Name A Day for Save the Children

I tried really hard when we were away last week to stay offline and not be constantly checking my emails or updating my status on Facebook. DorkyDad did the same and I’m sure that helped us really relax and enjoy ourselves.

I couldn’t help turning my phone on for a sneaky wee peek online last Wednesday though, when I knew that Save the Children were launching Name A Day as the next phase of their No Child Born to Die campaign. I was thrilled to see coverage of the launch in a prominent position on the BBC and Guardian websites, as well as ALL OVER Twitter and Facebook!

The call to Name A Day is twofold.

Firstly, Save the Children is calling on David Cameron to Name A Day when he will host a global summit on child malnutrition.

2012 is a pivotal year in the fight against hunger and malnutrition.

Every hour of every day, 300 children die due to malnutrition because they are left so weakened by relentless hunger that they can’t fight off illnesses like diarrhoea or pneumonia. For those children who survive, long term malnutrition causes devastating and irreversible damage, stunting their growth and leaving their bodies and brains permanently damaged. Despite these shocking statistics, progress on tackling malnutrition is slow.

This year we have a unique opportunity, as world leaders will be in the UK for the 2012 London Olympics and the eyes of the world’s media will be focused on the UK.

It would be fantastic to see David Cameron taking advantage of that opportunity and taking action.

Secondly, Save the Children are calling on their supporters – folk like me and you – to Name a Day in support of the campaign when they do one thing to save children’s lives.

On their chosen day, people will be offered five simple actions that they can take such as tweeting a link to the campaign film or making a meal out of food cupboard staples.

Over the course of the campaign Save the Children will ask people to take further action to put pressure on David Cameron to take action and Name a Day to tackle child malnutrition once and for all.

The more people they can get signed up, the more pressure there is on David Cameron to host a world hunger summit.

There are so many passionate people involved in this campaign – from food critic Jay Rayner to top baking blogger The Pink Whisk – and thousands of supporters have already signed up and named their own day.

It’s so easy for you to get involved too. Visit Save the Children’s Name A Day page, and help save a life today.