# The Big Give Christmas Challenge raises over £20 million in one week

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/12/10/the-big-give-christmas-challenge-2020-raises-over-20million-in-one-week/
- Published: 2020-12-10T10:48:20+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

[The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2020](https://donate.thebiggive.org.uk/christmas-challenge-2020),
a nationwide fundraising campaign, has raised a record-breaking £20.1 million.

 

This is the highest amount ever raised during the challenge, beating last year’s
total by £4.5 million. Celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio, Emilia Fox and David
Walliams took to social media to support the campaign and encourage the public to
donate.

## Advertisement

 

The Big Give is the UK’s biggest online match funding campaign and gives supporters
the opportunity to have their donation doubled. The challenge launched at the start
of December and over 71,000 donations were made during the week-long campaign window.
764 charities participated in The Big Give, including Disasters Emergency Committee,
The Prince’s Trust and Friends of the Earth.

 

Charities have been “blown away” by the public’s support, said The Big Give. This
follows a challenging year for many charities who have seen their income drop during
the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, 85% of charities who took part in the campaign
exceeded their fundraising targets. The average donation was £136 compared to the
national average charity gift of £45.

 

James Reed, Chair of The Big Give and Chief Executive of recruitment company REED,
commented:

 

> “We’re delighted to have raised a record-breaking £20m for 764 good causes. This
> year people have been especially generous and I would like to thank everyone for
> their incredible generosity, kindness and support.”

 

[The Peak District National Park Foundation’s](https://www.peakdistrictfoundation.org.uk/)
Fundraising Coordinator, Claire Barlow, said:

 

> “We are delighted at the response our Big Give Christmas Challenge has had with
> our supporters. We are a relatively small charity, and this is the first time 
> we have taken part in the challenge. But we smashed our £4,000 fundraising target
> after only 48 hours. With the money raised we will fund planting of a climate 
> change superhero – Sphagnum Moss – on the Peak District Moors. Happy Christ-moss!”