Charities join up to fight crunch

Charities are being forced to share their resources to save money as the credit crunch bites at the heart of their services - at a time when more people are in need of their help.

More than 70 organisations in London and Manchester have managed to find an extra £500,000 as a result of working together as donations tumble

They are sharing everything from office equipment to IT services. One managed to save £135,000 on mobile phone contracts and a youth organisation cut its spending by 61 per cent.

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Crunch time for charities

Jewish charities are suffering grave financial effects from the credit crunch sweeping the UK.

Charities in all areas - from single-issue organisations to those with larger remits - have seen donations fall as people find themselves with less disposable income while spending more on utility bills.

The cost of kosher food has also risen dramatically this year, meaning charities are having to spend far more on running costs.

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Leeds Jewish Welfare Board charity shop surpasses target by £30k

Known locally as "the Harrods of charity shops", Leeds Jewish Welfare Board's store has raised over £100,000 in its first year of trading, surpassing its target figure by £30,000.

Located in Moortown, in the heart of the Jewish community, the success of "thewellfairshop" has not totally surprised its organisers. Manager Andrina Calvert said: "I always had faith that the shop would do well here and I cannot praise my volunteers enough."

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Kosher sushi evening raises over £500 for Israeli hospital

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Be aware: not all Israeli charities are equal

Why is one of our largest fundraisers giving money to a group that wants to erase Israel's Jewish character?

The New Israel Fund (NIF), one of the UK's largest Jewish charities, exists to promote the values of justice, democracy and equality in Israel. Unlike some civil society groups, this is not mere lip service and NIF can justly be proud of an impressive record of achievement. Their work to promote civil rights, women's rights and minority rights has secured their reputation as an anchor of Israel's voluntary sector.

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Swim girl Dani Jacobson making a TV splash

Twelve-year-old charity swimmer Dani Jacobson is a finalist in Channel Five's "Britain's Kindest Kids" competition.

As the JC reported in June, North London Collegiate pupil Dani and her sister Talya, who has learning difficulties, swam 22 miles to raise over £23,000, the bulk of it for Norwood.

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More than £1,000 raised for Magen David Adom

More than £1,000 was raised for Magen David Adom from a lunch for 40 hosted by Sally Strauss and catered by sponsors Louis Mann.

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JCC telethon raises over £20,000

Manchester Jewish Community Care raised more than £20,000 in its annual telethon, hosted in the offices of Deloitte in Manchester city centre. Around 60 volunteers made 2,000 calls to raise the cash, which will fund much-needed equipment for the Nicky Alliance Day Centre. Shelley Blackston, MJCC fundraising executive, said: "It's a good year and we're hoping to top £30,000 in our follow-up mini-telethon."

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Australian billionaire says funds ‘donated to Israel’

Australia's second-richest man has claimed that the $68 million (£34m) a US Senate report accuses him of hiding from tax authorities was donated to charities in Israel.

The allegation came via the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations in a hearing last Thursday, prompting Frank Lowy - who fled Czechoslovakia during the Holocaust and fought in Israel's 1948 War of Independence - to issue a vehement denial.

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X-Factor contestant turns bingo-caller for charity

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