A record-breaking Christmas Challenge raises £11.3 million for 528 charities

 

The Christmas Challenge, the UK’s biggest online match funding campaign, has been a resounding success raising over £11.3 million for 528 charities. This is a record breaking year for the Christmas Challenge, run by the Big Give, with both the highest number of participating charities and the highest number of donations received (29,500) in the campaign’s history. Such an achievement means that since the Big Give launched in 2007, it has raised over £97 million for thousands of charity projects, a wonderful achievement with which to mark its 10 year anniversary.

 

Launched on #GivingTuesday 28th November, the Christmas Challenge 2017 offered the opportunity for donations to participating charities to be doubled for seven days. Public donations during the campaign were doubled by trusts, foundations, corporations and philanthropists as well as charities’ own key supporters. Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of all involved, the Christmas Challenge was able to support numerous charity projects in the UK and abroad, spanning a diverse range of causes:

 

 

Director of the Big Give, Alex Day, said

 

We are thrilled to have raised over £11.3 million through this year’s Christmas Challenge. To run such a successful campaign on the 10 year anniversary of the Big Give is particularly special, as it reinforces what the Big Give is all about. We were set up ten years ago to inspire online giving and our flagship Christmas Challenge seeks to support this aim by doubling donations to charity as an incentive for people to give. Seeing a record number of donations this year is therefore extremely rewarding. Most importantly, though, we know the immense impact these donations have for the hardworking charities who take part. Not only does the money raised help them to deliver crucial projects making a real difference to their communities and beneficiaries, but participating in the campaign helps to raise their profile, attract new supporters and, we hope, ensure they continue to thrive in the future.

 

We would like to thank all of the donors and match funders whose generous contributions make the Christmas Challenge possible, and to congratulate all of the charities whose hard work made the campaign such a success.