33 VERY-DECENT CAUSES!

The charities I am seeking to support through half-decent photography fall into five groups, as outlined on this page. Under each of the following headings you will find a description of the group, and a list of charities I’ve chosen to include.

You will also find a “learn more” button which opens a dedicated page for the group, giving further details on the relevant charities and the work they do, together with links to their websites and donations pages.

Local Heroes

My “local heroes” category refers to small, specialised charities which happen to be local to me. I think the term “local heroes” is very apt, not only because of the wonderful work that some of these charities do within the community, but also because small and specialised charities are almost always heavily dependent on the efforts of local groups of volunteers, donors and supporters. Times have been especially difficult for such charities over the past couple of years due to impact of Covid restrictions on their fundraising activities – and with international crisis and conflict now dominating the headlines, it’s even harder for them to gain the attention and support they deserve.


  • DOROTHY HOUSE

  • SOUNDWELL MUSIC THERAPY TRUST

  • BATH CATS & DOGS HOME

  • THE LITTLE ZOO

  • DESIGNABILITY

  • TREE AID

Going Wild!

This category includes charities associated with wildlife, conservation and animal welfare. This is a vast and diverse field of charitable activity and, having cut my list down to a shortlist of nine, I found myself unable to reduce it any further! Yes, there are only seven charities listed below – but this is is because I’m still awaiting confirmation and approval from two of the charities I’ve been in touch with. As soon as I’m able to, I’ll bring this list completely up to date.

I am especially interested in promoting the benefits to human welfare, including physical, mental and spiritual health, that we gain through access to unspoilt nature, abundant wildlife, and positive interactions with the living world. I believe we need to “go wild”, in this way, as often as possible – taking time to switch off our addictive distraction-and-stress machines, step out into the fresh air and just appreciate Nature, all around us. All of these excellent charities, in my opinion, can help with that.

  • WILDLIFE AID FOUNDATION

  • PLANTLIFE INTERNATIONAL

  • WHALE AND DOLPHIN CONSERVATION

  • BRITISH TRUST FOR ORNITHOLOGY

  • BRITISH HEDGEHOG PRESERVATION SOCIETY

  • WILDFOWL & WETLAND TRUST

  • THE WOODLAND TRUST

  • RAINFOREST CONCERN

Staying Human

I’ve chosen to add this category in response to the horrific violence and suffering now unfolding in Ukraine – but sadly, this is not the only major humanitarian crisis in the world today. The mainstream media gives far less attention to the desperate plight of millions of other people – in such troubled countries as Yemen, Afghanistan, Palestine, Myanmar, Haiti and various parts of Africa – but their needs are just as urgent and desperate. The charities in my Staying Human group are all dedicated to helping such people, including those whom the world’s wealthiest governments, politicians and media organisations choose to largely ignore.

I selected six charities to include in this group – but I’m still awaiting final approval from one of them, so only five are listed below. I’m sure I’ll soon be able to update this page, as well as the more detailed, Staying Human page which is linked below.

  • CARE INTERNATIONAL

  • THE REFUGEE COUNCIL

  • HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

  • SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL

  • MERCY RELIEF

Let it Grow!

This category includes charities concerned especially with gardens – and the extraordinary amount of good they can do. This includes the well-known therapeutic benefits of gardens and gardening, with respect to our physical, mental and spiritual well-being. But gardens are also vitally important havens for wildlife – indeed, the Office for National Statistics recently reported that the private gardens of England, alone, comprise more than 4.5 times the total area of all our national nature reserves, combined!

So, promoting the encouragement of wildlife, within both private and public gardens, can surely have a highly significant impact on biodiversity – and the healing power of human contact with nature.


  • THRIVE

  • GREENFINGERS CHARITY

  • WILDLIFE GARDENING FORUM

  • ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

  • GARDENING WITH DISABILITIES TRUST

  • HORATIO’S GARDEN

Barely Alive!

This category includes charities which are all concerned, in some sense, with issues relating to the human body – its health and well-being, and our complex, often fraught, emotional relationship with it; particularly in areas such as sexuality and sexual health, body image and eating disorders. Some of these charities address problems which disproportionately afflict vulnerable and marginalised people, and are compounded by prejudice, social stigma and isolation, and feelings of shame and embarrassment. Some are especially concerned with the needs of sexual minorities and other groups that are subject, all too often, to abuse and discrimination. All of these charities, I think, deserve your full attention – and if you can spare it, your generous support.

  • BAGGY TROUSERS UK

  • BLOODY GOOD PERIOD

  • NATIONAL UGLY MUGS

  • BEAT EATING DISORDERS

  • TERRENCE HIGGINS TRUST

  • HARMLESS

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A Half-Decent Q&A