The benefits of volunteering are far-reaching. 

It’s a chance to really give back, see the difference you can personally make and get to know people in your local community. 

As well as that, it can be very personally fulfilling and rewarding. Volunteering can benefit you as a person and enrich the lives of others. 

In 2023/24, 28% of adults in England reported participating in formal volunteering at least once in the year. This is similar to the 27% rate in 2021/22. 

However, rates have been declining since 2013/14, when 45% of people reported volunteering – so now could be the perfect time for you to get involved and get started. 

Volunteer: why it is important

The most obvious reason to volunteer is to feel the sense of helping and doing the right thing. 

But volunteering can go so much further than that. Volunteering is massively important when it comes to building communities and fostering a sense of belonging. 

Small individual contributions can collectively lead to significant societal changes. A few hours of your time volunteering really can lead to big changes in your local area. 

A great example of this is AgeUK’s friendship services.  Age UK and its partner charity The Silver Line offer free telephone friendship services so you can enjoy chatting with someone over the phone, all from the comfort of your own home.

This can foster long-term, worthwhile relationships that benefit both you and the caller. 

What sounds like something small can really go a long way and can help combat loneliness all over the UK. 

Personal benefits of volunteering

Some of the reasons to volunteer are outlined below. It can be a fantastic way to spend your time. 

Mental health improvements 

• Volunteering can help to reduce loneliness as you’re introduced to new people in your community. As well as this, it can heighten your sense of purpose and belonging, as you will have people counting on you to be there. 
• It can also reduce stress and improve your mental health. Moving your body around and getting up and out can do wonders to improve your mood and sense of accomplishment 
• There are reports of social benefits from their volunteering. Almost nine in ten volunteers say they have met new people. Young people aged 18–24 (77%) and 25–34 (76%) are the age groups most likely to say their volunteering helped them feel less isolated.

Skill development

• Volunteering is also a great chance to improve your practical skills. By working with others, you can strengthen your project management skills and build on teamworking. 
• Volunteering can also transition into a professional career. For example, many people have volunteered in a sports setting, which has provided them with skills to go onto working in a coaching capacity or with a local team. 
• It’s also a great start to your career. You can build up your CV and university application with examples of your volunteering. 

Networking opportunities 

• Volunteering provides a valuable opportunity to network and to get to know people in your community. 
• This can be done in a professional setting too. It could help you gain experience in the field you want to work in and get to know like-minded people. 

Community benefits of volunteering

Dedicating your time to volunteering can have far-reaching benefits to your local community. 

Here’s how volunteering can help not only yourself, but the wider area. 

Strengthening communities

• There are many community initiatives in the UK you can volunteer to. This can be as simple as volunteering at a branch of a charity shop or you could put in more time and register to volunteer at a local food bank. The Trussell Trust is great for finding out about local initiatives near to you and how you can get involved. 
• Volunteering in Britain rose massively during the Covid-19 pandemic. After this, there was a big boost in people wanting to continue to volunteer and help out. This is particularly true for food banks and local delivery services, for people who are elderly or who have mobility issues 

Addressing social issues

• Volunteering can help to tackle on-going social issues like homelessness. You can contact local homeless charities and see how you can help out. This can include preparing meals for people, volunteering at a store or going out on walks. 
• There is also work to be done for young people who have additional needs in your area. The King’s Trust, in particular, runs a fantastic scheme to help young people with employment.

Creating ripple effects

• Individual efforts can inspire broader community involvement and social change.You can meet people who may introduce you to bigger community schemes or involve you in further volunteer opportunities. 
• Community projects can often grow into larger initiatives. An example of this is how small community gardens can turn into businesses that give back to the community on a larger scale. 

How to get started

It really is very easy to get started. 

Have a think about what you want to get involved in. There’s so many routes to go down, but if you identify personal interests you have you’re more likely to enjoy it. 

