As Chair of Magic Me, I am excited to celebrate Small Charity Week, an opportunity to recognise the incredible contributions of small charities like ours. Magic Me is a small charity with a big heart, dedicated to bringing together young and older people through creative activities. Our mission is to build connections across generations, fostering understanding, reducing loneliness, and enriching lives.
The Power of Small Charities
Small charities play a crucial role in the fabric of our communities. With their intimate knowledge of local needs, they provide personalised and responsive services that larger organisations may overlook. At Magic Me, our size allows us to be nimble, innovative, and deeply connected to the people we serve. We can quickly adapt to new challenges and opportunities, ensuring our programmes remain relevant and impactful.
Magic Me’s Journey
Our journey began with a simple idea: to bridge the gap between generations through the arts. Since our inception, we have facilitated numerous intergenerational projects, from storytelling and drama to music and dance. These projects do more than just entertain; they create spaces for meaningful interactions, breaking down age-related stereotypes and building mutual respect and understanding.
One of our recent and ground breaking projects has been Artists Residences in Care Homes, which happened to coincide with the Covid pandemic. Through this project we facilitated professional arts companies, such as the award winning physical theatre company, Gecko, to work with residents of care homes and to challenge preconceptions of people and the arts in care settings– with deeply touching and magical results!
Challenges and Triumphs
Running a small charity like Magic Me comes with its challenges. Securing consistent funding is always a top priority. We rely on the generosity of our funders, regular donors and the dedication of our volunteers, including our fantastic board of volunteer trustees. Despite these challenges, our triumphs are many. We have witnessed countless moments of connection and joy, from school children and older local residents sharing their views of the climate emergency at the global climate conference in Glasgow to seeing our associate artists learn about the role of community cohesion in a community centre in Bethnal Green. These moments are the heartbeat of Magic Me, reminding us why we do what we do.
How You Can Support Magic Me
During Small Charity Week, I encourage you to consider how you can support Magic Me and other small charities making a difference. Here are a few ways to get involved:
1. Volunteer Your Time: Our projects thrive on the dedication of volunteers. Whether you can commit to a regular schedule or help with a one-off event, your time is invaluable to us.
2. Donate: Financial contributions, no matter the size, help us sustain and expand our programs. Consider setting up a monthly donation or participating in one of our fundraising events.
3. Spread the word: Share our mission and stories with your network. Raising awareness about Magic Me helps us reach more people and attract the support we need. For example if you work in health or social care, share our guide to delivering arts in care homes. Here is our latest guide to activities and guidance on bringing arts into care settings, and here you can sign up to our monthly newsletter.
As we celebrate Small Charity Week, let’s remember that the impact of small charities like Magic Me extends far beyond this week. Our work is ongoing, and our need for support is continuous. By coming together as a community, we can ensure that Magic Me and other small charities continue to thrive, making a lasting difference in the lives of those we serve.
Written by David Russell, Chair of Trustees