Monday 01-03-2021 - 14:21

By Ellen Campbell  

The pandemic effect

The Coronavirus pandemic has left no industry unscathed, but the charity sector has been particularly impacted by the virus, with one in ten UK charities facing bankruptcy this year (The Guardian). With increased financial insecurity and uncertainty for the future, many people are less able and willing to give to charity (the Office for National Statistics recently released data showing that company payrolls have plunged by 730,000 since the start of lockdown).

Furthermore, due to the shift in public attention towards the NHS, there has been a prevalent change in donation patterns, with the majority of donations going towards NHS related organisations. Campaigns such as Run for Heroes (raising over £7 million) and Captain Tom’s laps of his garden (raising almost £33 million) have been incredible for the NHS, but have unfortunately shadowed efforts of other valuable charities, leaving them underfunded. Virgin Money Giving’s Top 50 charities saw fundraising income reduce by 93% in the month following lockdown compared to the same period in 2019.

Concerns surrounding the survival of charities both now and post-pandemic have unsurprisingly increased, specifics ranging from worries regarding how to continue operating during the pandemic to those of a longer-term nature concerning strategies for adapting to altered future workplace and social environments. 

Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) is an organisation which provides services and assistance to both UK and international charities whilst promoting general public generosity, working to be a ‘champion for charities’. For over 90 years, their purpose has been to ‘make giving count’, existing to help donations and fundraising efforts stretch further in order to make more meaningful impacts on communities around the world. They also provide insight and advice to help charities, and carry out research into global and UK-specific charitable trends.

Throughout the course of the pandemic, CAF have made various findings regarding the charity sector. For example, there has actually been an overall increase in donations, with the UK public giving a total of £5.4 billion from January to June 2020, an increase of £800 million compared to the same months in 2019. However, it must be stressed that this has come with a drastic rise in people giving to the cause ‘hospices and hospitals’ during the pandemic’s first wave, with over one in 10 people saying they had given to new causes (most likely the NHS) since the emergence of the virus.

 

How DUCK has Responded 

There has been a noticeable need for organisations and individuals to embrace technology in order to achieve effective remote working, something which DUCK (Durham University Charities Committee) has consciously grasped with both hands. Harnessing platforms such as Zoom, events such as virtual quizzes, movie nights and fitness classes have been organised as ways of raising awareness and increasing donations towards partner charities. There has also been a focus on increasing social media presence in order to maintain DUCK’s relevance within a temporarily disconnected Durham student community, something which has successfully allowed for sustained fundraising, despite the extremely challenging climate for it. 

A great example of DUCK’s success despite coronavirus is that of Pink Week. This typically highly anticipated time in the DUCK calendar took place in February and, although it wasn't its usual self, this year’s events included an online movie night, a pub quiz bringing together a host of Durham women’s societies, a Zoom yoga class and a week-long fitness challenge. You can find out more about Pink Week here.

The Valentine's Day Take Me Out event was a huge triumph, raising over £340 for Student Minds. More successes have been the virtual Christmas concert in aid of Centrepoint and a brilliant bake-off competition for local breast cancer charity, Hug in a Bag. A campaign with SolidariTee raised awareness about the ongoing refugee crisis and a conversation about homelessness was started in association with Durham Winter Night Shelter.

Events like the Edu-Venture panel Q&A (aiming to support people interested in starting a career in the third sector) have worked to equip DUCK members and the wider Durham community with vital tools and information to allow them to make a real difference in the world. Read this blog post to learn more about the ins and outs of fundraising.
 
Want to get involved with DUCK? 

So, don’t wait until COVID-19 is a thing of the past to get involved with DUCK and get stuck in right now. Check out the DUCK social media pages to receive regular updates on events and money raised. Browse through the dedicated DUCK blog in order to read articles about the DUCK partner charities, successful DUCK campaigns and upcoming events you might want to participate in.

DUCK’s success in helping incredible charities is heavily reliant on support from the Durham student community and now, more than ever, is the perfect time to start getting involved with your charities committee.