# FT Seasonal Appeal for Sightsavers to benefit from two matched giving programmes

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/11/18/ft-seasonal-appeal-sightsavers-benefit-two-matched-giving-programmes/
- Published: 2011-11-18T14:47:37+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Standard Chartered and the UK Government will each double the value of donations
from UK readers to this year’s Financial Times Seasonal Appeal in aid of Sightsavers.

The seasonal appeal runs from 21 November 2011 to mid-January and will feature coverage
of Sightsavers’ work and encourage readers to donate.

The government’s commitment is made through [UK Aid Match](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/www.dfid.gov.uk/ukaidmatch),
a £30 million scheme that will match public donations to fundraising appeals for
international development causes. It is open to any organisation running an appeal
in the UK for public donations for poverty reduction work in developing countries.
Applications can be made by any not-for-profit organisation, or by an organisation
publicising an appeal for a not-for-profit organisation, such as a newspaper. Each
successful application can be funded up to a maximum of £5 million.

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Standard Chartered has already committed to match donations from UK readers through
its community investment programme, Seeing is Believing. With this and the Government’s
commitment, this means that every £1 given by a member of the UK public will result
in £3 going towards the appeal.

Andrew Mitchell, Secretary of State for International Development, said: “The British
public has repeatedly shown its generosity during tough economic times, supporting
charities’ life-altering work in some of the world’s poorest countries. We are responding
to that generosity of spirit by matching public support for Sightsavers pound for
pound – and working with Standard Chartered means the charity can triple its impact.”

Dr Caroline Harper, CEO, Sightsavers, commented: “I am delighted that the UK government
is involving the UK public in the way the international aid budget is spent. Of 
the 39 million people in the world who are blind, 90 per cent live in developing
countries. This match funding will have a huge impact on the amount of people we
will be able to help through the Financial Times appeal.”

www.ft.com/appeal

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