Localgiving Launches Initiative to Help Environmental Groups in the North West Fundraise Online

On 15th June Localgiving joined forces with Manchester social enterprise, Sow the City to build ‘The Perfect Wildlife Pond’ for a local care and respite centre. This event marked the launch of a new Localgiving initiative to help grassroots environmental groups across the North West of England improve their digital skills and fundraise online.

Taking place during Small Charity Week 2016, this event launched Localgiving’s Regional Development Programme in the North West – funded by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Demonstrating the difference that local groups make to their communities, Sow the City set about building a pond in a day for Hall Lane Resource Centre – a care and respite centre in Wythenshawe. They were assisted by care centre residents and representatives from the People’s Postcode Lottery and Localgiving. Sow the City coordinates numerous environmental projects across Manchester, ranging from running community gardens to delivering workshops on growing veg to environmental art.

Localgiving’s Regional Development Programme will give local environmental charities across the North West the skills and confidence to benefit from online fundraising and marketing. Many local charities in the UK lack core digital skills making it difficult for them to spread their message, reach beneficiaries and fundraise – 59% of small charities do not accept donations online.

This programme will give 75 grassroots groups free membership to Localgiving and up to £500 each in match funding. There has been a hugely positive response to the programme already with 15 local groups fully signed up and another 15 in the process of doing so.

The Coordinator of the North-West Programme, Joe Burns has said:

“Today is the start of something exciting. The North West has many areas of outstanding natural beauty that local community groups protect, from the Lakes to the Wirral Peninsula to the Cheshire countryside. Even in our major cities like Manchester, Liverpool and Carlisle there are green spaces, such as here today, which bring joy to people and which need our support. This is a fantastic opportunity to fulfil a real need in the North West, providing vital funds for our amazing local charities, all while sowing the seeds for a greener, happier society.”

The Sow the City team are also enthusiastic about the programme. Jon Ross, MD at Sow the City, said:

“This project will give us, and groups like us, the skills and capacity to raise funds online. The matched funds will also go towards helping to fund projects like today’s, giving people another reason to donate! This will help us to achieve sustainability as a charity, make our communities stronger, and our city a happier and healthier place to live.”

Clara Govier, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, added:

"We are proud to support the efforts of good causes like Localgiving and this is made possible thanks to players of People's Postcode Lottery who are helping to raise millions of pounds for charities.

"This event is a fantastic way to not only enhance the natural environment, but provide long lasting benefits for participants."

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Notes to editor

About Localgiving

Localgiving is the UK’s leading membership and support network for local charities and community groups. It aims to empower grassroots organisations to fundraise online, connect with supporters and take control of their financial future. In addition, it provides advocacy for the local voluntary sector and works to secure third party funding for its members. It provides free training opportunities, fundraising resources and regular incentivised giving campaigns to help groups raise funds online.

About People’s Postcode Lottery

People’s Postcode Lottery is a charity lottery. Players play with their postcodes to win cash prizes while raising money for charities and good causes across Great Britain and globally.

People’s Postcode Lottery is an External Lottery Manager and manages multiple society lotteries promoted by different causes supporting a range of charities. For details on which society lottery is running each week, visit www.postcodelottery.co.uk/society

People’s Postcode Lottery players support 16 different Trusts. For further information on each charity, visit: www.postcodelottery.co.uk/charities

A minimum of 30% of the ticket goes directly to charities and players have raised £124.1 Million for good causes across the country

Players can sign up by Direct Debit, credit card or PayPal online at www.postcodelottery.co.uk, or by calling 0808 10-9-8-7-6-5