/COMMUNITY

You will probably have noticed that Race for Life - http://www.raceforlife.org/ is being heavily advertised at the moment. If you have never taken part before, you really should. It's a fantastic series of events to raise money and awareness for Cancer Research.

You can walk, run or jog the 5k course and with so many women taking part, you are sure to find someone to chat to as you complete the distance. You don't need to be fit or a great athlete to take part - you just need a little determination!

It is also a truly moving day. Many of those taking part have been affected by cancer in some way and it's a time to remember and reflect. But most of all, it's an inspiring example of the good that can be achieved with a little hard work. Several of our team are taking part and I'm sure everyone internally will be sponsoring them. Have a look at the website for your nearest event and sign up soon! These are always popular and tend to get booked up - so enter now and get training!

Well - 2008 is now upon us - not entirely sure where 2007 went - think that's a sign that I am getting old....So Happy New Year!

It's the time of year for resolutions and promises - that most of us will have broken already. But for many, its a chance to do something different - something big that they have always wanted to do. Like climbing a mountain, undertaking a mammoth trek or simply visiting those places you have always wanted to go to but never got round to. So this year - take the plunge! Do something amazing (isn't that from a Sainsbury's advert??).

If you want some inspiration - have a look at http://www.planitearth.co.uk. We've mentioned Charles before on this blog - he is travelling by motorbike from London to Sydney - raising money for the make a wish foundation and generally having a great adventure!!

I hope 2008 is a great year for us all!

Whilst I appreciate that sending Christmas Cards isn't the most environmentally friendly option available to wish your loved ones Happy Xmas - the sale of Charity Christmas cards is hugely important to many charities - it makes up a massive chunk of their funding. That being said, many 'high street' branches selling Xmas cards only donate around 10% per pack to charity. This is where Cards for Good Causes differs. At least 80p in the £1 is given back to the charities. CFCC is able to do this as many of the shops are staffed by volunteers - like me!! Every year my Mum and I volunteer at our local shop for one session. It's surprisingly good fun - we get to play shop, buy all our cards and do a little bit to help. Over 320 local and national charities have cards available - so you are bound to find something you like! We've been volunteering for about 10 years now and I really look forward to it.

Why not have a look at what they have to offer - you can now also purchase online!! Visit http://www.cardsforcharity.co.uk

You could also apply to be a volunteer!

As most of you probably know, October is Breast Cancer month and on Friday 26th October it's Wear it Pink Day! Please see www.wearitpink.co.uk for more info.

People all over the country wear an item of pink to work and donate just £2 to support vital breast cancer research. This can be from a pink ribbon, pink socks, pink tie, pink wig to a pink panther costume. Go on............... use your imagination and be creative! It will be fun!

As a company, we will be taking part in the Wear it Pink day - even the boys!! Confident men can wear pink - so no excuses! We are also making and selling pink cakes and biscuits to raise the totals. It's a great cause and a great way to finish the working week - so check the website for details and get involved!

My little four month old niece has recently had need of the services of G.O.S.H and it got me thinking about the sweetie box we have in our kitchen here at the office. We all merrily munch the sweets and put our money in, but not sure we think much beyond that.

Sweets for life http://www.sweetsforlife.co.uk provide a tuck box for your office which is regularly replenished with all your favourite sweeties. There is a recommended donation of £1.00 per bag - but more it always welcome! Sweets for Life aim to raise £250,000 per year for the hospital

Its a huge hit here - and its helping raise money for a great cause. Everyone loves sweets - so it makes sense to do some good whilst enjoying your favourite sweets - all without having to leave the office!!

King of Shaves seems to have quite a following amongst our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite the pretty awful conditions our boys face, they need (and want!) to be well groomed - a difficult task when under fire using basic equipment. We've been sending 'boxes of morale' (a term taken from a bluey received this morning..) to those in need and getting some lovely letters back. Sending out some product seems to be such a small gesture, but it really does seem to make a difference - and its nice to be unselfish for a change..

We are currently the official shaving sponsor for an epic motorcycle journey from London to Sydney. Charles is a current KOS oil user and asked if we would be willing to sponsor him with enough shave oil for his 8 month journey. As well as being an adventure, the guys are trying to raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation. You can follow their progress, or donate at www.planitearth.co.uk

OK - as with every good story - we should begin with the introductions! My name's Nicky and I am the Customer Care Manager for all the KMI brands. I've been with the company for 4 years now - and have been in customer service for over 10 years. It's fair to say that I love my job - largely because I get to talk to people all day - and people who know me will verify the fact that I love to talk!

The idea behind the community blog?? Not an attempt by us to say how great and charitable we are - but to highlight how great and charitable YOU are. As with most companies, we receive stacks of requests for help - from financial to product donations. Much as we would love to, we simply can't help everyone. But we do help where we can - especially if the causes are local to us - we believe in supporting our local community.

This page isn't just about sponsorship - it will grow and evolve and hopefully highlight interesting and amusing adventures our users are having, the unusual places that King of Shaves has reached, and maybe some of the things our own staff are capable of!

This is my first attempt at blogging, so be patient with me! I look forward to sharing our news with you.