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In July, thanks to generous funding and support from Big Lottery Wales, we launched our new Development Programme for Wales. Through the programme, Localgiving will work with 250 local community groups across Wales. It is an entirely free opportunity and includes free Localgiving membership for a year, gift aid claimed on each group’s behalf, free training in online fundraising, 1:1 support from a locally based member of staff, £200 matchfunding for every group that signs up and further matchfunding campaigns throughout the year. We now have the pleasure of working with groups across Wales... One of the groups that has already made a great start is Friends of the City of Swansea Botanical Gardens. They are run by a large group of volunteers who are working to develop 3 public parks in Swansea. As part of their work, they are creating a Wildflower/Wellbeing Garden in Singleton Park - to achieve this they need funds. Localgiving has been working with them to create both their group’s main fundraising page and a specific appeal for their wildflower project. They began this appeal at the start of October and have already raised £2780.75, which includes the £200 matchfunding that they have now earned as a successful participant in the Wales Development Programme. It also includes £271.25 gift aid that we have accessed and processed for them with no worry or admin time needed from them. Furthermore, during our Grow Your Tenner campaign they have unlocked a further £370 matchfunding. How it works... After they expressed their interest in working with Localgiving, I went out to meet the group face-to-face at their base in one of the parks. I worked through all of the basics of how to set up with Localgiving and how to get started with developing and promoting their cause. Since that point we have had much communication, they have attended a training session, Introduction to Online Fundraising, and are soon to attend a second session on Developing an Online Fundraising Campaign. This is the typical journey of a Wales group once they show interest in our year of free help. Hear from the group itself... Jane Terrett, volunteer: “One of the huge advantages of being associated with Localgiving is that you never feel you are on your own, there is always someone or somewhere you can go for help. Online fundraising enables us to reach people who are sympathetic to our cause who we didn’t even know existed. The online tips, advice and poster templates are invaluable. Donations are automatically paid into the bank account and the admin surrounding gift aid is taken care of. Fundraising isn’t easy and you do need to put in the work setting up the site and getting the message across to the local community so they know about your page. As an organisation, we weren’t sure whether online fundraising was to way to go as most of our supporters are 70+. However the publicity surrounding the webpage has resulted in many online donations - and also gifts of cash and cheques that we wouldn’t have secured without the online campaign. We are delighted with the progress, but checking the website is getting addictive!” Have a look at their brilliant appeal: localgiving.org/appeal/wildflowers5168 Posted by Lauren Swain
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Dydd Gwŷl Dewi Sant hapus! To celebrate St David’s Day, Lauren & Emma from Localgiving’s Wales Development Programme are delighted to share some online fundraising success stories from across Wales. When starting out with online fundraising, it can seem a bit daunting. You might get so frustrated at times that you just want to… Oh, what’s that phrase? Rhoi’r ffidil yn y tô! But, don’t despair! Localgiving is here to make things that little bit easier. It won’t be an overnight success - you know what they say, ara’ deg mae dal iar - and we all know that feeling, nervously waiting for the donations to start rolling in. But just remind yourself, “hir yw pob aros”. With every new campaign, you’ll get better and better. Meistr pob gwaith yw ymarfer, and all that. Try new things, and experiment. If something doesn’t work, try something else! Mae mwy nag un ffordd i gael Wil i'w wely, you know. The most important thing is, to never give up. After all, dyfal donc a dyr y garreg. And remember, when it comes to match funding campaigns (of which we have plenty), y cyntaf i'r felin caiff falu - so don’t delay! Plan ahead and make the most of every opportunity. Which reminds me. Have you got any fundraisers lined up for Local Hero yet? It starts on the 1st of April! Encourage one of your supporters to take part, and they could win up to £1,000 for your cause. Imagine how great that would feel! Fel ceiliog ar ei domen ei hun. Well, we hope that pep talk has inspired you to do some fundraising today! If you’re feeling a bit baffled, check out the handy translation list at the end of this blog... Stay with us for a tour of Wales, as we introduce you to some fantastic groups raising money online with Localgiving. North Wales - TAPE Community Music & Film - Ghostbuskers Road To Eden appeal TAPE Community Music & Film is an award-winning community arts charity in Old Colwyn which, for over 8 years, has supported hundreds of people to explore and develop their creative ideas. At the moment, TAPE are running an appeal to get