Donations to local group will be doubled this week as part of national match funding campaign

Topsham based charity, Estuary League of Friends, have launched their appeal to raise £10,000 in a week to provide vital services to support people in need of care, comfort and support in rural communities between Exeter and Exmouth.

The appeal is part of national match funding campaign #SmallCharityWeek. Donations made to Estuary online at BigGive.org between 23–30 June 2025 will be matched £1 for £1. So, a gift of £10 becomes £20, £50 becomes £100, and so on!

All the funds raised will be used to deliver vital services for the community such as:

• Social activities Seated Dance, Memory Café and Craft Group;
• Cost-of-living support through the winter warm room, free holiday meals for children, benefit reviews, and emergency food parcels;
• Help with living independently at home; and
• Assisted transport to and from vital health appointments in the region.

This appeal is important because more and more people are turning to Estuary for support at a time when the charity is facing its own rising costs. Moreover, Estuary receives little to no statutory income, instead, relying on donations, grants and fundraising campaigns like this to be there for the community year after year.

Estuary is appealing for donations today. If you’d like to support a local charity and help leverage national funding to benefit the community, please donate now at BigGive.org.

Estuary is one of just 194 small charities nationwide to have been selected to take part in the first-ever Small Charity Week match funding campaign. 

Small Charity Week is a joint initiative by Big Give, Global’s Make Some Noise, and NCVO. The campaign offers selected charities the chance to double public donations, access unrestricted funding, and receive practical support to strengthen their work and resilience. 

The application process was highly competitive. Estuary was chosen out of 846 charity applicantsnationwide wanting to take part in the campaign.

Rachel Gilpin, Chief Executive of Estuary League of Friends, says:

“We are thrilled that Estuary and the communities we serve will benefit from this national funding.

“Local people have been through a lot in recent years. COVID and social restrictions left many feeling extremely vulnerable and isolated, and now rising living costs mean more and more local people struggle to make ends meet. Children, young people, families, the disabled and the elderly are all affected.

“We are always ready to provide much needed support, advice or guidance. But, as a charity, we are facing steeply rising costs of our own just to keep going day-to-day.

“Being part of #SmallCharityWeek will help us raise much needed funds. Please donate online today at BigGive.org so we can give a helping hand to all those in need in our community.”

For more information on how you can double your donation during Small Charity Week visit www.estuaryleague.org.