Posted on by Olga Timkesheva

 A day dedicated to taking a break from consumerism and giving something back.

Thousands of charities, businesses and individuals across the UK signed up to take part in this year’s Giving Tuesday on December 3.

Gráinne Mathews, who leads Giving Tuesday in the UK for Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), said “Giving Tuesday is a chance for all of us, no matter where we live or what we do, to help a cause close to our hearts.”

Messages from the campaign beamed on top of London’s BT Tower throughout the day.

Media company Thomson Reuters was showcasing the movement on its Canary Wharf Jumbotron screen.

#GivingTuesday was among the most popular hashtags on UK Twitter throughout the day and got support from celebrities including actor Russell Brand, pop star Kelly Clarkson, and the Duke and the Duchess of Sussex. 

What is Giving Tuesday?

Initially, the campaign started in the United States in 2012 after Thanksgiving following the commercially-driven Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Consumers were encouraged to take a break from consumerism and in return give something back. 

The movement has now spread around the world with events happening in more than 60 countries.

In the UK Giving Tuesday was brought by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) in 2014. 

Last year, in the UK, more than £7.8 million was donated online to the cause.

Who was participating?

Among charities and companies taking part in this year’s campaign were Cancer Research UK, the Jo Cox Foundation, Islamic Relief, Sightsavers, the Brain Tumor Charity, Parkinson’s UK, Clarks, ASOS, RBS, BT and Samsung.

eBay UK was donating 5p from every purchase it received on Giving Tuesday to the Prince’s Trust to help improve young lives. 

 

 

Sainsbury’s and Argos was promoting a #ShopForOthers campaign, encouraging shoppers to pick up spare items in store and donate them to local food banks.  

 

 

PayPal was adding 10 percent of each donation made to charity through their PayPal Giving Fund until a cap of £150,000 was reached.

The Big Give Foundation is running a week-long  #ChristmasChallenge19 from 3 to 10 December. It promises to be the UK’s biggest ever match funding campaign, aiming to raise over £14 million throughout the week.

For the first time, charity supporters can donate by Apple Pay as part of the Challenge.

Reason Digital, a digital social enterprise, marked Giving Tuesday by releasing one-minute charity supporter films every working hour to engage viewers and explain how these charities make a difference. Videos are available on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Matt Haworth, co-founder of Reason Digital, said, “We want to raise awareness of how charities make a crucial difference to real lives. We’re doing this in the most effective and authentic way we know – through stories of experts with lived experience.

These short films also allow individuals to tell their own stories in their own words which are an important aspect of the campaign for us.”

Mark, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer four years ago was asking givers to back his #ChosenCharity @BaggyTrousersUK. 

 

 

Torie, the CEO of @EpilepsySparks, suffered seizures in primary school, but wasn’t diagnosed with epilepsy until later life, on Giving Tuesday asked to support her #ChosenCharities @MindCharity @epilepsyaction and @EpilepsyRUK.

 

 

Oliver explains why the Together Trust, a charity providing special education and community services for vulnerable young people and adults across the North West, is his #ChosenCharity.

 

According to Hargreaves Lansdown, the independent financial services provider, households give an average of £3 a week to charity.  A poll by YouGov found 1.5 million people said they were more likely to do something for charity as a result of Giving Tuesday.

More information on how to get involved on Giving Tuesday at https://www.givingtuesday.org.uk/.