their music group “Ghostbuskers” to the Eden Project in Cornwall, where they hope to perform at the Community Camp event this coming May. Ghostbuskers is a musical performance project welcoming people of all ages and abilities. The group rehearses weekly at TAPE’s Community Arts Centre and then performs across the country at community events and concerts throughout the year. Since starting the appeal less than 3 weeks ago, TAPE have raised £120 plus £28 of Gift Aid. The group plans to use their remaining £100 of match funding to encourage more people to support the appeal. TAPE have made great use of the Localgiving appeal page’s video hosting function to showcase the brilliant Ghostbuskers band. Mid Wales - Play Radnor - Welcome to the Hub appeal Play Radnor is a voluntary organisation committed to the development of play opportunities for the children and young people of Radnorshire. The group provides quality play provision for children and young people, and raises the awareness of the importance of play. At the beginning of February, Play Radnor attended a free workshop entitled “Getting started with Online Fundraising”, where they were able to learn the basics of online fundraising, get online with Localgiving and set up an appeal page the very same day! Play Radnor decided to raise money to build a cob oven at their play hub, so they could make tasty wood-fired pizzas for the community. They raised awareness of the appeal by posting to facebook and, within the week, the appeal had raised £125. Localgiving matched this amount as part of the Big Lottery-funded Wales Development Programme, meaning Play Radnor reached and exceeded their £200 target only 5 days after joining Localgiving! West Wales - The Shared Earth Trust The Shared Earth Trust are a Lampeter based group that helps people to connect with nature through Denmark Farm, a 40 acre nature reserve and visitor centre that run an environmental education programme. Since joining Localgiving in October, The Shared Earth Trust have now raised over £2,500 and have found a number of things have worked well. They did a crowdfunder a year ago and found it really hard work and not very successful, even though they were offering rewards for donations. They found Localgiving much easier and have done really well with Grow Your Tenner, as they have found it sounds almost too good to be true and so people really engage with it. The most successful form of promotion they found was personal emails from their staff and trustees. These had a very high 50% success rate and many donations were made within minutes of people receiving these emails. They are now adding a Localgiving donation button to their website and encouraging their members to pay their direct debits through their Localgiving page. South Wales - Friends of the City Of Swansea Botanical Complex Friends of the City of Swansea Botanical Complex supports 3 public parks in Swansea and is entirely volunteer-led. In the Autumn we supported them to run their first ever fundraising appeal to raise money for a new Wildflower/Wellbeing Garden in Singleton Park. They raised a whopping £4384.50, which includes Grow Your Tenner matchfunding and their £200 matchfunding for taking part in the Wales Development Programme. To support them with this, we met them face-to-face at their park base, have had many phone conversations and they have attended 2 Localgiving group training sessions. Saying: Rhoi’r ffidil yn y tô Literal translation: Put the fiddle in the roof English equivalent: Reach the end of one’s tether Saying: Ara’ deg mae dal iar Literal translation: Slowly is the way to catch chickens English equivalent: Patience is a virtue Saying: Hir yw pob aros Literal translation: All waiting is long English equivalent: A watched pot never boils Saying: Meistr pob gwaith yw ymarfer Literal translation: The master of all work is practice English equivalent: Practice makes perfect Saying: Mae mwy nag un ffordd i gael Wil i'w wely Literal translation: There’s more than one to send Will to his bed English equivalent: There’s more than one way to skin a cat Saying: Dyfal donc a dyr y garreg Literal translation: Persistent blows shatter the stone English equivalent: If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again Saying: Y cyntaf i'r felin caiff falu Literal translation: The first to the mill gets to grind English equivalent: First come, first served Saying: Fel ceiliog ar ei domen ei hun Literal translation: Like a cockerel on top of his heap English equivalent: Cock of the walk5056 Posted by Lauren Swain
How the Cardiff Half Marathon is helping our groups in Wales
Fundraisers are a wonderful way of inspiring supporters to get behind your cause, primarily by dedicating their own time and effort. Individuals can take something they enjoy doing - or perhaps something they don’t enjoy - and turn it into a fundraising challenge! An even easier way to generate fundraising ideas is to be aware of existing events taking place in the local area. At Localgiving we encourage all of the community groups we work with to ask their networks to consider fundraisers. And through Localgiving it is super easy for fundraisers to set up pages that send all donations directly into the cause’s bank account. People will then always support their mates doing fundraising challenges – extending a group’s network!
