The lastest update on the News section of Jo's site is about her involvement in a group that is trying to improve conditions for mistreated children. One example of this is mentally handicapped children who are kept in cages in the Czech republic. Please read the article on Jo's site, as she explains it much better than I could. I have also been reading some articles she wrote about it for a British newspaper (think it was the Sun?).

Anyway, the stories brought tears to my eyes, and I wondered if there was any way Snitch members could help this cause that Jo feels so strongly about. I'm not sure if they are looking for money or public awareness or letters sent to prominent individuals or governments... but if I find out, is anyone else willing to help and form some kind of support from the Snitch? I think that letter-writing would be especially effective (if that is what the group are looking for) especially since we are such an international bunch. Anyway, let me know and if there is much interest I will contact the group and find out more. Thanks!


p.s. I don't think that supporting or promoting charities goes against any Snitch rules, but if it does, I apologise to the mods. I wasn't sure if it was a bit too political... but at the end of the day it is a human issue rather than a political one. Please feel free to remove this post if it offends, and accept my apologies.

OMG...that article on her site...that is really sad.

I think we indeed can do something, not only because it means much to Jo, but also because it is just terrible. We can't even imagine what it must be like. I agree, we have to do something, the least thing we can do is probably writing letters.

Nicola, of course it's alright to post about this. If anybody approves of this, I'm severly doubting the state of their minds to say the least.

I think doing something is a good idea. Let's see how many people would like to help out. Writting leters is always a good thing to do. Amnesty international organizes days where people can write letters for certain causes all the time. When my head is a bit clearer, I'll definately look into it

Ok, so that's 3 of us so far... nobody else interested in trying to help? If you read Jo's articles in The Sun you may change your mind. You can download them from the Sun Newspaper's website at a cost of £2.50 for 5 downloads if you can't get hold of the paper itself.

I have just emailed Baroness Nicholson, the MEP (member of European Parliament) who is involved with the group), so hopefully we will have some news on exactly which way they wish us to help soon.

Thanks for the support Nylyn and Ucchan!

I would be happy to help if I can.

It is amazing that this sort of thing can still happen in the world today so if there is anything I can do I will be happy and willing to do it so this can at some stage stop.

pink

Pink Lady - thank you very much for coming on board. I am actually pretty disappointed by the lack of response to this, but will send a few PMs tomorrow to friends and try to spread the word.

I had an email reply from Baroness Emma Nicholson today, about how we can help. It was a lovely response with plenty of promising information about how we can get involved. I really need to get to bed right now so I won't post any detailed comments of my own until tomorrow, but herre is a copy of the email so you can see what she said:

Dear Nicola

Thank you for your wonderful email! Your compassion, and that of your friends, does you enormous credit,

Certainly, we need funds - large or small gifts are all equally welcome. You can given in the following ways:

1. Pay direct into bank account No. 12370200, sort code 15-99-00 (C Hoare & Co.) Payable to Children's High Level Group.
2. Send a cheque/postal order payable to Children's High Level Group to: Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, House of Lords, London SW1A 0AA

Next, we need support groups. You are essentially one already. Our campaign is to be called "The Children's Voice"; and we are working on detail now. Our goal is to get children and young people themselves active and listened to on full implementation of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child in every country. This needs careful planning and specific targets.

We would gladly welcome your involvement in this high goal which will have permanent benefits for children everywhere. We are not yet ready with detail of the part of the campaign, so first things first. Please fundraise and raise awareness.

Yours sincerely
Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne MEP

Just a note on donating funds... if anyone is interested in contributing financially, you could go ahead and do as she has instructed in the email, however it might be nice to send any donations as a lump sum from the Snitch rather than from individual members. I will set up something with paypal and/or some bank account details tomorrow. Of course it is your own individual choice, but I just thought a shared contribution might be a nice way of doing it. Back tomorrow when my head is less sleepy!!!

how about a kind of signature campaign? we pass it around the net and put our names in and send it to the czech or something... or maybe even just a kind of "shout out".. like "the snitchers support jk rowling in her concern about this cruelty" and put it on the paper (if anyone can).... i don't know, maybe this is a stupid idea. i wish i could do something better to help, but i think all i'm doing is annoying you with my long post...

