# Income grows 16% in a year for top 25 mass participation charity events

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2024/07/08/income-grows-16-in-a-year-for-top-25-mass-participation-charity-events/
- Published: 2024-07-08T12:46:24+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**The top 25 charity-owned mass participation events saw 16% growth in income compared
to the previous year in 2023, according to the Massive Top 25 list.**

In total these events raised £132mn and attracted 900,000 participants. The four
biggest events showed no change in ranking from the previous year: [Race for Life](https://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/),
[Macmillan Coffee Morning](https://www.macmillan.org.uk/coffee-morning), [Movember](https://uk.movember.com/),
and [The Mighty Hike Series](https://www.macmillan.org.uk/mighty-hikes), and brought
in £77mn. This represents 25% growth on 2022 and accounts for over half of all income
generated by the Top 25.

#### New Top 25 entries

This year’s [Massive Top 25](https://wearemassive.co.uk/the-massive-top-25/) saw
two new entries this year, both from Cancer Research UK: The Big Hike challenge (
ranking 24^(th)), which raised £1.5mn in its first year, and the new virtual Skipping
Challenge which entered the list in fifth place, having raised £7mn.

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#### Income from Facebook & virtual events falls

Overall however, Facebook and virtual challenge events dropped for a second year
with with five in the Top 25 for 2023. Income from virtual challenges fell by 13%
overall, while social and inperson events grew by 21% and 16% respectively.

#### Fastest growers

Breast Cancer Now’s Afternoon Tea was the fasted growing event in 2023, raising 
£1.42mn and ranking 21^(st) with 66% growth in income. Other fast growers were Sober
October with 53% growth and Marsden March, which saw income rise by 50%.

#### Rising costs a challenge

While the report shows that _“Many in-person events returned to pre-pandemic levels,
while some – such as Shine and The Mighty Hike Series – even exceeded them”, _it
also notes that last year was not without its challenges: _“High inflation contributing
to higher event delivery costs have been a knock to the sector during the cost-of-
living crisis. Some teams are reporting rising CPAs on digital channels and the 
challenge of standing out in a crowded market. With Meta remaining the predominant
channel for event marketing, teams are wary that additional fees and changes to 
the platform could impact fundraising.”_

#### Optimism for year ahead

The report voices optimism for the year ahead, saying that _“Mass events have grown
steadily over the past 12 months, average fundraising values are holding strong 
and there appears to be a renewed appetite to get involved, especially in events
offering a chance to come together in real life.”_

It is also an optimism shared by shared by the charity teams behind the Top 25, 
with more 70% expecting to see participant numbers grow next year and 59% anticipating
an increase in fundraising value.