THE CANDIS BIG GIVE CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE
The Candis Big Give is now in its 15th year and during that time has helped to improve many lives by supporting the participating health charities to reach their fundraising goals as part of the Big Give Christmas Challenge.
Why do we choose to work with the Big Give? The collaboration helps us to fund a wider range of charities because all charities applying to take part in the campaign must secure match funding through pledges from their own supporters. For example, a pledge of £5,000 will be doubled by the charity champion and matched by online donations meaning that the charity has successfully raised £20,000. Last year, the Christmas Challenge raised £33m in seven days for 1,077 charities.
By subscribing to Candis you are already making a difference to the charities we support as your subscriptions enable us to make our donations. You can also help any of our charities raise more money by making a special donation during the Candis Big Give Challenge, 3-10 December. The great news is that your donation will be doubled by our match-funding pot while funds last.
This year we are thrilled to be welcoming some new charities to the challenge, including The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), which is raising money to harness its knowledge of rarer cancers in order to find new ways to treat them, and Ruddi’s Retreat, who provide seriously ill children and their families with a respite break. Updates of all the charities that we support will be featured next year with details of how your donations have made a difference to the lives of so many.
The countdown is on! Visit https://donate.biggive.org/christmas-challenge-2024/candis-24 to make your donation.
THE INSTITUTE OF CANCER RESEARCH (ICR)
What they do
Conduct research into various types of cancer and run clinical trials as part of its mission to make the discoveries that defeat cancer.
Candis Big Give Project
The money raised will go towards the LMS Research Fund, which is working with The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) to harness its increasingly detailed knowledge of rarer cancers, gained through research, to design brand new ways of treating them and bring us one step closer to improving cure rates in patients. It will investigate a unique archive of data and leiomyosarcoma (LMS) tissue samples with AI and latest analytical techniques to design new tests and therapies for LMS, which is a rare and aggressive type of soft tissue sarcoma. For LMS and other rare cancers there is a lack of funding and biological understanding, which are major obstacles to the development of tests and new drugs, so the charity hopes to overcome this with this programme.
Fundraising target: £100,000
RUDDI’S RETREAT
What they do
Help families with seriously ill children to have access to a holiday home for free.
Candis Big Give Project
To provide children living with cancer or other life limiting illnesses and their families with a respite break at one of its accessible and fully kitted out caravans based at Primrose Valley in Filey, North Yorkshire, and Newton Hall in Blackpool, Lancashire. The funds raised will ensure 40 families will receive a respite break complete with full park/activity passes. Many families affected by childhood illness take a drop in income, meaning they are unable to afford a holiday, so these breaks will allow families to relax, improve mental wellbeing, recharge their batteries and create precious family memories to last a lifetime.
Fundraising target: £10,000
ACTION FOR KIDS CHARITABLE TRUST
What they do
Help children and young people with disabilities and autism live more independent, fulfilling lives.
Candis Big Give Project
The money raised will help the charity to provide and maintain life-changing mobility equipment for disabled children and young people in the UK, including disability trikes; powered, manual and sport wheelchairs; buggies and walkers. This is vital to ensure children and young people with disabilities are included in society and can live independent lives.
Fundraising target: £20,000
BOWEL CANCER UK
What they do
Save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer by funding research, campaigning and supporting those affected by the disease.
Candis Big Give Project
To continue creating high-quality, up-to-date and medically accurate health information for people living with bowel cancer, their loved ones, the public and healthcare professionals. This will support people affected by bowel cancer in making informed and empowered decisions about their treatment and care.
Fundraising target: £60,000
BRITISH LIVER TRUST
What they do
Achieve real change in liver health by increasing awareness of all types of liver disease, providing information and support, working with healthcare professionals and campaigning for change to improve diagnosis, treatment and care.
Candis Big Give Project
To reduce stress and isolation for parents, children and young people affected by childhood liver disease, by delivering essential emotional and practical support. Funds raised will help the charity continue to provide face to face, over the phone, email, and online support for those impacted by a diagnosis of rare childhood liver disease – improving both mental and physical wellbeing.
Fundraising target: £80,000
CEREBRAL PALSY CYMRU
What they do
Provide specialist therapy and support for children and families across Wales living with cerebral palsy.
Candis Big Give Project
The money raised will go towards the charity’s new fund, The Glenys Evans Family Support Fund, which was launched in Autumn 2024 to help protect and sustain its vital family support service to ensure that families living with cerebral palsy can access life-changing advice, emotional support and counselling.