I don't know about the money (maybe I can get my parents to pay something) but I'm sure this can get a big thing. I'll get back to it later, I'll have to make something up.

Has Gary seen this already? Maybe he could put up a link to where money can be donated. I think writting a letter on behalf of the snitch is a great. Too bad we don't live close to eachother. I had this whole idea in mind to make one letter on behalf of the snitch send it to all those who want to participate and let them sign it.

Maybe this should be forwarded to Gary and see if he would like the Snitch to be an active partner in this

Hi again,

J_seeker, thanks for your support! You weren't annoying with your post. I think that the signature campaign is a really good idea but I do think that we should wait until the group have finalised their ideas of what they want the support groups to do... we can be more effective that way. And also, some people don't recognise email petitions the same way they recognise handwritten ones... silly, I know, but I think we should wait until we have heard some more from Baroness Nicholson once they have some definite ideas! It gives us some time to collect more people for the cause anyway!

Nylyn, don't worry if you can't give financially. I pointed out in my original email to Baroness Nicholson that a lot of our members are children or teenagers - I know there's no way I could have afforded to donate to charity when I was younger. Your support is still important, whatever form it comes in. I put up the bit about donations mainly for the adult members. However if anyone was really desperate to make a monetary contribution, but couldn't afford to themselves, don't forget you could always do a sponsored event.

Ucchan - I have no idea if Gary has seen this... I don't really know how I would go about getting this thread more attention... Is there any chance at all you could use your wonderful mod-ly powers to get my thread noticed?! I want this to fill up with responses and support as quickly as the "The Snitch isn't closing!" thread!!!

Don't forget also everyone that Baroness Nicholson asked for awareness as well as financial support. Please tell everyone you know about this cause!!!!

Hi


I found these websites, and thought I would post incase anyone else wanted some extra information increase awareness on cage beds.

Quick warning some of the information/stories in these websites could be disturbing!!

This one is a very general but dose have ideas of who to write letters to.

General Cage Beds Info

This one is a huge report but has some graphic pictures to illustrate the conditions

Cage beds

This is a Time report on conditions

Time

There is also this report from the Times newspaper

Times

pink

P.S. Had an idea what about a banner or signature champagne within the Snitch to add awareness to this topic like the ones for fanfictions

nicola,
i just now found this thread. let me know what email to send a paypal payment to and i will try to chip in a few bucks. unfortunately for me, i'm paycheck to paycheck these days, but still, you know im good for at least $10.
sorry it took me so long to catch up on this one.
-b

I'll send Gary a pm

Hello again....

Pinklady, thanks so much for those links. It's really helpful so that people can read about exactly what we are campaigning against here. Unfortunately the Sun newspaper, which carried Jo's articles on the plight of these children, makes you pay to download articles, and I can't think of a way of posting them without breaching copyright. So the articles you found will be very useful! If anyone does want to read Jo's articles, please e-mail me on the below address and I will send them to you - that doesn't seem quite as naughty as copying and pasting directly onto here!

Brandi - thanks for the support. Don't worry if you can't afford much - the main thing here is that we are getting people on board and willing to help. And if every Snitch member donated as little as a pound we would have a heck of a lot of money. Although as I said, other forms of support will prove important too.

Ucchan - thanks!!


I have now set up a paypal account specifically for the purpose of collecting money from the Snitchers. If you wish to donate, please feel free. Unfortunately I don't think you can use a credit or debit card directly - I think you need to use another paypal account to make a payment. The email address to pay to is: thesnitch_childrens_high_level@yahoo.co.uk

If anyone in the UK would like to send a cheque instead, please email the same address for my home address. Or if you would like to pay directly to my bank account, again, please email me for details.

