I don’t know about you, but my 2018 diary is already being booked up! As 2017 is drawing to a close, we have a lot to reflect on and to be grateful for.  JCI UK would like to be a part of your New Year’s journey. Join us in raising awareness of poverty and hunger in the UK with our highly anticipated Pound a Day Challenge. This challenge comes after you’ve fully indulged in Christmas festivities. Living on £1 a day will mean giving up luxuries; no Just-Eat, Deliveroo or Uber Eats! I can personally say this will certainly be a challenge but it will be doing something positive.  Save The Children charity helps to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger around the world, and by so doing, helps to tackle the first two of the United Nations Sustainable Development goals in the process. Sustainable Development Goal 1:

• End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Sustainable Development Goal 2:

• Seeks sustainable solutions to end hunger in all its forms by 2030 and to achieve food security.

Despite progress, more than 790 million people worldwide still suffer from hunger. More than 8 million people in Britain live in households that struggle to put enough food on the table, with over half regularly going a whole day without eating, according to estimates of hunger in the UK. JCI UK would like to help raise not only funds but awareness. By taking part in our Pound a Day challenge you will be empowering us to tackle this increasing issue head on.

Let’s Get Started Then!

Whether you’re taking part for the first time or need a refresher from last year, below are the rules for the Pound a Day Challenge!

• Your £7 weekly budget has to include both food and drink.
• You donate the difference between your £7 budget and your normal food and drink spend and donate it through the Just Giving page.
• You can use basic seasonings of salt and pepper from your cupboard. However, you cannot use additional spices such as chilli and garlic unless you buy them from your budget.
• You can use oil for cooking purposes, but only in small quantities. It cannot be used in large amounts for things such as salad dressings unless you purchase it specifically for such dishes.
• You cannot use sauces or condiments such as mayonnaise or ketchup unless you purchase them from your £7 budget.
• You can buy items that come in large quantities, such as tea bags, split it and exclude the percentage of money for the amount taken out. However, you must declare this before the event and make sure you are not tempted to cheat and dip into the part that is from outside your budget!

Ways to get involved

• Undertake the full challenge using the rules above.  We encourage this one the most as part of the challenge is understanding what it is like to live on such a small budget, as many people in the UK do.
• If you do not feel able to commit to the full challenge, consider giving up a luxury items, such as alcohol or your favourite sweet treat, and donate what you would have spent.
• Sponsor other members taking part.

Registering for the Challenge Register by making your donation (cost of your normal weekly shop minus £7) to the Just Giving page  https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jciukpad2018 Let us know what you’re doing We are big fans of active social networking so, whether funny or serious, get posting! We want to see your shopping list, recipe ideas and meal photos. We also want to know how you’re doing throughout the event; is it easy? Are you struggling? Use #jciukpoundaday  to share ideas and to keep each other motivated. Join our Facebook event Instagram: jciuk Don’t suffer in silence! Participants are taking on a mighty challenge by doing this event and personally making valuable contributions to charity. So spread the word about what you’re doing. Share the Just Giving link and get friends, family and colleagues to give up something small and donate the money in support of what you’re doing. If they don’t want to give something up then they can just make a donation as sponsorship. Good luck, I can’t wait to hear how you get on! If you have any questions about the event please contact Phoebe Benta, JCI UK Community Director on phoebe.benta@jciuk.org.uk.