On Localgiving every fundraiser page will attract an average of 16 donors that may not have directly supported the cause, but are more than happy to support their friend. On top of that, the average amount raised by each fundraiser is £520 - groups can’t go wrong!
In Wales, there are a significant amount of causes who are making the most of the Cardiff Half Marathon, which is coming up on October 1st. There are 6 groups who have supporters taking part and collectively they have 23 fundraisers that are focusing on 2017’s event.
I wanted to share a few current fundraising stories with you:
Paul Popham Fund, Real Support Wales
This group has 4 fundraisers taking part in the Cardiff Half Marathon, to support their work of giving children with kidney disease a better life. They have focused on asking parents and friends of the organisation to undertake a variety of physical challenges throughout the year. Indeed they hold the title for the highest amount raised so far, out of all members of our free Wales programme. Their current donation total stands at over £7,500 and this is predominantly from fundraisers.
“Localgiving has helped support our fundraising initiatives in so many ways. It is easy to use and there is a representative on hand to help with any queries - that is invaluable. We have various projects that the funds will be used for. Our Cardiff Half Marathon Team will be supporting our Christmas Appeal to send children with kidney disease and their families on a day out to see a Christmas pantomime.Localgiving is a proactive platform that encourages its members to actively raise more funds with the different campaigns. The support given by Localgiving is amazing. No other platform gives the support Localgiving does.”
Joanne Popham – Volunteer, Paul Popham Fund, Renal Support Wales
Student Volunteering Cardiff: This group has 9 fundraisers taking part in the Cardiff Half Marathon. The majority of the supporters are students who have taken part in their programme to encourage young people to volunteer for local causes whilst they study.
“We are very proud of our team of 10 runners who will be taking part in the Cardiff Half Marathon this 1st October to raise money for our student-led, independent charity Student Volunteering Cardiff (SVC). All the money will go towards supporting one of our 28 volunteering projects working with children and young people, those with disabilities, the elderly, the homeless and the local community.”
Malou Hascoet - Project Coordinator, Student Volunteering Wales
Music in Hospitals Cymru: This group has 8 fundraisers taking part in the Cardiff Half Marathon. The majority of the supporters are students, musicians or hospital employees who are part of the work to bring live classical music performances into hospital wards.
“We are delighted to have 11 runners in total this year. Each person has done a fantastic job with their fundraising so far, together they have helped raise a total of nearly £2000 for the charity, and we still have a few weeks to go! Many of our runners haven’t taken part in a half marathon before, so the Cardiff Half will certainly be memorable as well as challenging! Our supporters know that raising money for Music in Hospitals will make a huge difference in enabling us to carry out our work. The aim of the charity is to create joy through live music, and we do this in healthcare settings across the country. In Wales we organise around 500 concerts a year for unwell, elderly and vulnerable audiences, bringing the therapeutic benefits of live music to over 15,000 people a year.
Music in Hospitals is currently working on an exciting new project with the Archbishop of Wales Fund for Children. The foundation have kindly given us a grant to spend on live music concerts for unwell or disadvantaged children in care settings across Wales. Money that our Cardiff Half runners are helping us to raise will contribute to this fund, allowing us to provide an additional 10 free concerts for the children! A big thankyou to everyone who has donated to the team, it means such a lot to us.”
Hannah Beadsworth – Development Officer Wales, Music in Hospitals Cymru
Further Wales groups fundraising through the Cardiff Half Marathon:
North Gwent Cardiac Rehabilitation and Aftercare Charity
Pembrokeshire Citizens Advice Bureau
Example fundraiser page:
If you would like to support the work of any of the mentioned groups, please click on their links.
