A Lake District charity has raised £110,000 in just seven days – thanks to the Big Give Christmas Challenge.
Lake District Calvert Trust, near Keswick, took part in the challenge, which saw every donation made match funded.
This year, the team set themselves the target of £50,000 to help fund a specialist outdoor instructor for a year. These instructors are at the heart of delivering the charity’s objective: providing outdoor adventure breaks to people living with even the most profound disabilities.
The charity said what it had achieved far exceeded the team’s wildest expectations.
Staff, guests, local families and businesses all played their part and highlights included:
- A 24-hour Calvert superhero triathlon where 40 Calvert staff, volunteers, guests, trustees, family and friends rode, jived, swam and swung their way through 24 one hour slots to help kickstart fundraising
- Local businesses including Booths, Bothy Threads, Pioneer, Keswick Town Council, Friends of Calvert Trust, Edwin Thompson, David Hayton, Holiday Cottages, Air Products, Decking Design, The Gruesomes. Atkinsons, Stoneswood Homes and Verey Books all supported incredibly generously
- Individual fundraising efforts were spectacular too! One local family promised to make and give away 500 Portuguese custard tarts in an effort to galvanise friends and family to donate during the week. In the end Sibella, nine, and her dad, Ciso Barbosa made and gave away 690 Pasteis de Nata
Head of income generation, Helen Archibald said: “We’re all overwhelmed at the response from our community.
“These vital funds will help us help more guests find out just what they ‘can do’ and I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to each and every individual and business who supported us. What a brilliant bunch!”
The Calvert team said they were already planning for the 2025 Big Give week.
