More great charity Christmas appeal films: the round up part 3
Melanie May | 17 December 2020 | News
A range of approaches has been taken in this next set of charity Christmas appeal films, from case studies of people helped, to direct personal messages from charity staff, animation, and all out celebrity fests.
Leonard Cheshire
Leonard Cheshire is tackling societal attitudes to disabled people in its new campaign, Possibility with Disability. The ad launches this week alongside digital, social and DRTV. It features three disabled actors fighting to live, learn and earn, demonstrating what’s possible. A voiceover explains that while pain, confusion and struggle can be experienced, it’s actually the way in which the world sees disabled people that represents the ‘real problem’.
By contrast, the characters are then shown thriving in these environments, with Leonard Cheshire supporting them to ‘live’, ‘learn’ and ‘earn’ to their full potential. The ad closes with the actors asking viewers directly, “Can you see the possibility beyond my disability?” Viewers are invited to support Leonard Cheshire by texting ‘YES’ to 70773 to donate £5 or visiting the website.
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[Video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLKrdOIjA3U no longer available]
Barnardo’s
To celebrate its long-running Kidsmas campaign, Barnardo’s has released a special video compilation featuring celebrity supporters, Barnardo’s employees and children singing a ‘home style’ rendition of Jingle Bells! As part of the campaign video, celebrities including ITV daytime presenter Alison Hammond, I’m a Celebrity 2020 contestant Hollie Arnold, as well as EastEnders Actress Natalie Cassidy, Virgin Radio Presenter, Kate Lawler, TOWIE starlet Georgia Kousoulou, Radio DJ Katie Thistleton, as well as Sooty and Sweep (along with puppeteer Richard Cadell), have come together to sing the Christmas classic, alongside Barnardo’s staff members and children supporters.
The video appeals to viewers to host their own socially distanced Kidsmas Party in aid of Barnardo’s, so that the charity can continue to give vulnerable children a happier Christmas and a brighter future.
[Video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxulcLwfybM no longer available]
The Big Issue
The Big Issue has launched its first ever Christmas Appeal film to help raise awareness of the need for support for its network of magazine vendors who are facing hardship this winter. The film features the fond recollections of Big issue vendor Martin McKenzie has of his customers before the pandemic and contrasts it with the far emptier streets that he faces when out selling the magazine in present times. It also features a voiceover from Christopher Eccleston, who is a long-term supporter of the organisation, having first appeared on the cover of the magazine in 1996, and who was recently appointed a Big Issue Brand Ambassador.
The voiceover is by Big Issue vendor Martin McKenzie, and Christopher Eccleston ends the film asking people to support the organisation and its vendors at a time of crisis.
The film is showing across Big Issue social channels, digital and website and asks the audience to support The Big Christmas Appeal by making a one-off or regular donation, or by subscribing in print or digital.
SEE ALSO:
- Charity Christmas appeal films 2020: the round-up – part one (23 November 2020)
- Charity Christmas appeal films 2020: the round-up – part two (8 December 2020)
UCLH Charity
UCLH Charity is focusing on its frontline staff in its Christmas appeal with its film showing them at work during Covid, supporting patients in its hospital. The film thanks everyone for their support, and wishes them a healthy, happy festive season. It also asks people to donate £5, £10 or £25 to support staff and patient care this Christmas.
RSPCA
With this having been a challenging year for everyone, this year’s RSPCA Christmas film tells the story of how our relationships with our pets can help combat loneliness. It features a lonely man on his own, and a dog being rescued by the RSPCA, showing the man then adopting the dog and showing his family his new friend over a Christmas video call. It asks people to #JoinTheRescue and help the charity rescue more unwanted pets this Christmas.
The Genesis Trust
Bath-based Genesis Trust is asking people to consider making a gift to the charity this Christmas to help its clients, who are homeless and vulnerable people in the city who visit its Lifeline Centre ‘live their lives with hope’. The message comes from Peter Heywood, Founder and Chair of Trustees.
Changing Faces
The Changing Faces Christmas Appeal 2020 focuses on the story of Ela and her family. Ela was born with a bilateral cleft lip and soft palate and received support from the charity when she started to question why she looked different to other people. Changing Faces is asking people to donate to help it support more children with visible differences.
Action for Children
Action for Children is asking people to be a Secret Santa for a vulnerable child with more families than ever struggling to make ends meet this year. The film shows a girl telling the story of three children and their Christmases without support and asks people to step in and answer their Christmas wishes.
Hestia
This year, home has not been a safe place for everyone. During lockdown, there was a 40 per cent increase in people trying to access Hestia’s domestic abuse refuges.
The charity’s Christmas appeal video highlights what children in refuges are asking for this Christmas. For the first week of December all donations made to the campaign were doubled as part of The Big Give campaign.
- Inclusive carol which aims to break down barriers to raise funds for GOSH charity (23 December 2021)
- Charity Christmas 2019 appeals: the video round-up (26 November 2019)
- Daily Telegraph announces four charity Christmas appeal beneficiaries (20 November 2009)
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.