Big Give Christmas Challenge launches with record 1,589 charities
Howard Lake | 2 December 2025 | News
Big Give’s Christmas Challenge, the UK’s largest public fundraising campaign, launches its week-long camapign today, involving a record 1,589 charities.
The week-long campaign runs from midday on 2 December to midday on 9 December. It is a matched giving campaign, so every public donation made through the campaign will be doubled. The matched funding of £25.6 million is provided by Big Give’s generous “Champions” and participating charities’ pledgers.
These philanthropists, companies, and foundations include The Reed Foundation, The Childhood Trust, The Reed Educational Trust Ltd, The Coles-Medlock Foundation, The Julia Rausing Trust, Monday Charitable Trust, AKO Foundation, BeauxArtz, Shanly Foundation, The Symondson Foundation, Candis Club, PlanAid, and AESSEAL, amongst others.
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This year’s campaign is supported by official media partner Hello! Magazine and is benefiting from through significant out-of-home advertising across London with partners including JCDecaux, IMedia, and Bauer.
2024’s Big Give Christmas campaign success
In December 2024 the Big Give Christmas Campaign raised a record total of £44.7 million for 1,267 charities. Over 119,000 public donations were received during the week, and 74 per cent of charities taking part met or exceeded their fundraising goals.
Organisers are aiming to surpass that total this year. Not surprisingly this year’s campaign generated a record number of applications from charities wanting to take part.
Celebrity supporters
Charities’ celebrity supporters are joining in, promoting the cause they support. These include:
- Eddie Marsan, representing the performing arts charity Mountview
- Dominic West, supporting homeless charity Julian House
- Lorraine Kelly, backing the Muscle Help Foundation, which aids children and young adults with muscular dystrophy.
Gareth Malone, Honorary Patron of London Youth Choirs, said:
“The Big Give Christmas Challenge is the perfect way to amplify your generosity. Doubling donations is a fantastic incentive to give. Please help us to shape the lives and futures of thousands of young people in London through the power and shared joy of singing.”
Big Give’s Christmas Challenge video also stars well-known supporters, including Gary Lineker, Dame Imelda Staunton and Dame Prue Leith:
Big Give’s track record
Since its inception in 2007, Big Give has raised almost £370 million for over 20,343 charity projects.
The total raised in 2024 meant the Christmas Challenge became the UK’s biggest public fundraiser of the year, overtaking better-known campaigns such as Children in Need and Comic Relief.
James Reed, Chair of the Trustees of Big Give, said:
“Match funding is a simple idea, but a brilliant one, and we know our donors love the fact that their money ends up going twice as far. I hope you will join us this year and multiply your generosity. It’s your chance to double the impact you make.”
Applications to take part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge usually open in May.
- Big Give Christmas Challenge 2022 raises record £28.6 million (6 December 2024)
- Big Give Christmas Challenge 2018 raises record £13.3 million (6 December 2018)
- Garfield Weston Foundation to support 20 charities in Big Give Christmas Challenge (14 November 2018)
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.