The MCF is currently benefitting from the services of Phil Culmer, thanks to the Vodafone Foundation’s “World of Difference” program.
Phil, 38, from Lincoln, has been chosen from over 1100 applicants to win a place on the Vodafone Foundation’s 2009 World of Difference UK Programme.
The programme gives 500 people from across the UK the opportunity to work for a charity of their choice. Phil plans to spend two months working for the Mother and Child Foundation, an organisation that carries out vital work researching and promoting nutritional issues in expectant and breast-feeding mothers, and in children vulnerable to various forms of malnutrition. Phil chose to work with The Mother and Child Foundation after completing his degree in biochemistry, where he gained an insight and interest in genetic research.
The Vodafone Foundation will pay each charity a total £2,500 of which the winner gets the balance once tax and National Insurance has been paid. In addition, Vodafone UK will donate a new mobile phone with pre-paid credit so winners can capture their experiences and share it on vodafone.co.uk/worldofdifference to inspire others.
Phil will spend his placement with The Mother and Child Foundation as a research and publicity assistant on a new project addressing malnutrition in the Sudan. Phil is looking forward to his placement: “The news that I’d won was absolutely wonderful – I’m really looking forward to getting involved and hopefully I’ll get a good start on finding ways to make a material difference.”
Phil will begin his placement in January.
This is the first World of Difference UK programme launched by the Vodafone Foundation. The programme was open to anyone over 18 in the UK who had the passion, drive and commitment to donate themselves to a charity. Taking part involved finding the right charity to suit their interests, skills and experience and completing an online application form at vodafone.co.uk/worldofdifference.
Over 132,000 fans have been following the programme’s progress on facebook.com/worldofdifference and the WOD_UK Twitter account now has nearly 400 followers.
For further information on the World of Difference programmes please go to: vodafone.co.uk/worldofdifference or join the World of Difference Facebook fan page facebook.com/worldofdifference.
To read Phil’s charity blog, go to worldofdifference.vodafone.co.uk/uk/phil-culmer,
and to follow him on twitter, go to www.twitter.com/philculmer.
