The pandemic has left many people feeling isolated from others. The shorter days of January can contribute to this feeling, especially when the colder temperatures make it harder to get outdoors for mood-boosting activities and social connection. However, there are several charitable campaigns to help kickstart 2022 in a meaningful way, by taking a step forward to help those who need it, including yourself! Here, we highlight three fundraising events that you can get involved with this winter, as well as some key lessons from these campaigns to boost the creative efforts at your own charity.
RED January: Exercise for Fitness and Fundraising
January is an opportunity to ring in the new year in a positive and proactive way. In partnership with the charity Sport in Mind, RED January is a nationwide movement to empower everyone to move for their mental health this winter. The campaign asks people to engage in a physical activity challenge and incorporate movement into daily life. The campaign is intentionally flexible, to encourage people of all abilities to participate. Any activity can count toward the challenge—from walking, running, or cycling to swimming, snowshoeing, or visiting a gym. All that participants need to do is sign up, set a goal, and start raising funds for Sport in Mind.
Fundraising lesson from RED January: Build a strong community.
One of the campaign’s most notable achievements is its strong RED Together community. The charity has established an impressive (and replicable!) sense of community, even as people are physically disconnected amidst the pandemic. The growing community of 200,000 “REDers” connect via social media for challenge tips, inspiration, and individual connection.
Another lesson from RED January is to make it easy for people to participate in your fundraiser—the campaign boasts a simple sign up form, as well as a robust library of branded social media graphics, posters, and even printed pin badges. It’s easy to jump right in with RED January, and it’s just as easy to use these tools to encourage others to join the REDer community.
Brew Monday: Brew a Cuppa and Catch Up
As we mentioned above, it’s not uncommon for people to experience feelings of isolation as we navigate the pandemic. The winter is an ideal time to reach out and connect with friends, family, and colleagues. On Monday, 17 January (or “Brew Monday”), Samaritans is reminding everyone to take the time to reach out to others for a cup of coffee, orange juice, anything. However, the “cuppa” connection isn’t limited to Brew Monday; any day is a good day to safely connect with and listen to others.
Fundraising lesson from Brew Monday: Keep is simple and focus on flexibility.
A key part of the Brew Monday campaign is the flexibility it provides to fundraisers and participants. You can host events when and where you wish, and the overall activity is a simple concept (connect with others) that’s achievable and easy to execute. Remember, the goal is to just pick up the phone and check in on someone you care about. For example, you can “make time for a cuppa” virtually—the charity provides resources on everything from how to organise a tea party to raise money for Samaritans to how to host an online Brew Monday at work.
With Brew Monday, it’s also easy to download posters, cake flags, or digital slides. There’s even some fun campaign activities you can do to engage the people you connect with, like a tea party pack, anagrams, and a word search.
Cervical Cancer Prevention: Share Your Support
Cervical Cancer Prevention Week takes place 17 to 23 January and Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust offers several ways to get involved and raise critical funds. The charity offers a social media kit to raise awareness or share your own experiences and tips with colposcopy or cervical screenings. The campaign has a dedicated Google Drive folder with logos, posters, social media content, and a press release template, to help you set up a virtual collection and get others involved.
Fundraising lesson from Jo Trust: Goodbye bucket collection, hello online donations.
We know from the Charities Aid Foundation UK Giving Report 2021 that fewer people are making in-person donations amidst the pandemic, and more charities are finding success with digital giving and virtual activities. Jo Trust’s virtual collection resources makes it easy to pivot from bucket collection to a more accessible online method of collecting donations. The charity helps people set up a JustGiving page to raise money, and provides guidance through the entire process.
A final lesson is to seek opportunities to connect your fundraising activity to additional personal benefits. For example, RED January suggests that 32% of REDers moved from being inactive to fairly active, and more than half experienced less stress and reduced signs of depressive symptoms. And Brew Monday offers guidance on how to be a good listener or help someone open up, which can be a useful lifelong skill.
We hope this post inspires you to get involved with these or other charity activities this winter. We also hope the fundraising lessons we shared inspire and boost your own charitable efforts in the year ahead. Please do well and be well!