Try and align it with passions and hobbies that you have. For example, if you’re interested in sport, there may be a chance to volunteer at a local leisure centre or with a sports team you know. 

Likewise if you enjoy cooking, you could get involved in a community kitchen. 

Here are some UK-specific resources to try and find opportunities 

• Doit Life
• Volunteering Matters
• Check out your local authority and what volunteering opportunities the council has for you
• British Red Cross 
• National Trust
• King’s Trust 

It’s important to remember that volunteering means giving up your time. Really try to consider how you can balance this with personal and professional commitments. Try to balance it around your life now and work out how much time you can realistically give. 

Although you may be giving up some of your time, volunteering really is one of the best ways to spend it. The personal and community benefits really are far-reaching and you will not regret doing it – take your first step today. 

How to help if you don’t have time to volunteer

Not everyone is able to spare time to volunteer. From professional to family commitments, some people do not have enough hours in the week. 

Not all volunteering positions are available to everybody, as some can depend on your own personal abilities. 

But you can still help. Fundraising and donating to charity is a great way to make sure you are still helping others in need in a positive way. 

You can start your own fundraiser today. 

What is Wear A Hat Day?

Wear A Hat Day is exactly that – wearing a hat all to raise money and awareness for Brain Tumour Research. But it also provides a brilliant excuse to put on even more fundraising events around the same time to raise money for that good cause, and have fun with it too. In the UK there are approximately 12,700 new cases of brain tumors each year, which is about 35 cases per day. Brain tumors are the 9th most common cancer in the UK, accounting for 3% of all new cancer cases. About 1 in 7 people diagnosed with brain cancer today are predicted to survive for at least ten years, so it’s a cause that affects people all around us. 

How to get involved 

If you want to get involved in Wear A Hat Day 2025, luckily it couldn’t be easier. Firstly, find your best and jazziest headwear, put it on and get raising awareness! There are plenty of straightforward ideas on how you can get in on it, including:

• Hat-themed events at work, in school or in your community – why not persuade everyone in the office to wear a hat or ask if your local school would consider a fundraising drive where children wear them?
• Share your selfies with hashtags like #WearAHatDay and #BrainTumourAwareness
• Start a GoFundMe fundraiser for a relevant charity and get people to donate

Any of the above ideas can also have a GoFundMe alongside them to raise money for the cause – if you’d like to learn more, here’s how to create a fundraiser from start to finish.”

Fundraising ideas for Wear A Hat Day

If you’ve decided you’d like to fundraise for Wear A Hat Day, it couldn’t be easier to get involved. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Hat day parties at work or school

On Wear A Hat Day, why don’t you encourage your workplace, children’s school, friends and family or even just the community to Wear A Hat? You can do this by throwing Hat Day parties in any of these areas. Start your GoFundMe page and publicise what you’re doing well in advance, along with circulating the link. Then get people to arrive in their hats and make a small donation. You can plan fun party day activities too – perhaps a quiz or party lunch. Remember to take pictures and have fun!

Host a virtual hat challenge on social media

The power of social media for fundraising is a brilliant thing to harness and provides a lot of flexibility for anyone to get involved, too. Why not launch your own fundraising challenge, asking your community to get in on it too? It could be something as simple as a best hat competition, where those entering make a donation to your fundraiser and post their pictures with a hashtag. Or ask people to start their own GoFundMe pages, challenging themselves to wear a different hat each day for a week. The possibilities are endless – just make sure to utilise your online community and keep sharing your fundraiser link!

Hat decorating competition

Another simple but incredibly effective idea would be a hat decorating competition. You could either run this in person at school, work or a local community group, or even encourage people to do it at home and post pictures to social media. Ask for a small entry donation and set the theme of the decorations as you wish – it doesn’t need to be elaborate or expensive and could be something like ‘best hat made from household items’. 

