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JK Rowling launches Light a Birthday Candle

By Natalia Lubomirski on Wednesday 25 May 2011

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Marie Claire news: JK Rowling

A birthday should be a time of celebration (and cake, obvs) but for the million children living in state care in Central and Eastern Europe, birthdays aren’t even recognised.

JK Rowling’s charity Lumos, wants to change this. She's asking everyone to join the largest ever fundraising initiative: Light a Birthday Candle on 1st June.

The charity was set up by Rowling in 2005 after she read an article on state care in The Sunday Times. ‘When I read about children in institutions in caged beds I was outraged,’ she says.

The event will help raise the vital funds for Lumos to move children who have been separated from their families, out of residential institutions and into family-based care.

‘Some of them are so desperate for ordinary affection they will crawl into the lap of any visiting stranger,’ says Rowling. ‘They become very damaged very quickly, something shuts down permanently.’

You can give online and light your own virtual candle or you can organise a cake fundraising event of your own.

Your donations will change the lives of thousands of vulnerable children who have been left in state care.

‘All donations, no matter how small, are vital to fund our programmes of work,’ says Rowling.

Be inspired by celebrity chefs Jane Asher, Ainsley Harriot and Kiwi restaurateur Peter Gordon, who have donated a selection of tasty recipes. Visit lightabirthdaycandle.org.uk for more information.

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