Search blog posts
Categories
Amy Kordiak 's Entries
3 blogs
-
Over the course of the pandemic, access to green spaces has become increasingly important. People are recognising the benefits of connecting with nature, growing their own food and the positive impact being in the great outdoors has on your mental well-being. Sadly, according to data from The Office of National Statistics, 1 in 8 households in the UK did not have access to a garden during the pandemic; with people from ethnic minorities being even more adversely affected and black people in particular are four times less likely to have access to a garden. This growing disparity has prompted a rise in the number of community gardens being created across the UK and they are looking fantastic just like Erw Dewi/Dewi’s acre in St. Davids, Pembrokeshire. EcoDewi, a community environmental group focused on the St Davids Peninsula, joined the Crowdfund Wales Programme back in March to raise some much needed cash for their new community garden – Erw Dewi. Jeremy Wadia (Co-founder) approached Localgiving as he had little previous experience of online fundraising but had a clear vision for a disused plot of land by St Davids Cathedral which they had started to cultivate. Working in collaboration with the Cathedral, the group had 3 clear aims to raise money for: building a potting shed, producing a wildlife pond to increase biodiversity and transforming some land with a large laurel bush into a jungle play area for children. All in all some fantastic ideas, but they couldn’t do it without more money in the pot and the time and commitment of local volunteers. The target that EcoDewi set was £2000 hoping that they would raise £1750 independently and then unlock their matchfunding grant of £250 along the way. After joining the programme, the first thing they did was talk through how it would all work and make sure that there was time and resource in place to promote the appeal. The page had to stand out from the competition and really connect with the community. Jeremy decided to produce a short video to add to the appeal page, describing the work that needed to be done and specifically what the money raised would go towards. The next thing we discussed was how to make the best use of both personal and professional networks to promote the campaign and to reach out to donors. Jeremy decided that a longer running time would work better to allow for some events that were taking place where he could actively promote the project and where there was already buy-in. They smashed their target and the appeal is now closed but it has moved across to a project page so that they can continue to keep their generous donors up to date with news about the garden and they can also upload new photos to show how things are progressing. Along the way, EcoDewi was awarded a Magic Little Grant, distributed by Localgiving and funded by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery but it was decided early on that this money would not specifically go towards the garden but would encourage people to take part in additional activities to further enhance biodiversity in the area. The cause chosen was their Mini Meadows project which aims to encourage local residents and organisations to reduce grass mowing regimes and allow areas to grow and develop into small wildflower meadows. As part of this project, EcoDewi gives participants a recycled wooden blue heart, inspired by the Blue Campaign’s effort to re-wild Britain’s gardens. The Magic Little Grant covered the marketing and materials needed to get this off the ground across the St. Davids Peninsula. So far so good for EcoDewi, having raised a total of £3,438 and now promoting regular donations to ensure their work is funded into the future. To find out more about the Crowdfund Wales Programme, click here.9891 Posted by Amy Kordiak
-
By Amy Kordiak Over the course of the pandemic, access to green spaces has become increasingly important. People are recognising the benefits of connecting with nature, growing their own food and the positive impact being in the great outdoors has on your mental well-being. Sadly, according to data from The Office of National Statistics, 1 in 8 households in the UK did not have access to a garden during the pandemic; with people from ethnic minorities being even more adversely affected and black people in particular are four times less likely to have access to a garden. This growing disparity has prompted a rise in the number of community gardens being created across the UK and they are looking fantastic just like Erw Dewi/Dewi’s acre in St. Davids, Pembrokeshire. EcoDewi, a community environmental group focused on the St Davids Peninsula, joined the Crowdfund Wales Programme back in March to raise some much needed cash for their new community garden – Erw Dewi. Jeremy Wadia (Co-founder) approached Localgiving as he had little previous experience of online fundraising but had a clear vision for a disused plot of land by St Davids Cathedral which they had started to cultivate. Working in collaboration with the Cathedral, the group had 3 clear aims to raise money for: building a potting shed, producing a wildlife pond to increase biodiversity and transforming some land with a large laurel bush into a jungle play area for children. All in all some fantastic ideas, but they couldn’t do it without more money in the pot and the time and commitment of local volunteers. The target that EcoDewi set was £2000 hoping that they would raise £1750 independently and then unlock their matchfunding grant of £250 along the way. After joining the programme, the first thing they did was talk through how it would all work and make sure that there was time and resource in place to promote the appeal. The page had to stand out from the competition and really connect with the community. Jeremy decided to produce a short video to add to the appeal page, describing the work that needed to be done and specifically what the money raised would go towards. The next thing we discussed was how to make the best use of both personal and professional networks to promote the campaign and to reach out to donors. Jeremy decided that a longer running time would work better to allow for some events that were taking place where he could actively promote the project and where there was already buy-in. They smashed their target and the appeal is now closed but it has moved across to a project page so that