Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving, which encourages people and organisations to support charities and good causes that have helped, supported and positively impacted their lives. It is a day to shine the light on the good things that so many charities do, like the work of the Vitiligo Society.
Created in the US in 2012, Giving Tuesday isn’t just about monetary donations, as the name would suggest. There are so many other ways you can give; such as volunteering your time, donating goods such as food or clothes, arranging a community event or bringing together a community of people to help support a good cause. The key to Giving Tuesday is simply, generosity.
Since 2014, the UK has acted as an official partner of the global movement, which has seen positive growth every year as they bring charities, businesses and organisations together. The great thing is; people are keen to support including celebrities such as Victoria Beckham, Cara Delavigne and Michelle Obama. Alongside the social media campaigns and advertising, it is clear that people from all over the world are keen to give back, share their stories and reveal what it means to ‘give’.
So, today, on this global day of recognition, I wanted to share my own giving story as I reflect on my time at The Vitiligo Society.
What inspires me to give back?
I have been a trustee at The Vitiligo Society since 2017 and I can honestly say its one of the best things I’ve done in relation to working with a charity.
As a woman with vitiligo, the Society has always remained close to my heart so when I was asked to join the team as a trustee, I didn’t hesitate in saying yes.
Being at the Society has given me the opportunity to give back to the vitiligo community. Like many people with the condition, I spent many years struggling to come to terms with the fact I had the condition because in the physical sense, it made me look so different to the average person. Growing up in the early ’90s and even the beginning of 2000 was difficult because there wasn’t the strong community network like there is today and there was no such thing as social media, which meant my only support was family and friends. Aside from talking to them, vitiligo wasn’t something I was open to discussing.
Moving forward to current times and the vitiligo community is impressively large. I manage the social media accounts for the society, sharing inspirational stories, news within the community, photos and making every effort to inspire those who follow us. We get endless messages, in particular on Instagram, from followers who love the work we do, feel inspired by the images we share and most importantly have felt so empowered that it has encouraged them to be open about their skin. For me, it’s the most rewarding part about what I do because it makes a difference; it shows vitiligo in a completely different light….one that many couldn’t have imagined was possible.
For me, being part of the Society has been life changing. Whilst being a trustee has developed a number of my personal skills, such as public speaking, presenting and writing as the editor of The VitLife, it has also allowed me to support others, especially the younger generation and those in their teens, who might be absorbed by Society’s ideals of perfection. Being part of the Society means we are able to remind the community that we too are beautiful and have a skin condition that is unique and something to be proud of.
A few years back, prior to becoming a trustee, myself along with my mum, sister and a few other girls with vitiligo took part in a fundraising event called ‘Walk For Skin’, which was a 6-mile walk around Kensington, London. I’ll be honest in that fundraising isn’t something I have regularly done, however, raising funds for the Society because of the work they do, was something I felt honoured to do. I recall it taking place in the summer, sponsored by Denise Van Outen and a Hollyoaks actress, who joined us on the walk. It was an amazing day especially as I got to meet others with vitiligo whilst fundraising and donating to a good cause.