Create a DIY hat fundraising kit or workshop

If you really want to get those creative juices flowing you could also set up a workshop teaching people how to design and make their own hats. Maybe you’re creative yourself or know someone who is? Get them involved and ask for a small donation to join the classes. Again, it doesn’t need to be elaborate or expensive and could involve just simple craft items. 

Set up a donation jar

Setting up a donation jar around Wear A Hat Day is an incredibly simple way to see donations rolling in. Ask if you can put it somewhere prominent, such as a reception desk at school or in the break room of your office, with a notice on what you’re fundraising for. Be sure to set it up well in advance of Wear A Hat Day to maximise what you can raise.

Collaborate with local businesses for sponsorships or partnerships

A really good way to get clout behind your fundraising is asking local businesses if they’d like to get involved. This might be something like a sponsorship or partnership, or asking if they would back a fundraiser for the same cause in their office, harnessing the power of employees. You could also ask if they’d do something like match donations up to a certain amount too. 

If you’ve been inspired by these ideas and want to look at more, take a look at our blog here.

GoFundMe makes fundraising simple – your next steps

Step 1 – set up your GoFundMe page

It couldn’t be easier to set up your GoFundMe page. It’s free to start a page and the earlier you get going, the more likely you are to raise money. You can start a GoFundMe page here and our website will take you through each easy, fast step to get going. 

Step 2 – share your story

Now, this is a really important step in starting your fundraiser – thinking about how to tell your story on your GoFundMe page. The fundraiser story is a really important part in explaining to potential donors why they should donate, so put in as much personal detail and information as you feel comfortable with as to why you’ve chosen this cause. You can personalise your fundraiser story with pictures and video, too. 

Step 3 – set your goal

Now it’s time to set your goal – how much would you like to raise? Don’t worry, you can change this at any time but have a target in mind. 

Step 4 – share with others

So, you’ve got your fundraiser page set up. It’s time to get shouting about it now! Share the link to all your social media channels, explaining why you’re fundraising. If you’ve got any communities or groups on Facebook (maybe your local area? Your school? A hobby?) post it there too. Utilise those family and friend group chats and email lists to get it out to as wide a group as possible. And don’t forget the classic offline strategies too – make posters and ask local businesses if you can put them up, print off QR codes and make leaflets. We’ve got more tips for sharing your fundraiser here.

It couldn’t be easier to start a GoFundMe for free. We are a custom-built platform for fundraising, meaning all the tools you need to have a successful fundraiser are right here. We’ve got a team of experts on hand to help guide you through so that you can really make a difference. Plus, if you’re fundraising for a registered charity you can set up a fundraiser where the donations go directly to them, making it even faster and safer. Learn more about how GoFundMe works here.

At a time of the year when it’s tempting to stay indoors, Shine Night Walks are a great way to get outdoors and get active for a good cause. 

It’s a chance to light up your city’s streets by dressing up in sparkles and fairy lights. You can get creative in what you wear as you walk with friends and family. 

The 10k events, which raise money for cancer research, take place across the UK, passing famous landmarks and lighting the streets.

Shine Night Walk: what is it?

Dates and location

Shine Night Walks take place across the UK in autumn. 

The 2025 events are taking place between September and October in most major cities. 

2025’s events are taking place in: 

• London – 20 September 2025
• Edinburgh – 27 September 2025
• Bristol – 10 October 2025
• Glasgow – 30 August 2025
• York – 27 September 2025
• Southampton – 10 October 2025
• Birmingham – 5 September 2025
• Norwich – 4 October 2025
• Leicester – 18 October 2025
• Nottingham – 12 September 2025
• Leeds – 4 October 2025
• Cambridge – 18 October 2025 
• Cardiff – 26 September 2025
• Newcastle & Gateshead – 4 October 2025
• Liverpool – 2025 date coming soon
• Manchester – date TBC

Distance

There’s different distances you can take on the Shine Night Walks. 

Choose the distance that best suits your ability and consider what each route would be like. 