they can continue to keep their generous donors up to date with news about the garden and they can also upload new photos to show how things are progressing. Along the way, EcoDewi was awarded a Magic Little Grant, distributed by Localgiving and funded by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery but it was decided early on that this money would not specifically go towards the garden but would encourage people to take part in additional activities to further enhance biodiversity in the area. The cause chosen was their Mini Meadows project which aims to encourage local residents and organisations to reduce grass mowing regimes and allow areas to grow and develop into small wildflower meadows. As part of this project, EcoDewi gives participants a recycled wooden blue heart, inspired by the Blue Campaign’s effort to re-wild Britain’s gardens. The Magic Little Grant covered the marketing and materials needed to get this off the ground across the St. Davids Peninsula. So far so good for EcoDewi, having raised a total of £3,438 and now promoting regular donations to ensure their work is funded into the future. To find out more about the Crowdfund Wales Programme, click here.Aug 10, 2021 9891 -
One of the Crowdfund Wales Programme’s newest members, Cardiff and Vale Scouts, has used a blended approach to their fundraising to raise much needed cash. Area Commissioner Julian Jordan approached Localgiving as he was keen to start to raise money online but realised that for the first appeal, the sum would be high as it was focussed on a refurbishment of the toilets on the Jubilee Camp Site. The grand total that the group is hoping to raise is £20,000 which they thought would be difficult through online fundraising alone. What was important from the outset however was that all the money raised was in one place and that the ask was specific and set across a limited period of time not only to create a sense of urgency but also so that the fundraiser did not become too onerous a task to monitor and manage. By using a blended approach and adding off-line donations, it is easy to monitor the progress of a campaign and to make it completely transparent for the public. The text on appeals can be changed throughout so you can update on the appeal page how close you are to your target and change images if you wish. The toilets on the Jubilee campsite are not adequate for today’s hygiene standards and with the introduction of additional Covid-19 safety measures; they would not have been fit for purpose for the number of scouts that will use the site. Julian and his colleagues decided to create a short video make this appeal eye-catching and to demonstrate the need. Recognising the importance of starting an appeal with cash in the pot, Julian quickly decided that this was going to have to be a mixture of on and off-line donations. The Scouts had already received a grant which would go some way towards the refurbishment, so they were able to launch the appeal with a £10,000 donated offline. Psychologically, when potential donors click on the link to an appeal, they are far more likely to give to a cause where they can see other donations have been made. Also, £10,000 does not seem so daunting for anyone who sees a high total wonders what impact their small donation would have. Julian also applied for a Magic Little Grant from Localgiving for CCTV for the site which he was successful in obtaining. On the Crowdfund Wales Programme, once a group has reached £1750, they can unlock their match funding grant of £250 and the Scouts were able to do this quickly due to dedicated time set aside at the start of the appeal for promotion. In fact, Julian not only did Julian post his progress on social media frequently but he also sent the link via a newsletter and ensured there was coverage in the local press – this all helped to give the appeal the boost it needed. The Scouts are making excellent progress and only need to raise a further £2,283 in the next 44 days to reach their £20,000 target. To read more about appeal and to donate, click here.6289 Posted by Amy Kordiak
-
By Amy Kordiak One of the Crowdfund Wales Programme’s newest members, Cardiff and Vale Scouts, has used a blended approach to their fundraising to raise much needed cash. Area Commissioner Julian Jordan approached Localgiving as he was keen to start to raise money online but realised that for the first appeal, the sum would be high as it was focussed on a refurbishment of the toilets on the Jubilee Camp Site. The grand total that the group is hoping to raise is £20,000 which they thought would be difficult through online fundraising alone. What was important from the outset however was that all the money raised was in one place and that the ask was specific and set across a limited period of time not only to create a sense of urgency but also so that the fundraiser did not become too onerous a task to monitor and manage. By using a blended approach and adding off-line donations, it is easy to monitor the progress of a campaign and to make it completely transparent for the public. The text on appeals can be changed throughout so you can update on the appeal page how close you are to your target and change images if you wish. The toilets on the Jubilee campsite are not adequate for today’s hygiene standards and with the introduction of additional Covid-19 safety measures; they would not have been fit for purpose for the number of scouts that will use the site. Julian and his colleagues decided to create a short video make this appeal eye-catching and to demonstrate the need. Recognising the importance of starting an appeal with cash in the pot, Julian quickly decided that this was going to have to be a mixture of on and off-line donations. The Scouts had already received a grant which would go some way towards the refurbishment, so they were able to launch the appeal with a £10,000 donated offline. Psychologically, when potential donors click on the link to an appeal, they are far more likely to give to a cause where they can see other donations have been made. Also, £10,000 does not seem so daunting for anyone who sees a high total wonders what impact their small donation would have. Julian also applied for a Magic Little Grant from Localgiving for CCTV for the site which he was successful in obtaining. On the Crowdfund Wales Programme, once a group has reached £1750, they can unlock their match funding grant of £250 and the Scouts were able to do this quickly due to dedicated time set aside at the start of the appeal for promotion. In fact, Julian not only did Julian post his progress on social media frequently but he also sent the link via a newsletter and ensured there was coverage in the local press – this all helped to give the appeal the boost it needed. The Scouts are making excellent progress and only need to raise a further £2,283 in the next 44 days to reach their £20,000 target. To read more about appeal and to donate, click here.Jun 30, 2021 6289
