Charitable Brits raised £57million last year - from walking challenges alone

30 January 2024 , 20:47

386 0

Sponsored skipping saw the biggest surge in popularity last year, of almost 300% (Image: Getty Images)

Charitable Brits raised a whopping £57million last year – from walking challenges alone, figures have revealed.

Other big money-makers when it came to fundraising events included football activities, which raised £8.4million over the last 12 months, and hiking, which brought in £3.7million.

But when it comes to physical activities that surged in popularity the most, sponsored skipping topped the list – with a leap in interest of 286%, collecting £230,000.

Other fundraisers Brits were most eager to try out included car washes, which raised £47,000 after a 47% popularity rise. And charity skydives, as well as squats challenges, both jumped by 42%, raising a collective £6million.

The findings emerged after fundraising platform, JustGiving, commissioned research of 2,000 adults, to discover the top 10 physical activities that have seen the biggest increase in popularity year-on-year.

Woman tells of losing 29 kilos and becoming a bodybuilder in her 60s

However, the study also revealed that almost 32% have never fundraised for charity – due to not having the time to do so (15%), or not liking to ask people for money (32%).

One in 10 haven't got involved because of their social anxiety, and 8% simply struggle to come up with ideas or activities to raise money.

Charitable Brits raised £57million last year - from walking challenges alone

Meanwhile, charity skydives raised over £5.5 million in the last 12 months (Charles Bertram/Tribune News Service/Getty Images)

Pascale Harvie, president and general manager of the fundraising platform, which also created a “Spin the Wheel” fundraising idea generator for those stuck with how they can support good causes, said: “The enormous generosity that we saw throughout 2023 made it a record-breaking year for giving, with more than 18 million donations to almost 20,000 UK charities.

“Every individual who fundraised or donated made an enormous difference to so many great causes, and we feel privileged to play our part, by providing a platform for people to fundraise through.

“We understand how tricky it can be to come up with a fundraising activity that is right for you, so we hope that our Fundraiser Finder quiz will help people of all ages and abilities match with an activity that best meets their needs, and inspires them to fundraise for a cause close to their hearts.”

The research went on to find that one in five have done activities in the last 12 months that, in hindsight, could have formed part of a fundraiser – such as running, cycling, or baking.

And when people have fundraised themselves, not only have they felt a sense of pride (12%) and generosity (15%), but 11% also said it helps their mental wellbeing.

Four in 10 adults support charities, either by taking part or sponsoring, because they want to make a difference, while a further 29% think everyone needs to play their part.

Meanwhile, 37% are driven by a cause close to their heart, and similarly, 36% will donate to a cause they know is important to friends or family. As a result, 62% would be willing to sponsor a charity they don’t typically support, if someone they knew was fundraising for it.

And nearly six in 10 support charitable causes by donating clothes or other items to charity (Getty Images)

According to insight from the online fundraising platform, the charities people donated to most in 2023 were those related to cancer, children, mental health, and humanitarian efforts.

Chelsea winners and losers from record transfer window as more changes to come

The study, conducted via OnePoll, also found UK adults give around £83 a year to causes, with 26% making monthly contributions.

Among the most common ways people support charities are donating clothes or other items (57%), as well as purchasing from charity shops (40%).

Putting loose change in collection tins is also a common charitable effort (40%), along with paying a direct debit (26%), and contributing via fundraising pages to support other people’s efforts (22%).

And looking to the future, some of the top activities people would consider taking on to raise money include bake sales (12%), car boot sales (11%), step targets (10%), and hosting a pub quiz (8%).

Pascale Harvie, from JustGiving, added: “Despite it having been a very difficult year for so many people, I was consistently amazed by the incredible lengths that so many individuals went to in order to raise money and awareness for the causes closest to them.

“To every single person that has supported a good cause, on behalf of all of our charity partners, thank you.”

TOP 10 BIGGEST-GROWING PHYSICAL FUNDRAISERS: