Charity

Charity, some would have us believe, starts at home. For Robin and his family, it really did.

My late younger brother was born handicapped. There was nothing genetic or predictable about it, it just was. Several times in his young life we were told to expect him to die. Ironically, in the end it wasn't his disability which killed him, aged 22, but a car. But I believe that having Pete in my life fundamentally changed me. From an early age, I was aware both of how lucky I was, and what a difference good charities can make. I also learned quickly that charities are nothing without public support.

I have acted as a volunteer carer on weekend trips, I have shaken a collecting tin on street corners, undertaken sponsored walks, swims, fasts and runs, all for charity. Once I even did a sponsored bungee jump. But there are many ways to get involved.

From its inception in 1998, the Budapest Burns Supper has raised money for Hungarian children's hospitals. And for the decade or so in which I was Managing Editor of The Budapest Sun, the paper acted as media sponsor to the supper, giving much needed publicity (both pre- and post-event) in the form of both advertising and editorial support. Since I left the newspaper, I have worked as a pro bono communications advisor for the Robert Burns International Foundation www.rbif.org which now organises the supper, and distributes the funds raised throughout the year. I even give it 1% of my tax (at no extra cost to myself, I'm not as stupid as I might look). I would urge all those who pay their taxes in Hungary to consider doing the same.

But you don't even have to leave your desk to do something to help. In fact, you don't even have to give money, although that always helps, of course. The Hunger Site www.thehungersite.com was founded to focus the power of the Internet on ending world hunger. Launched in June 1999, on average, more than 220,000 individuals world-wide visit the site each day and click its yellow "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button.

To date, more than 300 million visitors have given more than 657 million cups of staple food, paid for by The Hunger Site's sponsors and distributed by Mercy Corps, Feeding America, and Millennium Promise. Funds are split between these organizations and go to the aid of hungry people in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and North America. The site pledges that 100% of sponsor advertising fees goes to its charitable partners.