Billy Monger appeal becomes fastest ever JustGiving fundraising campaign
Melanie May | 26 April 2017 | News
The JustGiving appeal to support 17-year-old British racing driver Billy Monger after his double leg amputation, has become the fastest fundraising campaign ever in the site’s history.
Billy sustained serious injuries in a crash at a a Formula 4 race at Donnington Park Race Circuit on 16th April, resulting in both legs being amputated below the knee. His JustGiving appeal raised half a million in less than 24 hours, and has a current total of just over £755,000, beating its original target of £260,000 and with donations from almost 18,000 people.
fundraising for Billy has just clicked over £750,000. Thank you for your generosity & help. The response has been inspiring. #believeInBilly
— JHR Developments (@JHRdevelopments) April 25, 2017
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The fastest personal crowdfunding page JustGiving has ever hosted, the appeal reached £100,000 in three hours 36 minutes, and £500k in 22 hours. It exceeded its original target after six hours, raising £47,000 in one hour (equating to £780 per minute, or £13 per second)
The page also broke the record for the all-time, largest number of concurrent visitors on the JustGiving website at once with 16,500 people on the platform at 10pm on 19th April, 9,000 of which were on Billy Monger’s page.
The appeal was set up by the Monger Family, Steven Hunter from JHR Developments (the team Billy races for), Nick Armstrong, and fellow racing driver Tom Ingram. It has received donations and messages of support from across the racing community, including Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button, Jonny Herbert, Mark Blundell, Jason Plato, Mercedes F1 and Jaguar Racing.
On the official JustGiving page the family and friends of Billy say:
“Donations will be used to fund the care, treatments and therapies required by Billy in the immediate future and, going forward, helping him to return to a full and active life.”
Rhys Goode, spokesperson for JustGiving, said:
“The response to Billy’s JustGiving page has been phenomenal – reaching over half a million in less than 24 hours. The racing community has really rallied around to make sure Billy gets all the help he needs to facilitate his recovery.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.