possibly respond to. We decided a couple of years ago to concentrate on properly supporting 1 local and 1 national/international charity. This year and 2012 they are Art Link Central and Shelterbox.
We do - of course - do a bit more; usually for people who have some connection to Snapdragon; as part of the team, as customers, as blog readers and tweeters. We, not surprisingly favour them over the "Dear Sir or Madam" requests.
A couple of years ago - when we were open for the Open Studios scheme we were visited by Betty and India; charming young women from Dundee who had travelled down especially. In October Betty contacted me to say that she was organising a Ladies Night as part of her fund raising efforts towards a trip she is making to the Himalayas next year to help build greenhouses, and could she buy some mirrors to sell.
We sent her up a box of things on sale or return and I heard earlier in the week that she had sold them ALL!
The cheque which arrived in payment for them today will be going as part of our Christmas donation to Shelterbox. We heard this week that the 2 boxes that Snapdragon customers provided earlier in the year went to Somalia.