We have launched our Christmas Appeal and, for the second year running, we are using the online resources of the Big Give Christmas Appeal to get more of our Purple Booklets into doctors' surgeries around the UK.
We are asking supporters to go on line to give money to the appeal when their donations will be matched pound for pound – until the £1,000 already in the sponsorship fund has been exhausted.
The appeal will then remain open for donations until December 18.
We’re not asking for the earth – just a total of £4,000 so we can post out another 2,000 or so of the booklets. So far – using the proceeds of last year’s Christmas appeal – we have managed to get over 4,000 copies out to GPs.
From 10am on December 5, please donate using this link:
http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/project/20684
BUT PLEASE DON'T DONATE UNTIL THEN!
MATCHING RESERVATIONS SYSTEM
This year the Big Give Christmas Challenge have built in a ‘matching reservations system’ to ensure that matching funds do not run out while a donor is inputting their card details. This is similar to the system used by theatre booking agencies.
When a donor begins making a donation online, any matching funds that are available to match their donation at this point will be reserved for them for 10 minutes, to enable them to fill in their card details and complete their donation.
If there are funds available, they will see a clear message stating that these are reserved for 10 minutes. If there are no funds available when they begin their donation, they will see a clear message to this effect and will be asked to try again the following day or make an unmatched donation.
I have just heard that Sir Alec Reed CBE, chairman of the Reed Foundation and founder of the Big Give organisation six years ago, will be our Charity Champion this year. He will be topping up our funds personally. Thanks, Sir Alec!