There is an option to choose a 10k walk and in London there is the option to do the half-marathon distance or a full marathon distance. 

Walking with friends can help to raise vital funds for life-saving research. In the last 50 years, Cancer Research has helped double cancer survival in the UK. 

Registration process

When you sign up for a Shine Night Walk there is the option to select the type of cancer you would like your funds to go to. This means you potentially raise money for causes more personal to you. 

People of all abilities can take part and it is advised the 10k walk will take between 1.5 to 3 hours to complete.

In order to enter, you need to fill in a form declaring if you are taking part as an adult or a child. You will then need to pay a registration fee. 

The price varies for each location, but for smaller cities it is generally £17.49 for a participant 18 and older. 

The prices for London are as follows: 

• Full Marathon – £39.99 
• Half Marathon – £39.99 
• 10k – £19.99 

Impact of fundraising

The impacts of fundraising are far reaching. 

Money you help to raise can go directly to helping people and can fund research which could have long-lasting effects. 

Previous Shine Night Walks have raised a massive amount for Cancer Research. 

In Manchester, £230,000 was raised for Cancer Research UK last year during Shine Night Walk.

Southampton Shine Night Walk also raised over £100,000 for Cancer Research UK last year.

According to Cancer Research UK, over the last 40 years, their work has helped double breast cancer survival, and they have been a key player in the development of radiotherapy, as well as developing 8 of the world’s top 10 cancer drugs.

Crowdfunding for events like this can be a massive boost for charities, with individual amounts stacking up. 

Fundraising tips for Shine Night Walks

If you’ve not fundraised before, it can be tricky to know where to get started. 

Luckily, our fundraising tips are here to help you and get started. 

Set a clear and realistic goal

Be clear in how much you want to raise and consider if this is a doable goal for you to reach. 

You don’t want to set an unrealistic end goal so you should consider your personal financial situation, the number of friends and family you can engage and, if you’ve fundraised before, consider the results of this last attempt. 

Try to make it meaningful and use milestones (eg £100 to support vital research for 2 days) to show how funds will make a difference.

Try and set the fundraising goal with enough time to reach it too. 

Share your story

The most crucial part of fundraising is explaining your story and specifically why you are fundraising. 

Personal stories connect emotionally with donors, and sharing why you’re walking and why the cause matters to you can inspire generosity.

You should try to write a meaningful story on your GoFundMe page and explain why you’re walking. 

Share any personal connections you have to cancer – whether you’re a survivor, a supporter, or walking in honor of a loved one. 

Use social media to your advantage

The next step is to share your fundraiser – far and wide. 

Use social media to your advantage and spread the word about your fundraiser and why it is you’re taking part. 

Your network can become your strongest fundraising ally. Sharing your journey on social platforms to inspire friends and family is invaluable. 

You could also encourage your social circle to share it on their social media. 

Creating regular updates where you can share milestones, training updates, and fundraising progress.

You should also try to use stories and live videos e.g. a quick Instagram Story or Facebook Live can highlight the excitement and the emotional journey of training.

Crucially, you must remember to always share a link to your GoFundMe fundraising page in each post you do. 

Host mini events

As well as sharing on your social media, you should also think about how you can engage your community near to you. 

You could consider hosting mini events that bring your community together. Perhaps you could do this with other people who are also taking part.

This can help generate additional support for your fundraiser. Some ideas you could do include: 

• Virtual challenges: set up a step challenge and ask participants to donate for every mile they commit to.
• Bake sales or charity events: organise community-friendly events with entry fees directed to your fundraiser.
• Game nights: host a virtual or in-person quiz night with a small donation entry fee.

Thank your donors

As you’re fundraising it is important to thank your donors as you go. 

Gratitude builds loyalty and engagement and also keeps donors informed of your progress. It could mean a lot for a donor to see their support is helping you for the big event. 

You can do this in lots of ways, but some ideas to consider are:

• Send personalised thank-you emails or messages.
• Update them about how much was raised and how their support is making an impact.

