Sunflower Charity Organisation

Sunflower is a charity organisation based in Bansko, registered with the Bulgarian government. Raising funds to help local disadvantaged people.

There story...

Sunflower is a voluntary organisation based in Bansko, Bulgaria and registered with the Bulgarian Government(Bulstat 177063046). It is focused on fundraising to provide support for elderly, disabled or disadvantaged individuals within the social care system. To improve their living conditions, their social integration and employability. For some time there have been various individual initiatives to help the people of the Bansko and Razlog Municipalities. For example, fundraising for walking frames for the disabled, unwanted clothing redistribution and the provision of two special saddles for the Perivolas riding stables. More recently there have been initiatives from the UK based charities SPARKS and Educ8, which have provided computers, sports education, English lessons and even Yoga classes. The concept of Sunflower was sown from those involved in some of these initiatives, with the help of several willing friends! The aim being to bring together the individual activities in order to build on them and officially fund raise and target priority needs within the area. Sunflower has it’s roots firmly in the local community, as well as being supported by the many people who chose to holiday in this fantastic region of Bulgaria.

Our immediate aim for 2019 is to purchase two light weight first (fast!) responder Alp 200 motorbikes and associated equipment for Bansko Mountain Rescue. Other completed projects include a sensory room for the special needs centre, lockers for a nursery, medical grab-bags and equipment for the medical centre, medical grade mattresses and protectors for the dementia home, computers, training, new cookers and washing machines for the care homes and distribution of a huge assortment of donated second-hand goods and clothing which is one of our core functions. We are also wanting to expand the provision of English lessons. Computers, computer support skills and sports activities.

The Sunflower SPLASH! is our regular summer fundraising event and it’s timed to coincide with the finish of the Bansko MTB Sunday Ride at the end of the International Jazz Festival Week. We also have a winter Apres-ski event call The Sunflower Snow-Ball and are very grateful to be a recipient of the generous fund-raising achieved at the amazing Bansko Ball!