National Charity Day (NCD) may only have been founded in 2012, but its morals are perhaps the most honourable of all public holidays. Originally conceived to mark the anniversary of Mother Teresa’s passing, the spirit of National Charity Day helps raise awareness for those who require help, or suffer from disabilities and illness.

Commissioned by the United Nations, NCD’s primary concept is to provide a platform for global charity events. From working with the world’s poorest and improving their quality of life, to baking cakes for a well-mannered coffee morning in aid of Cancer Research, NCD offers the perfect opportunity to get involved for a great cause.

How to get involved?

Fundraising isn’t just about the money. Charity support should also be about getting your community into action, and making the occasion fun for all. Popular means of fundraising includes:

• Competitions
• Book sales
• Charity car washes
• Give something up for sponsorship
• Dog washes
• Costume days
• Quiz nights
• Shaving your head
• Coffee mornings

Key Facts On Charity 

It’s not just those in need who benefit from charity. There are 880,000 paid employees in the British charity sector, stemming from nearly 200,000 registered UK charities, providing work for those who wish to make a difference.

To give some insight into the difference that the UK charity sector makes, voluntary sector contributions total approximately £15.3bn. That's more than Arts and Agriculture. Total income for all charities combined is about £48 billion - more than the Higher Education sector, but still £10 billion less than Tesco, according to nfpSynergy.

Charities fund almost half of all medical research in the UK, with 35% of the total voluntary sector workforce spending time in the social care subsector.

Australia is apparently the most generous country on earth. In a typical month, more than 66% of Australians donate money or help a stranger. More than a third give their time to volunteer causes. Ireland is the second most generous, with Canada in third. The United Kingdom is in eighth place. According to research, women are more financially generous than men. However, while women are more likely to donate money to charity, men are more likely to help a stranger or to volunteer.

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