Reach out to local businesses 

Don’t be afraid to reach out to local businesses for support. You’d be surprised how engaged your local community can be, especially when it comes to supporting charities. 

They can contribute in several ways:

• Sponsorships: ask local businesses to sponsor you.
• In-kind donations: host charity raffles featuring local business prizes.
• Employee fundraising partnerships: suggest team-building opportunities for businesses to rally behind a cause.

Fundraising made easy with GoFundMe – what’s next?

If you’re ready to start your Shine Night Walk 2025 fundraiser, read our step-by-step guide to get going. 

Step 1 – create your GoFundMe page

Start with our simple signup process and create your own GoFundMe page. 

It’s quick, easy and clear. You will be asked for basic details to begin and then you will need to write your engaging story. 

Step 2 – Share your Shine story

Add your personal journey into the story and your personal motivation why you are fundraising. 

Emphasise this in any shares or social media posts. Explain to people exactly why you’re fundraising and encourage them to share too. 

Step 3 – Set your fundraising goal

Set your realistic fundraising goal. 

It’s quick, easy and you can alter it at any time. 

If you’ve reached your goal quicker than you thought, you can also make it larger at any point. 

Step 4 – spread the word

Next, get sharing. 

Emphasise the impact your fundraiser could make and really explain why it is you’re taking part. 

It’s cold, wet and the motivation to go out in the dark is low. 

Taking part in an organised event can be a fun way to get into exercising in winter and the Cancer Research London Winter Run is a brilliant one to take part in. 

Cancer Research runs lots of fundraising initiatives with funds going towards supporting people with cancer. According to the charity, between 2017 and 2019 there were more than 380,000 people living with cancer in the UK – so money can go a long way to help.

The London Winter Run is one of the initiatives you can get involved in and here is all the information you need to know. 

What is the Cancer Research London Winter Run?

The Cancer Research London Winter Run is one of the most popular 10k races in the UK.

Taking place on Sunday 23rd February 2025, the event sees race goers dressed up in fancy dress outfits with people from all abilities taking part. 

No experience is required to take part and places are still available to apply if you want to take it on. 

The route will take you past iconic landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral and Trafalgar Square. There will be plenty of snowy surprises and live music to support and encourage you all the way to the finish line.

No matter the temperature, people dressed as penguins are ready to get the party started. Amongst the grandeur of historic architecture as you run through Bank, huddles of penguins will be dancing to classic dance tracks.

There will also be people dressed as polar bears, with music along the way. 

Next year will be the tenth anniversary of the event and there is still an opportunity to apply. 

Over 22,000 people took part in 2024 and the event has already seen over 100,000 people take part so far. More than £6 million has been raised for life-saving cancer research and you could be part of raising these funds. 

How to take part in the London Winter Run in 2025

There are two different ways you can take part in the 2025 event. 

You can get your own place or you can take part with a charity place. The event is now sold out of exclusive fundraiser places for the 2025 Cancer Research UK Winter Run. 

1500 Cancer Research UK runners could be set to take on the 2025 Cancer Research UK London Winter Run next year – and you could be one of them. 

The standard entry price is £49.99. This price reduces to £43 when entering as a group though. 

How to fundraise for the Cancer Research London Winter Run

Fundraising for the London Winter Run is simple if you follow this step-by-step guide. 

You can follow this guide whether you’re participating in an event yourself or if you’re raising money on someone else’s behalf. 

It’s the perfect chance to raise money to support those living with or affected by cancer.

1. Sign up for the London Winter Run

You need to first sign up for the London Winter Run. 

As mentioned, this involves paying an entry fee . Places are going quick, so it’s best to get a spot snapped up as early as you can. 

You need to make sure you’re available to do it on the date mentioned and if you’ll have time to train. 

2. Choose a fundraising platform

Next job is to choose a fundraising platform you want to raise money on and how you want to crowdfund. 