Of course, you are all free to make individual donations according to the instructions provided by Baroness Nicholson in my previous post. You don't have to give together with other members the Snitch... especially if you are not confident about handing over money to me - I am a strange woman off the internet who you have never even met after all! If you don't trust me with your money I understand entirely! I don't want there to be any pressure on anyone. But if we make a larger donation as a group I think it will have a greater impact.

Also, please remember that there will be other ways to help and that there is nothing wrong with not being able to afford a financial donation. I don't think we should start writing letters or anything just yet, as Baroness Nicholson has said she will get back to me when they have decided exactly what they would like the support groups to do. It will be more helpful to them if we do what they ask rather than just plunging in there - no matter how keen we are!

The most important thing to be doing for now is telling people about this cause. Read the articles posted by Pinklady. Do some online research yourselves for topics such as "Children's High Level Group" or "cage beds". Tell your friends. Tell your family. Talk to people. Email people. Awareness is the first step to making a difference - if people don't know about something they can't try to change it. Please try to build up some interest!!! I expect more responses by the morning lol!!!!


EDIT:

I have just read the article posted by Pinklady from the Times newspaper in detail. I think this must be the original article that Jo read, which inspired her to help. I challenge any one of you to read it without crying. Go on, try. And if it touches you that deeply, I challenge you not to add your name to this post and offer your support. Innocent children are being subjected to ordeals so barbaric that they seem like a scene from a science fiction film. And this is happening in Europe! In countries which have been accepted as EU member states and which are therefore governed by European Human Rights laws. Please, read the article. And then add your name to this list and start telling other people.

Yes this is something I would be happy for us to support, I have spoken to stefan to make arrangements to get the ball rolling..

Gary - thanks for taking an interest and agreeing to support this. It would be great if the Snitch could get involved in some way in an official capacity. Please let me know what you come up with, and thank you very much for showing support!!!

I'm disappointed generally by the lack of support for this thread. Maybe people don't know it exists, which would explain it.

Please remember we aren't just asking for you to donate money - that would be great but there are other things we can do too!

I know there are lots of charities out there that you can support, but just to give you a reason to support this one, here is an extract from one of the articles linked above by Pinklady (thanks again!!!) in case people aren't clicking on the links.

THE screaming starts at 11am sharp each day in the basement of the Raby care home near Prague. That is when a little boy called Vasek Knotek is locked in his cage.
For a brief period each morning Vasek, who is about five, is let out to be fed and washed. But once his cage has been cleaned he is forced back inside.

Vasek shakes the iron frame with all the force he can muster and tears at the wire mesh that confines him. His screams of anger ring through the building. In an adjacent cage his friend Michal puts his hands over his ears to shut out the noise and bursts into tears.

There is nothing in the children's cages to comfort or console them — no teddy bears or toys and certainly no gifts from home. Vasek's parents live less than a mile away, but according to staff they have not visited once since they brought him in as a baby with beautiful blond curls. He has a sister who does not even know he exists, they say.

Nor do the nurses show Vasek any warmth: they refer to him by his surname and cannot say whether he is four, five or six. The human contact in his daily routine consists mainly of a quick wash, nappy changes and perhaps a head shave.

The only distraction for Vasek as he stood forlornly in his cage last week in a room of bare whitewashed walls and fluorescent lights was the sight of a man in his late seventies lying on a bed opposite, shaking, sedated and apparently close to death.

Now please think of a young child you know - a brother or sister or son or daughter or cousin or niece or nephew or someone you babysit for... and try to imagine them being treated like that. We shouldn't treat animals this way, let alone people... if children aren't treated well at that age it will affect their whole life. Please let's help.

Nicola, I've only just seen this thread but believe me if I'd seen it earlier I would have posted. I am willing to show my suport for this cause as it's so worthy of it. I'm not much good with letter writing and such but I'll help out where I can.

Leanne
xXx

No problem, glad you found them helpful.

