# Guardian readers donate more than £1 million to 2025 charity appeal

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2026/01/16/guardian-readers-donate-more-than-1mn-2025-appeal/
- Published: 2026-01-16T13:13:57+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Guardian readers have donated over £1 million to support five grassroots organisations
tackling social division and hate and promoting tolerance and unity in communities
across the UK. **

The newspaper’s annual end of year charity appeal, which closed yesterday, was raising
funds for [Citizens UK](https://www.citizensuk.org/), [The Linking Network](https://thelinkingnetwork.org.uk/),
[Locality](https://locality.org.uk/), [Hope Unlimited](https://hopeunlimited.org.uk/)
and[ Who is Your Neighbour?](https://whoisyourneighbour.org.uk/) to help ensure 
their community-building work continues throughout 2026.

The focus on tackling social division and hate came at the end of another year in
which The Guardian and other news organisations had reported on division, unrest
and rising far-right rhetoric. The appeal took a positive view, championed organisations
that undertook practical, community-led action.

## Advertisement

The appeal featured calls to give that turned messages of hate and division into
positive calls to action:

!["Our country is full" in red. A common right-wing or racist call for division 
is turned into a positive by The Guardian's Christmas 2025 appeal. It is followed
by "Of people who can heal division".](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2026/
01/C4FC55DD-7375-4769-B06C-E9556FA56A63_1_105_c.jpeg)

“Our country is full… Of people who can heal division”. Advert for the Guardian’s
2025 charity appeal.

It was underpinned by [Guardian journalism](https://www.theguardian.com/society/series/guardian-charity-appeal-2025),
sharing personal stories, original films and investigations that highlighted the
power of communities coming together. 

The appeal raised a total of **£1,035,000**, inclusive of estimated Gift Aid from
more than 10,000 readers. Many emailed The Guardian to express their support for
the focus of the appeal and the organisations chosen to benefit. [One reader wrote](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jan/16/guardian-hope-appeal-raises-1m-charities-opposing-hatred):“
I’m so glad the Guardian is supporting organisations which bring people together,
supporting what is humane and in common amongst us all.”

Patrick Butler, The Guardian’s social policy editor, shared some details of the 
campaign results with UK Fundraising. He said:

“Our 2025 charity appeal received nearly 11,000 donations, with an average gift 
of **around £80**. Around **95% of donations were made online** and the Telethon
day also generated a strong response, helping to drive momentum and engagement across
the appeal.

“Beyond fundraising, our charity partners reported a boost in visibility. This included
increased direct donations through their websites, volunteer interest, and engagement
from organisations and local leaders, including MPs, keen to learn from and support
their work”.

## Past Guardian charity appeal results

Since 2015, Guardian readers have raised **more than £16 million** for good causes,
including fighting child poverty and tackling the climate crisis.

 * **2024**: the Guardian & Observer charity appeal [raised £1.7 million](https://fundraising.co.uk/2025/01/13/guardian-observer-christmas-charity-appeal-tops-1-7mn/)
 * **2023**: [over £1.42 million](https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/01/22/guardian-appeal-nears-2-million/)
 * **2022**: [over £1.25 million](https://fundraising.co.uk/2023/01/09/newspaper-christmas-appeals-guardian-observer-pass-1-25mn-more-updates/)

 * **[Guardian seeks charity trailblazer of the year](https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/02/06/guardian-seeks-charity-trailblazer-year/)(
   6 February 2015)
 * **[Guardian and Knowhow Nonprofit publish podcast on fundraising](https://fundraising.co.uk/2010/09/15/guardian-and-knowhow-nonprofit-publish-podcast-fundraising/)(
   15 September 2010)
 * **[Guardian appeal nears £2 million](https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/01/22/guardian-appeal-nears-2-million/)(
   22 January 2005)**