You need to consider several things when making this decision. It’s important to consider: 

• How safe it is 
• How reliable it is 
• What the customer support is like 
• If the platform is easy-to-use 
• How expensive the fees are 

To guarantee success and maximise the amount of donations you receive to support your cause, the best fundraising platform to use is GoFundMe.

GoFundMe is a safe and trusted platform, used all over the world and is an easy way to fundraise if this is your first time. 

With our fundraising tips, we can help you get started on your way. 

3. Tell your fundraising story

Telling a good story about why you’re taking part and why you’re fundraising is important. It can be the difference between people donating and people not donating. 

A personal, honest approach can be beneficial. Be clear on why exactly you are fundraising. 

Good things for you to include are:

• Information about the run and how funds will be used
• Why the cause is close to your heart
• What impact the funds you raise will have
• How you will be training 
• If you have ever done anything like this before

4. Share your fundraiser 

You then need to share your fundraiser, far and wide. 

Getting as many eyes on it as you can will boost how many donations you could get. 

Start by sharing it among your social circles. This means friends, family, colleagues and local community. 

You can also ask those people to share your fundraiser on your behalf too. Next, get sharing on social media and try to get it as visible as you can. 

5. On your mark, get set, go!

Once you’ve got your fundraiser set up and you’ve got the word out you’re taking part, the last thing for you to do is get training. 

Consider if you want to dress up and join in the fun. If not, it’s important you invest in some good, warm clothing that you can freely exercise in. 

It’s also worth investing in good running trainers. 

Prepare for your run by boosting your fitness levels and working your way up to 10k. You want to at least be comfortable in doing a 5k run. 

Start your London Winter Run fundraiser with GoFundMe

GoFundMe is the best fundraising platform for people wanting to participate in the Cancer Research London Winter Run. 

We’re here for you every step of the way with our dedicated team. We can also be on-hand to help with any queries you may have. 

What is NSPCC Number Day?

If you’re looking for some more information on NSPCC Number Day, you’re in the right place. 

• What is it: A day where schools and nurseries across the country are encouraged to take part in number-themed activities to raise money for the NSPCC and their vital services like Childline.
• Where and when: As mentioned above, Numbers Day is encouraged in locations across the country. It takes place on Friday 7th February 2025.
• Why take part: Numbers Day raises money and awareness for the NSPCC and their vital services. Half a million children experience neglect or abuse before they turn in the UK – that’s seven children in a classroom. A child calls Childline every 45 seconds, too. 

You can read more about Numbers Day, Childline and the NSPCC here.

The impact of the NSPCC

The NSPCC has been running for more than 100 years, helping children who are abused or neglected. Their campaign Speak Out Stay Safe reached 1.2m children in 2022/23. They also help parents and develop tools for families, children and professionals to help where it is needed. The NSPCC have three goals at present – that everyone plays a part in preventing child abuse, children stay safe online and that children feel safe, listened to and supported.  You can read more about the impact the NSPCC has here.

How to take part in Number Day 2025

If you want to take part in Number Day 2025, it couldn’t be easier to get started. It’s free to fundraise on GoFundMe too and the sooner you start your fundraiser for the NSPCC, the more donations you are likely to see roll in. 

The whole idea of Number Day is that it’s digit themed – so this means if you’re organising an event in a school or nursery, be sure to plan number-themed games and activities. A really simple way to get involved is to Dress up for Digits, which is as simple as it sounds – dressing up in something digit themed.
It’s easy to sign up for Number Day on the NSPCC website, which you can view here. You can sign up to the NSPCC to receive info and curriculum based resources, but you don’t have to, you can just plan the event on your own and fundraise that way too.