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It is impossible not to be moved by the tragic scenes taking place in the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe – the crammed trains and boats, hauntingly reminiscent of our not-too-distant history. Images of desperate people, making treacherous journeys to escape war-torn regions. Many of us want to do our bit in this time of great human need. However, we can’t all be handing out provisions in Budapest, Kos or Calais. So, how then can we help? There are many larger charities, national and international, that have a proven track record in supporting refugees - UNHCR, Refugee Action and the British Red Cross to name a few. These organisations provide exceptional emergency support and advocacy. However, much of the long term support required by asylum seekers and refugees is provided by small, locally-based community groups and solidarity organisations. Once in the UK, refugees and asylum seekers face multiple, complex issues – be it trauma, exploitation or social isolation. These grassroots organisations provide the essential support needed to empower refugees and enable them to fully integrate and flourish. Support local groups As a member organisation for local charities and community groups, Localgiving is proud to work with many of these amazing groups from across the country. To highlight just a few: RETAS provide education and training to refugees and asylum seekers in West Yorkshire to help them rebuild their lives in the UK Embrace, based in Stoke-on-Trent, provide a drop-in service for female asylum seekers and their children across Staffordshire who are experiencing hardship and social isolation NNRF work with and for refugees and asylum seekers across Nottinghamshire, offering practical advice, information, support and friendship CLEAR provide advice and education to both settled and developing refugee communities in Southampton Slough Immigration Aid Unit empower people by ensuring they know, and can access their legal rights under immigration law Ourmala support refugee and asylum-seeking women living in London to find strength and hope through yoga These groups all rely on their local communities – for both volunteering and financial support. To find out more about how you can get involved with groups supporting refugees and asylum seekers in your area, you can search for relevant charities here. You don’t have to be in Calais to play your part sometimes the biggest difference you can make, even in times of international crises, is on your own doorstep. Update (07/09/15): A huge thank you to everyone who has donated or offered support to any of the charities above so far. I am just updating this blog to let you know about a new member of Localgiving, The Bike Project. This group receive donations of second-hand bikes, fix them up at their community workshops, and donate them to refugees and asylum seekers in London.Sep 04, 2015 0
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By Amy Kordiak Photo: Chris Economides & Mai Marley A few weeks back, I had the absolute pleasure of visiting one of the Localgiving groups in Wales, Barry Beavers Disabled Swimming club. The purpose of the visit was to hear more about the club’s fundraising aims, the amazing work it does in the community and to help the team make the most of its Localgiving account. Barry Beavers was founded 40 years ago and provides qualified instruction using the Halliwick Concept in reaching swimming therapy to disabled swimmers of all ages and disabilities. The club is certainly making a huge impact in the community as it continues to grow and it now has a team of 20+ volunteers and 75 swimmers. Therefore it has been essential that Barry Beavers has had success with its online fundraising to ensure its future financial sustainability. The club joined Localgiving in 2017 and so far has benefitted from four Magic Little Grants and ongoing fundraising support. It has used its main project page for regular donations and has benefitted from support from the Wales Programme; to set up crowdfunding appeals which have attracted match funding. Barry Beavers Chair, Chris Economides, showed enormous pride and passion when he spoke about why the club is so successful “to put it simply, everyone gets along so well. We welcome all disabled swimmers into our community and our two main aims are simple: water safety and happiness. Swimmers can attend the club for leisure, fun; to compete in the galas or a combination of all those things and one of the huge benefits swimmers get is the strong sense of belonging and to feel connected during these uncertain and often isolating times is so important”. One of the trustees, Mai Marley added “getting together during Covid-19 has been tough but we have come back stronger. The people involved are gorgeous and I have made many friends having been here since 2017. Gala days are the best days ever as competitions are a great way of building people’s self-esteem and we have a lot of fun along the way!” The club incorporates fun and games into their lessons so that everyone feels included and can benefit from being in the water. The lessons are open to all children and adults in the area who have a disability or long-term health condition and alongside the swim sessions, water therapy is also offered. When asked about the support the club has received from Localgiving, Chris said: “Localgiving has proved a great benefit to Barry Beavers. The staff at Localgiving are always available to give help and advice on funding initiatives. Barry Beavers has been able to receive substantial funding due to our membership – it is well worth joining”. Barry Beavers is just one of the 450 not for profit groups that Localgiving has supported in Wales benefitting from: a year’s free membership, grants, match funding and mentoring in how to crowdfund. If your group is in Wales and would like free, digital fundraising advice, please email: amy@localgiving.org. To find out more about Barry Beavers Disabled Swimming club, to offer some time as a volunteer or to make a donation to the club, click here.Sep 28, 2021 0 -
