20 September 2007

Anita Roddick on philanthropy

When it came to business, Dame Anita Roddick was ahead of her time. Her philanthropy was no different.

Anita Roddick enjoyed being heavily involved with the charities she supported. As she told us in an interview for Giving Insights, NPC’s quarterly magazine, being a hands-on philanthropist means ‘getting your hands dirty and being part of the issues that you care about.’ She also used her impressive contacts book for the benefit of the charities she supported, and provided mentoring support. ‘Networking is key and if I can’t do it who can?’ she asked.

Dame Anita was committed to giving during her lifetime, and started her fundraising early on. In the interview last winter she joked, ‘as a teenager I used to sell kisses for charity’.

• Read the interview with about why Anita Roddick and her husband Gordon chose to throw their support behind BODY & SOUL, a charity that helps young people in the UK who are affected by HIV and AIDS.

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