How to fundraise for Number Day

It’s really easy to sign up to fundraise for the NSPCC for Number Day on GoFundMe. When you fundraise for a charity, the funds get transferred directly to them meaning one less thing for you to worry about. You can set up a GoFundMe as an individual or on behalf of a nursery or school that is fundraising, too. If you’d like some inspiration on fundraising ideas to get the ball rolling, take a look at our blog here.

1. Start your fundraising page

Starting your fundraising page couldn’t be easier on GoFundMe. As mentioned previously, it’s free to start. All you need is a snappy title (one mentioning Number Day might be good here!) and a fundraising goal, which can be changed at any time. If you need more information on how GoFundMe works before you get going, take a look here. We also have tips on how crowdfunding works and also just fundraising tips in general. 

2. Add details of why you’re fundraising

Now onto the fun part – adding details to your fundraising story. This part of your GoFundMe is really important as it tells people why you’re fundraising, what you’re fundraising for and why it’s important to you. Think about adding as much detail as you possibly can and also some information about Number Day itself. You can also add compelling pictures or even a video. If you’d like more tips on how to write your fundraising story, have a look here.

3. Share your fundraiser 

Sharing and shouting about your fundraiser is a really important part of raising money. Once you’ve started your GoFundMe, make sure to post it to all your social media channels, plus any that you have access to (in this case, it might be asking if you can share on the school or nursery page). Make use of any group chats you have and flag it up to friends, family and colleagues. You can also take your sharing offline and print out posters with the GoFundMe link on or even QR codes to stick up around your local community. Each time you have an update or meet a goal, share again! We’ve got some more tips on sharing your fundraiser here.

4. Provide updates to donors

Once your GoFundMe is started, shared and donations are rolling in, it’s important to keep the page looking loved and fresh with updates. Post an update to your page whenever you can – it could be that you’ve got some lovely pictures from an offline fundraising event or have met a specific fundraising target. You can also use the update tool to thank all your generous supporters. When you’ve posted updates, make sure to cross post them to social media too. 

 Start fundraising for Number Day 2025

Number Day 2025 is just around the corner – and a really important tool for the NSPCC. But it’s also an excellent way to raise funds for them and contribute to a good cause whilst getting your little ones involved and having fun, too. Start your GoFundMe today and really start seeing the impact of your good work. 

You can take on a marathon, walk miles or try a hike. If you want to try a smaller, more accessible fundraising challenge you could try doing something in a day. 

This can involve trying to do up to 100 skips a day in order to fundraise while having fun. 

Not only is this great for your health, this is something you can try by yourself or in a group. 

You can even do this one at home and needn’t have to travel far.

Start a GoFundMe

What is the 100 Skips a Day Challenge?

The 100 Skips a Day Challenge is a fundraising event that involves skipping 100 times each day to support a variety of causes: 

• Skip into Spring
• Funds research into childhood and teenage cancers. Participants can sign up, create a fundraising page, and join a Facebook group. 
• Skip for Dementia
• Raises awareness and funds for people affected by dementia. Participants can join a Facebook group, set up a fundraising page, and buy a skipping rope. 
• 100 Skips a Day in March
• Supports children with life-shortening conditions and their families in Scotland. Participants can join a Facebook group, register, and claim a skipping rope. 
• 100 Skips a Day in September
• Helps fund Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, which provides care and treatment for seriously ill children. Participants can join a Facebook group, register, and claim a skipping rope. 
• Jeans for Genes
• Participants can join a Facebook group and share their progress. 
• 100 Skips a Day in June
• A challenge from Cancer Research UK that sends participants a skipping rope.

The basic requirements of the challenge is just committing to 100 skips a day. 

Charity skipping challenges

There are official 100 skips a day challenges that take place for each charity. 

This can be a great way to get involved because you can feel like you’re part of a wider group collectively raising money for a good cause. 

People may also be more inclined to donate to your fundraiser if they know it’s aligned with a high profile cause. 

However, you can just simply set yourself a personal challenge and do 100 skips a day, while fundraising, at any point of the year. 

