#RedLippyDay. Not just another charity event, not just another worthy cause.
Deputy Dean Dr Mairi Watson tells us why it’s a good idea to support Red Lippy Day:
The University of Northampton is supporting Red Lippy Day on Friday 6 May. For one day we (men and women) will be wearing red lipstick — the brighter the better — to raise money for Dementia UK.
Dementia UK provide Admiral nurses to work hand in hand with families helping them cope with the fear, uncertainty and difficult everyday reality of dementia. It’s not a situation of which I or any of my family have experience. Nonetheless, I’m an enthusiastic supporter of this charity and particularly of this event because of the impact dementia has had on the life of my friend and founder of Red Lippy Day, Jules Osmany. Red Lippy Day was conceived from two very contrasting factors — Jules’ mother’s ongoing experience of dementia and her love of bright red lipstick.
Why do we donate to charity?
Is this just another charity event, just another ‘worthy’ cause?
Behavioral researchers have invested significant resources into understanding why people donate to charity: the explanations for charitable giving fall into three broad categories, from the purely altruistic — I donate because I value the social good done by the charity. The “impurely” altruistic — I donate because I extract value from knowing I contribute to the social good for the charity. And the not-at-all altruistic — I donate because I want to show off to potential mates how rich I am [The Guardian, 23 March 2015] .
Helping others, may contribute to a sense of well-being of course, also helps keep you informed about issues of social injustice or need, a key component of what it means to be a Changemaker — a goal at the strategic centre of the University’s purpose.
Supporting a cause is an important part of life: it allows you to make a difference — small or large — to the people who rely on the activities and investment of the organisation.
For the University there is a compelling link to the research being undertaken by the Institute of Health and Wellbeing — which won a grant from the Alzheimer’s Society, together with The National Young Onset Dementia Network (NYODN), to fund research into accurately diagnosing and supporting younger people who are living with dementia and their carers.
Whatever the theory and what ever your view, Red Lippy Day does what it should — combines a serious and far reaching issue, with an appealing and easy way to contribute to making some peoples’ live a little easier at a very difficult time. For more information see Red Lippy Day’s Facebook page.
So come on, pucker up! It’s easy. On Friday:
- Wear red lipstick
- Take a photo and share on social media #RedLippyDay
- Donate by text REDL53 £2, £5, £10 or £20 to 70070.
