To celebrate 10 years of SunGod, this autumn we've donated £10,000 to charities chosen by you, the SunGod Community.
We gave you the chance to decide how this donation was split between our 5 incredible partner charities: The Bike Project, Surfers Against Sewage, 1851 Trust, Protect Our Winters and Shades of Love.
After weeks of voting, the results are in. Read on to find out how you've decided to split the funds, and why they'll make a difference where it matters most.
1. Surfers Against Sewage: £3826.96
Who are Surfers Against Sewage? SAS is a national marine conservation and campaigning charity that inspires, unites and empowers communities to take action. They aim to protect oceans, beaches, waves and wildlife.
What do SAS do? SAS are committed to Ocean Activism. This includes: the fight against Plastic Pollution with lawmakers in parliament, cleaning up blue and green spaces with the Million Mile Clean, inspiring the next generation with the Plastic Free School programme, and engaging the Plastic Free Communities, united in their passion for the environment.
Where will the money go? SunGod donations could go towards helping SAS sound the alarm on the water companies silently spilling sewage into our waters; helping SAS raise awareness of the effect climate change is having on the ocean; and championing the ocean’s role as a key tool in tackling climate change.
Missed out on the vote? You can still support SAS through Surfers Against Sewage sunglasses. Every sale contributes towards SAS' fundraising targets.
2. Protect Our Winters UK: £1874.89
Who are POW UK? Protect Our Winters UK (POW UK) are an outdoor climate action charity who help passionate outdoor people protect the things they love from climate change.
What do POW UK do? POW UK deliver community engagement and education programmes, offer corporate climate action support, and campaign for systemic change.
Where will the money go? Every pound of SunGod donation will go directly to supporting POW UK's operations, campaigns, education and community outreach. Current campaigns include the Send It for Climate virtual postcard campaign, which puts pressure on politicians to end fossil fuel extraction and transition to renewables for the next UK general election.
Missed out on the vote? You can still support POW UK through our Protect Our Winters UK Goggles strap; every sale contributes towards POW UK's donation goals.
3. The Bike Project: £2559.20
Who are The Bike Project? TBP's mission is simple: get refugees cycling! This year, like SunGod, TBP are also celebrating their 10th anniversary. Over the past ten years, TBP have developed a sustainable model of bike reuse that creates positive impacts for refugees and people seeking asylum.
What do TBP do? They take secondhand bikes, fix them up, and donate them to refugees and people seeking asylum. In the UK, there are over 230,000 refugees and asylum seekers living in these challenging circumstances, while there are millions of unused bikes across the country. TBP bridges this gap, providing immediate financial relief and practical benefits by matching refugees with abandoned bikes.
Where will the money go? Donations will fuel The Bike Project's work supporting refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK, who often face challenges such as poverty and being denied the right to work. TBP offer immediate relief by providing them with refurbished bikes, granting freedom, independence, and access to vital support. This initiative not only empowers individuals but also has a positive environmental impact by promoting eco-friendly transportation and contributing to a greener planet.
4. 1851 Trust: £669.22
Who are the 1851 Trust? The 1851 Trust is the charity arm of INEOS Britannia sailing team. It is a specialist education and sports charity committed to harnessing the power of athletes and elite sport, to change perceptions and inspire young people globally through STEM learning and climate action.
What does 1851 Trust do? The 1851 Trust engages the next generation in education programmes, to educate around science and climate change. Last year alone, 250,000 young people took part in 1851 Trust's programmes.
Where will the money go? SunGod's donations will help fund 1851 Trust's campaigns, such as STEM Crew and Protect Our Future. STEM Crew is an award-winning free digital education programme, that uses professional sport to inspire young people about STEM subjects and career opportunities. Protect Our Future, on the other hand, is a climate education resource aimed at equipping young people with the knowledge to take climate action and drive behavioural change.
Missed out on the vote? You can still support 1851 Trust through grabbing a pair of our INEOS Britannia sunglasses. Every sale contributes towards 1851 Trust's fundraising targets.
5. Shades of Love: £1069.73
Who are Shades of Love? In the Himalayas and the Andes, most of the Indigenous population lives in extremely remote regions at an altitude of 2,500 to 6,500 meters. The high altitude and thinner air in these regions means that even on cloudy days, these people are exposed to harmful UV rays every day. As a result, up to 80% of populations suffer from eye diseases, blindness, or cancer in their lifetime. Shades of Love are on a mission to help protect these communities from eye disease and improve their quality of life!
What do Shades of Love do? Shades of Love collect sunglasses and distribute them to these communities, reducing the risk of eye disease from UV radiation in these populations. This helps to:
Increase quality of life as populations are able to work, study and care for their families without the impact of eye disease
Improve health as eye diseases are prevented
Preserve culture by allowing people to live in their remote, high-altitude homes despite ozone depletion causing an increased risk in UV radiation
Where will the money go? It is proven that sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection mitigate these extreme rates in eye disease. So far Shades of Love have already distributed 460,000 pairs of sunglasses in their mission across the Himalayas and Andes, and SunGod donations will help fund the end-to-end operations of Shades of Love's work, as well as donating our own sunglasses!
Missed out on the vote? You can still support Shades of Love by choosing a pair of SunGods with Charity Gold Icons, for an extra £2 donation, to contribute to Shades of Love's fundraising targets.
The Results:
After weeks of voting, the results are in. The SunGod Community has chosen to split £10,000 as follows:
Surfers Against Sewage: £3826.96
Protect Our Winters UK: £1874.89
The Bike Project: £2559.20
1851 Trust: £669.22
Shades of Love: £1069.73
Total: £10,000.00
Thank you!
From us and our partner charities, a huge thank you to everyone who got involved and voted this autumn. Without your help, these incredible charities wouldn't be able to have such an important impact on the communities they support.
Still want to do more? Discover other ways you can have a positive impact by checking out 5 Ways you can #GoBeyond for B Corp - featuring 5 everyday ways you can go beyond to make a difference, for people and planet.