Here are when some major charities officially do the challenge:

• Dementia UK – November
• Brain Tumour Research – November
• Cancer Research UK – October
• Alzheimer’s Society – September
• Great Ormond Street Charity – September
• Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group – April
• King’s College Hospital Charity – February

Health benefits of skipping

Skipping has many health benefits for your body and your mental health. 

Skipping is particularly good for your cardiovascular improvement. It can particularly enhance your heart health. 

Exercising can help with weight management as it can boost weight loss. Skipping, in particular, can also aid your coordination and balance. 

Moving from one foot to another can help improve your motor skills. 

As well as these physical benefits, exercise can go a long way in helping to boost your mental health. Exercise can release endorphins and it can give your mind something to focus on.  

How to use the 100 Skips a Day Challenge to fundraise

This is an ideal challenge to fundraise alongside with. 

It’s the perfect way to provide donors with live updates as well as engaging content. 

You can also fundraise for any cause, person or organisation. 

1. Create a fundraising page

To set up a fundraiser on GoFundMe in the UK, you can:

• Click the green Start a GoFundMe button 
• Answer some questions to help set up your fundraiser 
• Write your fundraising story or record a video 
• Customize your fundraiser with details to explain your cause 
• Add a cover photo or video 
• Choose a title for your fundraiser 

You can add more photos and videos, or change your goal, after your fundraiser is live. To raise funds, you can share your fundraiser with friends, family, and colleagues, or post it on social media.

You should try to set up your fundraising page as early as possible so you can build up awareness before the challenge itself starts. 

2. Set realistic goals

You should set a fundraising goal that is achievable for you. 

This applies to both the challenge itself and how much you want to raise. Try to make it realistic and doable for you. 

The challenge itself can be tailored to individual fitness levels and you can adapt it for how fit you are. 

For example, you can build up to 100 skips a day over the course of a month and you can train to prepare for the big day. Your fundraising goal can also be increased if you exceed it.

3. Engage friends and family

The next step is engaging your friends and family in your fundraising challenge. 

Let people know what you’re planning and get your fundraiser off the ground. This can either be by participating in the challenge, joining the fundraising efforts or by cheering you on from the sidelines. 

People can also make a donation if they want to support from afar. 

Raise awareness about your fundraising challenge

The final step is spreading the word and raising awareness of your fundraising challenge. 

Share your fundraiser as far as you can – the more the merrier! 

Social media is a great way to do this and to encourage more donations. You can share it on your social media accounts and, if you can, encourage friends and family to do the same. 

You can also consider sharing it in community groups and in local community networks. 

See how others are skipping for good causes on GoFundMe

If you’re stuck for inspiration or don’t know where to start, it can be worth looking at other successful fundraisers. 

There are many people who have fundraised while doing skipping challenges before. 

Sponsored skip to support my Auntie

Rosa pledged to skip 25,000 times – that’s 1,000 skips a day for 25 days.  

She was inspired by her auntie and wanted to raise money to support her. 

On Rosa’s fundraiser she provided engaging pictures and updates. She managed to raise more than £8,000. 

Rubys 100 skips everyday for 100 days

Determined to achieve her charity badge for Brownies, Ruby took on the skipping challenge and raised funds for a good cause along the way. 

She managed to raise hundreds of pounds and was able to engage her local community and Brownie group. 

Fundraiser for memory walk and 100 skips a day

Ashlea’s fundraiser is a good example of how to explain why fundraising is so important. She outlines her personal reasons for wanting to raise money and pledged to support a hospice that cared for her friend. 

Skipping for Umohazia Project

This fundraiser raised hundreds and is a good example of a thorough, well thought out fundraiser. 

The objectives are clear and the target was achievable. As well as this, lots of engaging updates were posted. 

Start skipping and raise money for a good cause

You can get started right away and begin training now. 

No matter the weather, you take on this challenge. Get started today and raise money while getting fit. 

Start a GoFundMe