Big Give Christmas Challenge

How to Donate:

For more information and to donate click here.
Or copy the following link: https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05WS000005HZUjYAO

How Your Donation is Matched

To ensure your gift is doubled during the Big Give Christmas Challenge, please follow the guidelines below. These rules are set by the Big Give and apply to all participating charities.

How Matching Works

• Your donation is doubled only when you give through our official Big Give campaign page.
• Donations are matched first by Pledge Funds, then by any available Champion Funds, until both are used up or the campaign ends.
• Matching funds are reserved for 30 minutes once you begin your donation — please complete your payment during this time.

When to Donate

The match funding window is:

2 December (midday) – 9 December (midday)

Only donations made during this period will be doubled.

Where to Donate

To be matched, donations must be made via BigGive.org using:

• Debit or credit card
• Apple Pay or Google Pay
• Pay by Bank
• BACS (bank transfer) — for donations of £500+ only
  • Please allow time: BACS transfers arriving after 9 December cannot be matched.

Donations made by cheque, CAF, or on any other website cannot be matched.

Donation Limits

• Minimum: £1
• Maximum: £25,000 per individual donation

Important Restrictions

• You cannot donate to our campaign from a Swiss Church bank account.
• Our pledgers are not allowed to donate during the live campaign, as they would be matching their own pledge.
• If a pledger donates by mistake, the Big Give automatically refunds it.

After the Campaign

• Donations made 2–8 December are paid out to us the week of 22 December.
• Donations made 9 December are paid out the week of 29 December.
• Pledge donors must pay their pledged amount after the campaign and by 16 January directly to the Swiss Church.
• Champion Funds are paid in early March, once all pledges have been received.

Need More Information?

For full details, please visit the Big Give’s support pages or contact us at  localoutreach@swisschurchlondon.org.uk if you have any questions about how to make a matched donation.

Homeless Community Breakfast, Haircuts, Toiletries

We offer up to 80 guests affected by homelessness and poverty a peaceful and safe space to enjoy a generous and healthy breakfast every Tuesday as well as essential toiletries and some clothing. We serve a cooked breakfast and offer free haircuts once a month. Some guests stay on for our Arts Club.

Situation

The high cost of living and the housing crisis mean an increasing number of people are facing homelessness in London. People who are rough sleeping or housed in temporary accommodation are destitute and struggle to have regular meals, let alone healthy food. They do not have the means to purchase hygiene products, toiletries and clothing. They lack safe spaces to meet and relax. There are few places that offer wellbeing services for this community.

Solution

The Swiss Church has been offering a peaceful and safe space for guests facing destitution for years and our weekly breakfasts are ever more popular, welcoming up to 80 guests. A friendly team of volunteers prepares and serves a generous and healthy breakfast every Tuesday and a cooked breakfast once a month. Two local hair stylists provide free haircuts once a month. We also give out essential products. We provide a space where everyone is welcome and is treated with dignity and respect.

Campaign Aims

• Our overall aim is to support the growing local community affected by poverty and homelessness. Below is a breakdown of our aims.
• To alleviate hunger. The funds will be used to shop for the weekly breakfasts that cater for up to 80 guests at a time. Whilst the cooked breakfast ingredients and a few other items are kindly donated, we buy eggs, bread, cheese, meat, yogurts, butter, jam etc
• To provide basic products for a more hygienic and dignified life. The funds will also be used to buy basic hygiene products such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, razors, deodorants, shower gels, and period products.
• To provide an essential item of clothing. We give out clothing donations however we would like to give out brand new underwear as this is something that is high in demand. No one should be offered second hand underwear, it is not hygienic and appropriate.
• To provide a wellbeing service. The funds will also be used to buy and maintain the hairdresser service. Whilst our hairstylists Jake and Bence give us their time, we buy and maintain the electric shavers, cleaning products and other basics when needed.

Campaign Budget

• £11,000 – weekly grocery shop for breakfast
• £2,000 – personal hygiene products / toiletries
• £2,000 – disposable plates, cups and cutlery, haircut equipment, underwear, safeguarding and other training

Understanding the Target

If we do not succeed in meeting our campaign target we will either have to reduce the services we offer or decrease the number of guests we help. If the funds exceed our target, we would increase our offer and provide yet more resources and services to the community. The purpose of our campaign is most unlikely to become invalid as unfortunately homelessness is a big problem in London and won’t be resolved quickly.

Impact

Our outreach programme is extremely popular within the homeless community. Our guests tell our volunteers time and again what a vital service we provide, reducing their living costs and providing a friendly and safe environment. Breakfast, toiletries, haircuts, and clothing all contribute to the wellbeing of our guests. The Swiss Church hall is a beautiful historic venue and a haven of calm, unlike many homeless day centres. We currently welcome up to 80 guests a week.