Head of Fundraising for the Golf Foundation Vanessa Bell (pictured) is a former Ladies European Tour player and American golf scholar, who says “the game has given me so much: friends, experiences, fun, travel, success (and failure!), education, and a job. It has shaped who I am today.”
Vanessa has written our latest Golf Foundation Blog, entitled ‘Why help us… to help young people this Christmas’. It comes in a week when our charity is calling on all golf and sports lovers to support the national Christmas campaign ‘The Big Give’ to raise funds to provide life-changing opportunities for disadvantaged young people through the power of golf.
Vanessa writes: “I love golf and I’m fairly certain that everyone who plays it does too. Why not give someone else an opportunity to take up the game we love.”
From midday Tuesday 1st December, until midday Tuesday 8th December, the #ChristmasChallenge20 will help the Golf Foundation to fund projects that support children and young people to develop life skills, look after their physical and mental health, and improve their social well-being. Every £1 that is donated is doubled through Big Give matched fundraising, so “It’s one donation, twice the impact!”
In her blog, Vanessa underlines why golf is such a great game for all young people and why our charity needs fundraising support from fellow golf-lovers.
Vanessa writes: “The Golf Foundation is amazing to me because it opens up the door to a huge range of opportunities for anyone willing to give the game a go. Breaking down barriers to offer golf to kids, we make it easier for them to get involved. We are a charity and therefore fundraising is incredibly important to us. The more funds we raise, the larger our reach and the greater our impact.
“Without funding, we will not be able to deliver golf in schools, communities, or clubs and there would be fewer opportunities for kids within the game.
“Over the short time I have been with the Golf Foundation, I have read many stories about how golf has changed the lives of the young people who have taken part in our programmes. Those who found the confidence to overcome their shyness and shine like the bright young person they are. Those who have overcome health issues and been able to take part in a sport that has given them a place on the playing field. Those who have struggled with mental health and have found a safe environment in which to become stronger. Those who have found a passion for swinging a golf club regardless of their age, gender, ability or background. And through all of the golf balls hit, those who have: gained friends, tried a new experience, had fun, enjoyed travelling to different courses to play, basked in the joy of hitting a great shot and laughed at the failures of the bad ones and, gained valuable life skills that, in turn, benefit them in the classroom. And that is the power of the sport.
“We are now ‘live’ with our Christmas fundraising campaign and in the Festive Spirit, I’m hoping golfers will come together and create a community of giving to support us.”
Click here to read Vanessa’s full blog now.
If you would like to donate to our Big Give #ChristmasChallenge20, go to https://bit.ly/GF_ChristmasChallenge
