As the UK continues to navigate the pandemic, many of us are at home, socially distancing and helping to slow the spread of Covid-19. But we can still raise money and awareness for the charities we care about with virtual fundraisers.

The pandemic has left the young people that ECPAT UK supports more vulnerable than ever. You can help us to continue providing vital support to young victims of trafficking by organising or taking part in a virtual fundraiser. Check out our ideas below for some inspiration.

1. Host a quiz

Test your general knowledge or design questions for your friends and family, for example ‘what is dad’s favourite food?’ and charge participants £5 to join.

2. Run a virtual 10K*

Get your daily exercise and raise money for ECPAT UK! Run a sponsored 10K and you could nominate 10 people to do the same.
 

3. Put on a virtual coffee morning

Host a virtual coffee morning for your community, provide a suggested donation to join and bring people together while staying apart. You could even give your coffee morning a theme… we hear funky hats are coming back into fashion!

4. Do a sponsored challenge*

Challenge yourself to do as many push ups, jumping jacks, or burpees as you can in a row, and ask friends or family to sponsor you £1 for each one. You can even live stream the challenge so your friends can watch your success and cheer you on.

    5. On a shoestring challenge

Young victims of trafficking can access financial support from the UK government when claiming asylum. Although this is not guaranteed, they may receive up to £35 a week to pay for food, clothing toiletries and travel. Challenge yourself to live off of £35 per week and ask your friends and family to sponsor you. Or you could donate the difference between £35 and what you’d have normally have spent in a week!

6. Donate your commute

With many of us now working from home, we are saving those commuting costs. Why not donate the cost of your weekly commute throughout lockdown?

7. Birthday fundraiser

Do you have a lockdown birthday coming up? Ask for donations instead of presents. With Facebook’s handy birthday fundraisers its easier than ever.

8. ____ Along

Cook along, bake along, sing along, knit along. Whatever your talent, invite others to a virtual taster session. Charge each participant £5 to join a zoom call and go along with you while you teach them your talent - whether you share a favourite recipe, teach them a simple purl knit or let them in on the secrets of singing an aria.

9. Comedy night

Have a few dad jokes in your back pocket? Invite your friends to a comedy night. Ask each person to prepare a few of their favourite jokes or keep the spotlight all to yourself and laugh the night away.

10. Coronavirus jar

We’re all fed up of the word by now. Invite friends and family to make a ‘coronavirus jar’. Like a swear jar, they will put £1 in every time someone says Covid-19, coronavirus or pandemic. Keep the jar going for a week or a month and donate the total amount at the end.

 
*Please consult your doctor before undertaking a new programme of physical activity.