Just wondered whether it would be an idea to promote this link in signatures so maybe get interest from other parts of the forums, just an idea do not know if it would work though.

pink

EDIT

Just thought I would add this in to just inform people exactly what a cage bed is this has been taken from a report by the Mental Disability Advocacy Center (MDAC)

Leanne - Welcome on board! We'll let you know exactly how you can help as soon as we know ourselves! In the meantime, please feel free to make a donation if you can afford to (and don't feel pressured if you can't!) and tell all your freinds about this cause!!!

Pinklady - more brilliant ideas! I have amended my siggie. Maybe someone artistic can make us a badge or something for our sigs or avis... but for now a link is great - hopefully some more people will see it.

Things are moving along really well in getting this made into an officially-Snitch-supported cause, thanks to Gary and Stefan, so watch this space for more info soon!

ohh thank you

Anyway banner idea afraid it is a bit rough but just an idea, if that is the sought of thing you where thinking

Hiya, Nicola,

You've done really great here! I'd been following the story about the caged beds since it broke. I don't think a signature campaign is really necessary since the Romanian government (and other Eastern European countries, as well) recognises the problem, but simply have no money to combat it. Public awareness and money is what they need.

I was thinking that even if people want to send money directly to the Children's High Level Group, they could mention that they are Snitch members.

Another thing is, there is a cultural problem here. I don't know about the rest of America, but where I'm from, kids just don't do fundraising like we do here in the UK. There is nothing like 'Red Nose Day' or Children In Need. Because of health scares, school's don't do things like cake stalls. We may have to come up with some ideas for fundraising.

You could challenge your school to have a 'non-uniform' day. Or dress all in green day. Each student would have to pay a dollar to participate. Or do a carwash (at least if your town isn't under a foot or two of snow!) The Comic Relief site has some good ideas that don't require sponsorship. Since we Snitchers are quite spread out, it might be easier to get your school involved (or church), rather than try to organise something on your own. (I just had the idea of doing a sponsored walk at a zoo. The world insists that animals are treated better than children!)

If anyone wants to do a fundraiser, we may be able to get posters from the Children's High Level Group, so any possible donators would know you were legit. Or maybe leaflets.

Pinklady, I love your banner. Just those beds are far too bright and clean.

Nicola, let us know if they need things like toys or blankets.

MBeth, thanks so much for your contributions... some great ideas...

I didn't realise sponsored events were such a British thing. It would definitely be good if some of the Snitch members could get their schools involved though. I will email Baroness Nicholson now and see if there is any kind of official information pack or leaflet that members could give to their teachers to explain what we are fundraising for.

Some more ideas for fundraising events:

- sponsored silence (you are not allowed to talk for 24 hours - although clear it with your school first if you are going to do it on a school day - some of them don't like non-responsive pupils!)

- sponsored sports event eg run 5 miles or have a football match or swim 1000 metres or whatever.

- karaoke evening or quiz evening (sell tickets) (takes a lot of organising but is a great way to get more people involved eg parents and friends and can be a real success)

- duck race (number 20 plastic ducks, charge people a pound or so for each duck, race them down a stream, the winner gets half the takings, you keep the other half for the charity - can be done lots of times with the same ducks - like a comedy horse race I suppose!)

- Soak the teacher - only if you have very cool teachers! (teacher stands against a wall or in "stocks" and kids pay a certain amount for a wet sponge to throw at them - must stand a certain distance away to ensure teacher does not get hit every time!)

- Non-uniform day - each pupil pays one pound to come to school in their own clothes (must get clearance from the headmaster!!!)

- Make things and sell them if you are at all artistic. (And I know there are a lot of creative Snitchers!)

- More one for the adults... but fine yourself for vices, eg each time you swear or have a cigarette or something.

As MBeth said, there will be lots more ideas online, eg on the Comic Relief website.

So please fundraise if you can, and if you can't please TELL PEOPLE!!!!

Thank you!!!

As for sending money, please sned to my account if you feel safe, but hopefully within a week we will have a dedicated Snitch email account set up so that you will feel a bit more secure donating over the internet.