Leyla Hussein is an anti-FGM activist, psychotherapist, and founder of the Dahlia Project. I underwent female genital mutilation (FGM) when I was seven years old. I was held down by women I trusted and it left deep scars physically and emotionally. However, it was not until many years later, when I gave birth to my daughter, that anyone talked to me about FGM and offered me help. This practice is shrouded in secrecy and shame with too many women suffering in silence through many years of pain. I was one of these women until a brave health professional asked that all important question, “Have you been cut?”. That was the start of a long and often difficult journey which will last for the rest of my life. I had to face up to what had been done to me and how it had affected me. FGM cast a shadow over all my life choices and it was only after I began therapy that I could understand this. FGM cannot be undone but survivors can heal. We had to be strong to survive what was done to us and I see that strength every day in the women I now work with. I founded the Dahlia Project to help other women like me. As I came to terms with my experience of FGM I was horrified at how little recognition there was of how this devastating practice affects women psychologically. There were no specialists we could turn to and most of our GPs or other sources of help had little knowledge of FGM. At Dahlia Project we break the silence and provide a safe space and therapeutic support for women living with FGM. These are often women who have no access to other help. They are vulnerable, come from minority communities, are under-represented at all levels of government and policy making and yet they suffer such pain and are in urgent need of our help. They are also the most important asset we have in ending FGM but still they are ignored and not seen as a priority. This is not about austerity or any other easy political soundbite. Political parties in the UK all signed up to stand against FGM decades ago and progress has been made clarifying the law and raising awareness. However, none of them have properly invested in the community based work which is where we will change opinion and end the practice. There are many examples of good practice but these fall by the wayside due to lack of funding and time after time we must start over building relationships and trust. I write this blog as Dahlia Project is under threat. This project is close to my heart and I am so proud of what it has achieved. Working with the incredible women I meet at the project, who have gone through so much, and seeing them heal and support each other, is inspiring. Their determination that FGM ends with them and that their daughters will not be cut fills me with hope for a better future. Working with women who have been cut and supporting them so they can protect their daughters is how we stop FGM. My daughter lives free from FGM because I was helped and I can now protect and empower her. Over the last 3 years the Dahila Project has helped many women but it is the tip of an iceberg as an estimated 137,000 women and girls in England and Wales have undergone FGM and 60,000 girls are at risk. Awareness of FGM amongst the public has risen in recent years but the situation remains bleak for FGM survivors. Earlier this year, the Acton FGM Clinic which was one of the few community based clinics in London for FGM survivors was forced to close due to a lack of funding. Now Dahlia Project is also under threat. Unless we find new sources of income Dahlia Project will no longer be able to provide its unique and life changing services. Politicians from all political parties talk about how they are committed to tackling FGM but to many of us working directly with the women and girls it effects their words offer little hope while the specialist clinics are closing. Only last week at Prime Minister’s Questions Theresa May once again made a strong statement against FGM. While she was speaking we were working to launch the new appeal for emergency funding for the Dahlia Project. Rather than warm words and a pat on the back for being brave what FGM survivors really need is long term investment in the services which help them. Please share this blog and our appeal to help save this valuable service. We must also pressure for a long-term commitment to provide support for FGM survivors. Write to your MP and local councils asking what they are doing to ensure funded, specialist, community based services for FGM survivors. Sometimes being angry or upset about injustice is not enough and we need to focus that anger into positive action which will bring about change. Found this blog post useful? You may also like: Local Charity and Community Group Sustainability Report 2016 Pride and Prejudice: Local LGBTQI groups need your support!Jul 10, 2017 0
