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Society & work

AT FIRST GLANCE, these charities don't have much in common. But though they support lots of different causes, they all work in the community, helping people with problems which aren't life-threatening. They're the charities most of us are likely to turn to if something in our lives goes wrong. But because the charities' work is so varied, there's no umbrella organization which helps them all. This means you'll have to identify a cause you're particularly interested in.

Having said all this, there are a few charities we've included here that don't quite fit the mould. The RNLI (which operates lifeboats), for example, undoubtedly provides a benefit to sailors, but it only helps them when their lives are in danger. There are also some charities (like Toynbee Hall) that spend a lot of time doing research into social policy.

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Though they're unusual, these organizations are, like the rest, there to help you if something unexpected happens - or they're trying to think of ways to stop those unexpected things from happening at all.

Our society & work charity listings