I'm so sorry I didn't realize about this thread sooner... I read the article on JKRowling.com just yesterday (I don't go on HP related sites as much as I used to...) I'm so glad you made a thread about how to help. At the next NJHS meeting at school I'll ask if we can do one of those non-uniform days where everyone has to pay, and then the advisor can send the money gathered in. If one doesn't have a paypal account, how can we send money in? I'm sure she has one, but I'm just wondering... Sorry if it's already been mentioned.

This is absolutely horrible what these children have to go through. We just finished studying the Czech Republic in school yet we learned nothing about this. I don't understand it... Hopefully my school will be able to do a fundraiser, so we can help. As I'm a minor I won't be able to donate directly, but hopefully the NJHS Advisor will help out. If we can't, I'll just ask my church. And I'm with Marybeth in asking if we can donate blankets and such.

I only just found this page but I read the article earlier and I did end up crying, but I certainly didn't have the brains to think of setting up a campaign with the Snitch. Great idea! I don't really have any money to spare at the moment (what with not having a job and having university and travel to pay for, money's a bit tight at the moment) but I'll speak to my university and ask if it'd be possible to run something there. We've just done RAG week (where we raise money for charity) this last week, but I doubt anyone would say no to another week for an equally worthwhile cause as cancer care. I'm also in a Catholic Society mailing list for both Universities near where I live so I'll ask them to put the word out.

I'm sorry, I haven't been here past week. The Times article is just too horrid, too horrible, I'm absolutely speechless.

I really want to do something about it, I'm planning to do something on my school, but I'll will have to come up with a great idea and discuss it with one of the teachers.

This is so touching and so surreal. No one can imagine this still happens. There really needs to be something done.

Maybe I can do something like a party, but that takes a lot of organising...That still is a good idea, there are many people who like a party and won't bother to pay for it, so that money can go to the Children High Level group. Does someone have another idea? It really needs to be special to get everyone interested.

Much love,
Nylyn

P.S:: I'm still shaking, that article is just....I'm speechless and very touched.

P.P.S:: I'll do anything to get attention for this, you can count on my support!

I had a couple of fundraising ideas

As we are all fans of Harry Potter a themed DVD party invite friends inform them, make sure they read those articles and watch the soon to be released Harry Potter DVD.

Another charity thing is shoe box appeals, I do not know if this one is possible and is more of a Christmas thing but it might work.

pink

edit

Just realised you may not know what a shoe box appeal is, as a group of people, each person fills a shoebox with little gifts and they then get sent to the places that need them.

Hello again,

You will be pleased to know that soon we will hopefully have something a bit more official and prominent in terms of Snitch support!

Wow, I can't believe we are finally getting so many more responses to this. Thanks Gwenevere, Raven and Nylyn! Thanks also to all those who have changed their siggies to drag even more people over here!

Pinklady - great fundraising ideas - thanks!

Gwenevere, Raven and Nylyn, thanks for offering to get your schools/universities involved. As has been said before, the fundraising is important, but so is raising awareness of the issue - and by doing what you are doing, many more people will hear about this cause. Thanks. As Jo herself said "Human suffering, however dreadful and on however wide a scale, will always go ignored and unheard unless somebody is prepared to shout about it, and others are ready to act." Let's be those people who shout about it!

I have e-mailed Emma Nicholson about getting info packs or posters and also to see if blankets etc are needed... she is away at the moment, but her PA assures me she will get back to me soon, so I will let you know when she does. I think it's very important that we think of lots of good ideas to raise money and awareness, but also that we remain focussed to what the group actually wants us to do. Hopefully I will have more definite news soon.

Hi

Just wanted to point this out in case any off you do not go on to the main site the Children's High Level group now has a section This should/will raise even more awareness.

To see the section click
here

pink

Hello, I have just read this thread. I'm rather new to the Forum "thesnitch" itself but I am very interested in doing what ever I can. I didn't cry, I got angry, I can't in my mind justify the use of a cage for a child in any situation.

What can I do?

