Big Give’s Christmas Challenge has become the UK’s biggest public fundraising campaign in 2024 after raising a record-breaking £44.7 million in just one week, marking a remarkable 35% increase from last year’s total of £33 million.The campaign, which concluded at midday on Tuesday, 10 December, attracted over 119,000 donations from the public, with 74% of participating charities meeting or exceeding their fundraising targets and 95% of all available match funds being utilised.
This amount raised is particularly notable given the ongoing impact of the cost of living crisis, which has placed additional strain on donors and charities alike. The funds raised will provide crucial support for charities grappling with increased operational costs and soaring demand for their services over the challenging winter period.
The Christmas Challenge doubles the difference of the public’s donations, which are matched by Big Give’s ‘Champion’ partners, i.e. philanthropists, foundations and companies. This year, Big Give secured a record-breaking £20 million in match funds for the campaign, thanks to a range of generous Champions, including The Reed Foundation, Julia Rausing Trust, The Childhood Trust, The Hospital Saturday Fund, ShareGift, Steve Morgan Foundation, Candis Magazine, Hampshire Cricket Foundation, Aesseal, The
Coles-Medlock Foundation and many others.
James Reed, Chair of the Trustees of Big Give, commented: “We are thrilled that Big Give’s Christmas Challenge has become the biggest public fundraiser in the UK this year thanks to the incredible generosity of everyone who has donated, particularly at a time when we know charitable giving is being squeezed by the cost of living crisis.
“We had hoped to beat last year’s record total but to do so by such a margin is extraordinary. I want to thank everyone who chose one of over 1,250 charities to support and our generous funding champions who put up match funding to double those donations.
“We try to make it as easy as possible for people to donate using the ‘three Ds’ with our focus being digital first, meaning it takes around 15 seconds to donate via your phone or laptop.
“We’re also democratising giving by offering individuals the ability to choose which of many hundreds of different causes to support, and finally, we’re doubling everyone’s generosity with our match funds. This means we are able to double the difference.
“Behind every £1 raised and every target hit are stories of incredible, life-changing, heart-warming impact delivered by our charity partners. These funds will make a vital difference to the lives of so many.
“Thank you again to everyone who has so generously supported this year’s campaign.”
The Christmas Challenge is Big Give’s annual flagship campaign and accounts for around three-quarters of the £346 million raised by Big Give since 2008. Over half of the charities taking part (59%) were small charities with an annual income of less than £1m. n. The campaign continues to prove that the spirit of giving is alive and thriving, even during tough economic times, raising more than both Comic Relief (£38.6m) and Children, in Need (£39.2m) in 2024.
The campaign garnered high-profile endorsements from celebrities such as Alan Carr (Neuroblastoma UK), David Harewood (RADA), Peter Capaldi (Magic Breakfast), Sabrina Cohen-Hatton (StreetVet), Lemn Sissay (The Foundling Museum), and Izzy Judd (Future Talent). As well as notable mentions on social media from Nigella Lawson, Muse, Deborah Meaden, Eddie Marsan, Sally Dynevor and many more. Their backing helped drive awareness and inspire generosity from the public.
Inspiring stories of impact from the campaign:
Shoshana Stewart, President | Turquoise Mountain, shared: “Our successful Big Give Christmas Campaign will be massively impactful for the artisans we work with in Afghanistan, Myanmar, and the Middle East. The power of individual generosity and matching funds is immense – but the need for support is also immense – and we are so grateful to everyone who makes this
work possible.”
“We are absolutely delighted to have exceeded our £100,000 target by almost £14,000. Thanks to the generosity of our wonderful supporters, we are able to scale up our work with families across the drylands of Africa, enabling them to grow trees and restore land. Trees are an incredible source of nutritious food for families living in the face of the climate crisis, and the
produce can be sold to earn an additional income for families too. We are grateful to partner with Big Give and the Helen and Michael Brown Charitable Trust to double our impact this Christmas.”
Sally Airey, Director of Communications and Fundraising | Tree Aid
“At the Foundling Museum, we honour people who have been in care and those who support them. We are thrilled and incredibly thankful to the many individuals who helped us raise over £22,500 during this year’s Big Give Christmas Challenge. This money is essential for the Museum’s award-winning activities, including arts programmes for young people with care experience, along with exhibitions and events which explore important stories about love, loss, and care. We especially appreciate the generous pledges from Foundling Museum philanthropists and The Reed Foundation, who provided matching funds to boost our efforts.”
Emma Ridgway, Museum Director | The Foundling Museum
Sarcoma UK’s Director of Fundraising and Communications, Kerry Reeves-Kneip | Sarcoma UK said: “As the UK’s leading charity supporting those affected by sarcoma, we are incredibly humbled and thrilled by the overwhelming support during this year’s Big Give Christmas Challenge. Since our inception, we have invested £8 million in 98 critical research projects to improve diagnoses and treatment of sarcoma. Every donation is a beacon of hope for those affected by these rare cancers, bringing us closer to our mission of supporting patients, funding vital research, and ultimately improving outcomes for those living with
sarcoma. The generosity of donors has not just raised funds but has also raised awareness about these often overlooked cancers, helping us continue our crucial work in research, support, and advocacy.”
Nikki Barraclough, chief executive of Prevent Breast Cancer, said: “We’re absolutely blown away by the incredible donations from Big Give this year. Every penny raised will go towards the construction of a new National Breast Imaging Academy to train more
specialists and help women get their mammograms when they need them. Thanks to your generosity, we’re closer than ever to our goal of more mammograms, more research and more lives saved.”
“We are absolutely thrilled that we have achieved our fundraising target of £130,000 in the Big Give Christmas Challenge, and even earlier than expected! This incredible milestone would not have been possible without the generosity of our pledgers, our champion donor, and, of course, our wonderful supporters. Their belief in our mission means the world to us, and together, we can continue making life better with bees. Thank you to everyone from the bottom of our hearts!”
Megan Denver, CEO |Bees for Development
The funds raised through the campaign will support countless life-changing projects, empowering charities to deliver critical services to those in need. From providing meals to vulnerable families to funding educational programs for children, the donations will create ripples of positive change across the UK and the world.
To explore the participating charities, visit https://donate.biggive.org/christmas-challenge-2024
Watch the 2024 campaign video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWh7Yrveahg
