» the Big Give 2021 – Rett UK Advocacy, Achieving the Best Outcomes

A chance to double or even quadruple your donation!

For the sixth year, Rett UK is applying to take part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge; the UK’s biggest online match funding campaign where donations can be doubled and even quadrupled!

Last year, thanks to your amazing support, we raised £20,326 for our project; Rebuilding Family Life Post Covid-19 which has enabled us to provide dedicated webinars and facilitated group discussions focusing on dealing with the emotional toll that Covid-19 has wrought on our families. We were also delighted to be able to provide more intensive 1-1 support for families with the most complex issues.

This year we are hoping to raise £25,000 to help support part of our core service which is providing advocacy for people with Rett syndrome and their parent carers. Rett UK Advocacy, Achieving the Best Outcomes is advocating for better outcomes for people with Rett syndrome in health, social care & education. It is fundamental to what we do. Families are exhausted by fighting a system that was already massively under-resourced, hard to navigate. COVID-19 has hugely exacerbated the issues and added to the crisis.

The aims of this work are that:

Children/young people with Rett syndrome are supported to achieve their best possible educational and developmental outcomes in the most appropriate setting with an Education, Health and Care Plan that is fit for purpose.
People with Rett syndrome are able to achieve optimal health and well-being, with access to health services & social care services that provide appropriate treatment, therapies, equipment. Ensuring Social Care & NHS Continuing Health Care funding is being assessed and awarded correctly, and that the support provided is meeting needs.
Parent Carers feel supported in navigating the maze of health and social care services. They are getting the best out of what is available and it meets the social, educational and health needs of their daughter/son..

We are aiming to raise a total of £6250.00 in pledges to take part in the Christmas Challenge 2021. Would you consider making a pledge (the minimum allowed is £100) to help us reach our target please?

You can do so by completing this simple online form:
rettuk-uat.vedacrm.co.uk/biggive2021

by the deadline of 5pm on Friday 27th August 2021

What is the Christmas Challenge?
The Christmas Challenge (the UK’s biggest online match-funding campaign) helps UK-registered charities to raise funds for their projects by doubling donations when the campaign goes live at midday (12pm) on Tuesday 30th November 2021. For example, a £100 online donation made to a participating charity during the Christmas Challenge can be doubled to become £200. With Gift Aid where eligible that becomes £225!

The match funds
The matching pots used to double donations for charities taking part in the Christmas Challenge are made up of a combination of funds. These are funds sourced by the charity (‘Pledges’) and funds sourced by the Big Give (‘Champions’) which are available if we are successfully selected by a Champion. We can still take part in the Christmas Challenge even if we are not selected by a Champion. Pledge funds and Champion funds (if selected by one) combine to form the matching pot and are used to double donations. Donations are matched by our Pledge funds until these are exhausted and then donations are doubled by Champion funds. You can watch a short video explaining how it works at https://www.thebiggive.org.uk/s/christmas-challenge

How would it work for you?
As a Pledger, you commit a Pledge promise to our matching pot. Your funds will be used to match online donations when the campaign goes live. Research shows that 84% of donors are more likely to give in a match funding campaign and that donations are on average 2.5 times bigger. By committing a Pledge promise you will help us to inspire donors to support Rett UK.

If we are selected for Champion funding, your Pledge promise could be worth up to four times its initial value once it’s added to the Champion funds and online donations. This makes the Christmas Challenge one of the most attractive times to make a contribution to Rett UK.

Additional information
● In December, we will let you know the outcome of the Christmas Challenge and ask you to fulfil your Pledge promise. The timeline for fulfilling the pledge (i.e. transferring the funds to us) is between 7th December 2021 12pm – 14th January 2022 at 5pm.

● Please note that your pledge is being used to match online donations from the public – this means that fulfilment of your pledge is conditional on us receiving the appropriate online donations during the campaign (#GivingTuesday, 12pm (midday) Tuesday 30th November 2021 – 12pm (midday) Tuesday 7th December 2021). You will only be required to pay a pro-rata amount of your pledge if we don’t hit our online target – it’s our guarantee to you that we are committed to raising additional donations.

● Please note that if you pledge to Rett UK you will not be able to make an online donation to us as part of this campaign because your pledge will be used to match these donations.

You can find full details of the Christmas Challenge 2021, and how your pledge will enable us to be part of the UK’s largest Matched Funding Challenge, at https://www.thebiggive.org.uk/

Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have questions about the Christmas Challenge and what being a Pledger could mean to Rett UK.

Warmest wishes,