-
In the beautiful Welsh coastal town of Goodwick in Pembrokeshire, porpoises have become the hot topic in the community and with Localgiving’s support; one project has been making waves with its online fundraising efforts… Sea Trust Wales which was the first organisation to join the new Crowdfund Wales Programme, has cause to celebrate this week as in the first five days since setting up their Porpoise Project Appeal with Localgiving, they have raised over £2000 and have unlocked their match funding of £250! Sea Trust Wales is a marine conservation charity based in Pembrokeshire, which focusses on redressing imbalances in ecosystems in the sea and more generally, conserving marine life. Due to the current restrictions, the Catch and Release Aquarium has been closed to the public and some of the vital work of the Trust cannot be undertaken, having a significant effect on the Trust’s fundraising. However, Holly Dunn, a Project Officer for Sea Trust, didn’t let this dampen her spirits and decided to turn to the community and online fundraising to generate some much needed funds. “As a team, we didn’t have much experience of online fundraising before, we had a donate button but didn’t realise how generous people would be and how much we could increase the profile of the work that we do…we have been overwhelmed by the support of the local community!” A group of extremely committed volunteers, led by Holly, work on the Porpoise ID Project. The project is vital for monitoring the health of the marine environment as porpoises are one of the UK’s top marine predators so studying them tells the team a lot about the state of the sea. If porpoise populations decline in UK waters, there would be a huge impact on the food chain, therefore monitoring is vital to ensure the entire marine eco system in Wales does not become imbalanced. Holly added: “It’s not just the porpoises that benefit from what we are doing; it has a huge impact on the local area offering opportunities for volunteers to help with the data gathering and to understand more about our local marine life. We could not run this project without the backing of our community and we have heard that giving back and being involved in something so rewarding is having a positive impact on people’s mental health during this difficult time”. If you know of a charity or community group in Wales that might benefit from our Crowdfund Wales Programme or who would like support with their online fundraising generally, please contact our Wales Development Manager: amy@localgiving.org For Sea Trust Wales, this is very much the start of their online fundraising journey and it is hoped that once their appeal target is reached, people will continue to make regular donations so Holly and the team can continue to protect the health of the seas. To donate to the Porpoise Project Appeal, click here and you can also follow the success of the appeal on Twitter and Facebook.13997 Posted by Amy Kordiak
-
By Amy Kordiak In the beautiful Welsh coastal town of Goodwick in Pembrokeshire, porpoises have become the hot topic in the community and with Localgiving’s support; one project has been making waves with its online fundraising efforts… Sea Trust Wales which was the first organisation to join the new Crowdfund Wales Programme, has cause to celebrate this week as in the first five days since setting up their Porpoise Project Appeal with Localgiving, they have raised over £2000 and have unlocked their match funding of £250! Sea Trust Wales is a marine conservation charity based in Pembrokeshire, which focusses on redressing imbalances in ecosystems in the sea and more generally, conserving marine life. Due to the current restrictions, the Catch and Release Aquarium has been closed to the public and some of the vital work of the Trust cannot be undertaken, having a significant effect on the Trust’s fundraising. However, Holly Dunn, a Project Officer for Sea Trust, didn’t let this dampen her spirits and decided to turn to the community and online fundraising to generate some much needed funds. “As a team, we didn’t have much experience of online fundraising before, we had a donate button but didn’t realise how generous people would be and how much we could increase the profile of the work that we do…we have been overwhelmed by the support of the local community!” A group of extremely committed volunteers, led by Holly, work on the Porpoise ID Project. The project is vital for monitoring the health of the marine environment as porpoises are one of the UK’s top marine predators so studying them tells the team a lot about the state of the sea. If porpoise populations decline in UK waters, there would be a huge impact on the food chain, therefore monitoring is vital to ensure the entire marine eco system in Wales does not become imbalanced. Holly added: “It’s not just the porpoises that benefit from what we are doing; it has a huge impact on the local area offering opportunities for volunteers to help with the data gathering and to understand more about our local marine life. We could not run this project without the backing of our community and we have heard that giving back and being involved in something so rewarding is having a positive impact on people’s mental health during this difficult time”. If you know of a charity or community group in Wales that might benefit from our Crowdfund Wales Programme or who would like support with their online fundraising generally, please contact our Wales Development Manager: amy@localgiving.org For Sea Trust Wales, this is very much the start of their online fundraising journey and it is hoped that once their appeal target is reached, people will continue to make regular donations so Holly and the team can continue to protect the health of the seas. To donate to the Porpoise Project Appeal, click here and you can also follow the success of the appeal on Twitter and Facebook.Feb 16, 2021 13997