I guess you can go to the Children's High Level Group section on the main site...There is an ability to donate money, but I don't know how old you are. It is even better to raise awareness in your surroundings. Many people don't know about cage beds, there are even people who say they don't exist. I can get so angry about those sort of things.
Thanks for your support already, though.

I'm twenty-three, I might be able to donate. Though I will need to talk that over with Steph ( fiance ). Other then finances has there been any updates on other ways we can help?

I ordered a book online and got the wrong one. The company gave me a full refund, so I donated that to the group. I figure, it was money already spent.

I'm setting up a website at the moment to try and publicise the charity and the campaign itself and the chaplain at our university has promised to see what she can do to get word round there. The best part is that she's part of the Catholic Society at the university and is affiliated with members of the Cathsocs all over the country so by the times she's done we may at least have most of the Catholic university students (or at least those who are in Catholic societies at their universities) in the know about it.

The best part is that the chaplain is a massive Harry Potter fan so when I told her that it was a charity J.K.Rowling worked with and that we were starting a campaign on the Snitch site, that got her even more interested *heehee* (I didn't know she was a fan until she asked a question about the HBP plotline in her reply to my request for help)

Hey! I know I haven't been around for like... forever, so I'm sorry I didn't find out about this sooner. But now I'm here and I'm willing to help. This is so unjust and inhumane and I want to help to do something about it. I've read through this topic and it has made me even more motivated. I'm sorry I won't be able to donate money, but I can raise awareness, sign campaigns, write letters etc. I think all your ideas are great... I shall be back later with more (hopefully) but I just thought I'd let you know you've got my support!

This completelt sucks....I'm not allowed to use my stepdads creditcard to donate >_<. Aren't there other was besides paypal that can be used?

I think it's great that the snitch is helping out, I really do, but I do have one comment. It's about finding the charity link on the main site....you have to look for it. Do you guys remember that when the forums link became bigger, that the amount of subscriptions rose? I think that the charities part deserves to be out there more as well. What do you think?

I forgot to tell you, Chrissie, that if you go through the main site, you can donate to the Children's High Level group through a direct bank mandate, like you did when you sent money to me. I don't think you can credit it through the Snitch, but you can make a donation. Good Luck!

(I hope your home life is settling in down and it's work that's keeping you away from us. Miss you.)

Oh my god. I have only just found this Thread. Nicola, I'm so sorry it took me so long to find this! I feel so bad. Reading that article brought tears to my eyes and I am going to try and do everything I can to help. I will try and speak to my School Headteecaher and see if ee can arrange a sponsored silence or something. Hope I can help

Rebecca
xxxxx

Thanks so much for the tip Beth. Now I'll finally be able to help out. I've been feeling bad about not being able to donate through the snitch seeing as it's such a great initiatve. My stepdad basicly won't let me use the card anymore *sniffles*

I miss you guys as well! I'm trying my hardest to get time for here, but it's hard

I cannot donate,yet(16yo),but I will surely support you guys!!!
I've read all the articles,and it's just terrible!
Goodness,I can't imagine my sister being caged instead of Vasek...

Sorry for not posting sooner,I had no idea about existence of this thread!
~Ana

This is outrageous. No one in their right minds allows people - because both children and adults are suffering under this supposed "care" - live in metal boxes like animals.

Right now I'm stripped of cash right now, so I can't donate. I'm going to show this article to everyone I know, however, and get my family to donate.

Once you receive information on how to be active, Nicola, tell us. I'm president of the English Honor society at my college, and we've been looking for a service idea. I'm interning at my state's congress as well, and I can help raise awareness in that direction, too.

I'm so proud of everyone for jumping up and coming to the aid of these persecuted people.

I understand that I am way late on this thread. But, I am disgusted all the same. This is completely horrible and sick. I just can't believe that anyone could do something like this. Grr! It's so frustrating because there are other ways of helping people. If only someone would try...

I think it's awsome that you guys are trying to help or, were since no one else has posted in almost a year.