Many German panelists decided against redeeming their mingle points for gift vouchers again this year and chose to donate them to the German Children’s Relief Organisation (Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk). respondi joined in and thus 5 000 Euro was raised for the Children’s Organisation in Frankfurt (Kindervereinigung mit Kindern für Kinder Frankfurt (Oder) e.V.).

Above all, the organisation offers children from socially-excluded families the possibility to attend a holiday camp. Under normal circumstances, many families would not be able afford to send their children. The work carried out by the children’s organisation is only possible with the help of donations and volunteers willing to donate their time and effort. The camps have been run by volunteers for the last 25 years.

This year’s holiday camp took place at Helenesee, a lake in Brandenburg not far from Frankfurt (Oder).

In total 90 children and young people, between the ages of 6 and 16 years of age, attended three „pirate camps“. 58 out of the 90 children came from socially-excluded families and could not normally afford such a holiday. The amount donated between respondi and our panellists funded the trip for 49 children.

Thanks to warm, summer temperatures, the children were able to swim in the lake every day, as well as going on day-trips to an Aqua park with pedal-boats, slides and trampolines.  The camp itself also offered many activities; during the day the kids could play table-tennis and board games and the evening entertainment included barbecues and star-gazing. Only a few of the youngest ones complained of home-sickness.

A great programme which we delighted to support. Thank you again to our panelists!

We run similar campaigns regularly in both the UK and France. Last year we donated, together with our panelists, to the children’s project Starlight and Rêves in France.