Media fundraising appeals

Last month we did some research into the BBC Radio 4 Appeal and UK newspaper Christmas Appeals. Fundraising appeals in newspapers and on the radio are a great way to reach a new audience and raise unrestricted funds. Read on for an overview and two free factsheets you can download and use in your own planning around media appeals.

UK Newspaper Christmas Appeals Overview

Each year, many UK newspapers run Christmas Appeals, raising money from their readers for a chosen charity or group of charities. In 2022, combined Christmas Appeals in newspapers including The Times/Sunday Times, The Guardian/Observer, The Telegraph, The Evening Standard and The Independent raised over £8 million.

• Most appeals focused on the cost-of-living crisis in the UK. Only The Times/Sunday Times supported an international charity alongside 3 UK charities.

• The Evening Standard and Independent ‘On the Breadline’ campaign raised the most it ever has in a month (£3.7m) for anti-poverty charities.

• The Guardian and Observer had their most successful charity appeal since 2016, raising £1.56m. This was shared between grant-making organisation Locality, which supports grassroots community organisations tackling poverty across the UK, and Citizen’s Advice services in deprived neighbourhoods.

• Philanthropists Julia and Hans Rausing donated a total of £2.6m to Christmas appeals in 2022 - their largest Christmas donation to date.. It included contributions of £200,000 to Age UK (The Telegraph) and £250,000 to Comic Relief (Evening Standard and The Independent). The Rausings also donated £10m to food banks across the UK.

BBC Radio 4 Appeal Overview

The Radio 4 Appeal is a weekly 3-minute programme highlighting the work of a charity and appealing for donations. The appeal is broadcast every Sunday at 07:54 and 21:25 and again on Thursday at 15:27. The average amount raised by appeals broadcast between April 2022 - January 2023 was £22,600.

• 49 appeals are broadcast on Radio 4 each year.

• Presenters contribute their time and services for free. Appeals are usually presented by a celebrity ambassador or prominent journalist/broadcaster. Beneficiaries and service users have also presented appeals.

• BBC producers work with the selected charities to craft the scripts.

• Charities meeting the criteria can apply for an appeal. The applications are assessed by the Appeals Advisory Committee, a panel of independent experts from outside the BBC with wide experience of the charitable sector.

Are you trying to decide whether media appeals are right for your charity? Contact us on hello@rootsandwings.studio to book a free 30-minute chat.

Find out more about Roots + Wings and how we could help you overcome fundraising, communications, or other challenges you’re facing.