Big Give launches major mental health campaign

BIG Give, the UK’s most successful match funding platform, has today launched Kind²Mind, a campaign to support mental health charities that coincides with Mental Health Awareness Week.

Now in its second year, the campaign is seeking to raise over £1.5 million for the 180 charities taking part.  Last year the campaign raised a total of £316,500. This year the campaign, which runs from 15^th – 22^nd May, has grown significantly with £810,000 of matched funds available for the charities to access.

Whether it is anxiety, stress, depression, suicide or the cost of living, the public need for charities is greater than ever as evidenced by the following UK statistics:

• Over 8 million people are experiencing an anxiety disorder at any one time (Mental Health UK)
• 74% of people feel so stressed they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope (Mental Health Foundation and YouGov)
• Around 1 in 6 adults are experiencing depression (ONS)
• Over 1.5 million people are experiencing both problem debt and mental health problems (Money and Mental Health Policy Institute)

Joe Wicks, MBE and Patron of participating charity, the Amber Foundation, said: 

“We are experiencing a mental health crisis, made worse by the long tail of the pandemic. We need to do all we can to address the fact that many people are facing long waits for care and often cannot access the right treatment. The charities taking part in this Big Give campaign are all doing vital work on the front line and, in many cases, literally saving lives. The fact that all the money they raise over the week of the campaign will be doubled is incredible and will make such a difference. I urge everyone to take a look at what these charities are doing and multiply the impact of anything they are able to give by taking part.”

Charities taking part in this year’s campaign include the following who also have a range of celebrity backers:

• Amber Foundation – Joe Wicks MBE and F1’s Eddie Jordan OBE (patrons), and Mark Webber (ambassador)
• The Prison Phoenix Trust – Jeremy Irons (patron)
• My Sisters’ House – Dame Julie Walters (patron)
• Mental Health Innovations – Harry Kane / Will Young (patrons)

The funds raised via the Big Give will make a huge difference to charities that are facing challenges from the cost of living crisis and increased demand on their services. The Kind²Mind fund doubles the public’s donations and doubles their impact as it matches their donations with cash from philanthropists, foundations and companies. The campaign web page is here: https://donate.biggive.org/kind-2-mind-2023.

Alex Day, Managing Director of Big Give, said:

“We are delighted with the response from our philanthropic donor champions who have really increased their commitment to this important campaign. We are in the midst of a mental health crisis, especially among young people, and the charities we work with are reporting unprecedented demand for their services which highlights the fundraising need more than ever.”