The donations platform’s annual Christmas Challenge, which included an Apple Pay option for the first time, raised almost £2m more this year than in 2018.
Matchfunding platform The Big Give’s annual Christmas Challenge campaign has raised £15.6m for charities and exceeded last year’s tally. The platform’s Christmas Challenge is backed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund campaign and took place between 3-10 December. It pledged to match fund donations for good causes up to the value of £25,000 and involved 588 charities. This year’s figure exceeds last year’s record of £13.3m and brings the total raised since The Big Give launched in 2007 to £Dec9m. Among those to take part over a number of years is Friends of the Earth, which raised more than £100,000 this year. "We are completely bowled over by the public’s generosity in response to this year’s Christmas Challenge, with so many people choosing to take action and support our Climate Ambition campaign," said Friends of the Earth’s Philanthropy Manager Jo Finburgh. "Friends of the Earth has taken part in The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge for the past nine years, raising tens of thousands of pounds for our climate change, air pollution and anti-fracking work. "We see the Christmas Challenge as a fantastic platform to engage our supporters, inspiring them to give by enabling them to double their donations toward our vital work.
Others include anti-slavery charity Unseen UK. Hannah Young, the charity’s Head of Fundraising said: "Unseen’s Big Give campaign was launched to help save the UK Modern Slavery helpline- a lifeline for victims who are trying to escape exploitation. "In three days, Unseen smashed its target of £75,000, providing critical funding to keep the lines open. With over 7,000 potential victims of modern slavery being identified through the Helpline each year, Unseen’s Big Give campaign will be a vital part of ensuring the Helpline survives." Another to benefit is homelessness charity The Passage. Its Community Fundraiser Andrew Hollingsworth added: "The Passage works with people who arestreethomeless, providing the resources to encourage, inspire and challenge homeless people to transform their lives. The number of Rough Sleepers in London has grown rapidly by 165% since 2010, which has led to an increased demand for our services. "The Big Give provides a special opportunity for existing and new supporters to double their impact at a particularly crucial time of year for rough sleepers, and the money raised will go directly towards helping us to support the growing number of individuals in need of urgent assistance." For the first time this year The Big Give’s Christmas Challenge added Apple Pay, to make it easier to donate and to take into account an increase in cashless fundraising.