First of all, our thanks to those of you who have signed up to DealEffect with us as your favoured charity and bought one of the weekend breaks, gym memberships, courses, workshops or products it offers for yourself, a friend or a relative. We are very grateful. However, if you have yet to sign up for DealEffect — or even have no idea what we’re talking about — here’s a quick update. DealEffect is an Irish version of a popular and successful fundraising idea used in a number of countries. Essentially, DealEffect offers daily discounted deals to registered members of the public — but with a difference from other discount websites. This one donates a portion of the revenue earned to charity. Which charity is up to you. And that is where FOL comes in. You simply register on www.dealeffect.ie, and let DealEffect know the name of your favourite charity. You will be alerted to the deals available or you can just check on the site; there’s no sign-up fee or obligation to buy. When your deal has been paid for, 11 per cent of the total cost of the deal will be donated on your behalf to the charity (us, we hope!) that you chose in the registration process. This initiative is still being developed, of course. The people behind DealEffect are hoping that as awareness grows, more companies will sign up, more deals will be offered and more funds raised for charity. So please tell friends — and do inform any businesses you might know that could find it a useful platform: it’s very good and positive publicity. As ever, DealEffect isn’t a substitute for public fundraising or an excuse for governments to defer their obligations; it’s something extra. It is, however, a great idea — giving promotion to companies, money to charities and some nice bargains to the public. And it’s available all year round, which is why we’re highlighting it now. DealEffect will continue to offer deals on a daily basis and at excellent rates. We don't expect all of you to want to rush out and sign up for a beauty workshop or a bargain hotel stay on Westport, of course, but that’s what’s so exciting about DealEffect; you never know what’s coming next!