Fundraising target: £30,000
DEMENTIA SUPPORT
What they do
Provide the latest support, information, advice and activities for people living with dementia and their families.
Candis Big Give Project
The money raised will be used to deliver dementia support services based from its Sage House hub and through its Community Outreach and advice bus, which is bringing dementia support to the local community, helping more people access personalised support and reducing isolation.
Fundraising target: £50,000
THE FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE FOUNDATION
What they do
Support nurses and midwives to improve care and save lives.
Candis Big Give Project
To directly reach between 75-100 nurses and midwives with its Frontline Facilitator Support Workshop, which delivers psychological safety and support sessions to those on the frontline of healthcare. By completing this programme, these nurses and midwives will develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to go on to facilitate supportive sessions in their workplaces, reaching many more nurses and midwives. This will also benefit patient care, as research shows a strong connection between the quality of patient and health care and the emotional and mental well-being of health and care staff.
Fundraising target: £18,720
HEART UK
What they do
Provide support and information to those affected by high cholesterol.
Candis Big Give Project
Over 49,000 families will be grieving the death of a loved one because of heart and circulatory diseases this year, and thousands more will suffer preventable heart attacks and strokes. High cholesterol is a significant risk factor. The money raised will provide a lifeline to everyone needing in-depth advice from the charity’s Cholesterol Specialist Team, who can give them the reliable information and support they need to improve their cholesterol so they’re able to make special memories with loved ones this Christmas, and many more to come. The money raised will also go towards educating doctors and nurses to identify people with high cholesterol as early as possible and offer life-saving treatment.
Fundraising target: £12,000
LYMPHOMA ACTION
What they do
Offer support and information to people affected by the complex blood cancer lymphoma, which is the fifth most common cancer.
Candis Big Give Project
To fund the charity’s helpline team, which is a lifeline for people who are affected by lymphoma. The helpline team offer a listening ear; provide expert knowledge, trusted and accurate information, and emotional support; put people in direct contact with others facing similar physical and psychological challenges; and refer people to other organisations or the charity’s other services that may be of help.
Fundraising target: £23,400
MENCAP
What they do
Provide support for people with a learning disability, their families and their carers.
Candis Big Give Project
The money raised will help fund Mencap’s information and advice services for at least one week over the winter period, when people with a learning disability and their loved ones need support on money and benefits the most. This would enable the charity to answer around 150 enquiries from people in need of advice and support. People with a learning disability face disproportionately high bills as their energy requirements go beyond that of non-disabled people – such as keeping the heating on for longer to power essential medical equipment. Without this support, many could struggle with keeping warm, staying healthy and paying their bills this winter.
Fundraising target: £16,000
MS-UK
What they do
Support people affected by MS on every step of their MS journey.
Candis Big Give Project
To fund the charity’s national helpline that provides information and emotional support to anyone affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) – which is a neurological condition affecting approximately 130,000 people in the UK and causing a wide range of symptoms including visual disturbances, neuropathic pain, chronic fatigue and mobility problems – via telephone, email, WhatsApp or LiveChat. The charity will provide access to emotional support and trusted information about lifestyle changes, mental health, symptom management, welfare rights and aids and adaptations, helping people to feel better equipped to make choices and decisions that are right for them, share their worries and concerns, and access the support they need.
Fundraising target: £10,000
PREVENT BREAST CANCER
What they do
Fund ground-breaking research into the prediction and prevention of breast cancer.
Candis Big Give Project
To build the National Breast Imaging Academy, which is a cutting-edge facility that will train the next generation of breast imaging staff, provide more breast cancer screenings and enhance prevention research. This will help to reduce breast cancer rates, prevent delays in breast cancer early diagnosis and improve survival rates.
Fundraising target: £80,000
RETINA UK
What they do
Support people affected by inherited progressive sight loss and invest in medical research.
Candis Big Give Project
To fund cutting edge research into inherited sight loss conditions – which are the most common cause of blindness in working-age people in the UK – to accelerate the search for treatments and build a brighter future for the thousands of people across the UK living with inherited sight loss.
Fundraising target: £60,000
TARGET OVARIAN CANCER
What they do
Raise awareness, improve diagnosis, fund research and provide support for everyone affected by ovarian cancer.
Candis Big Give Project
The money raised will be used as part of the charity’s early diagnosis programme during 2025, to help improve survival rates. Through its national education programme for GPs, it is developing GPs’ knowledge of ovarian cancer symptoms, meaning women can be referred sooner, increasing early-stage diagnosis. It is also increasing public awareness of symptoms and pushing UK Governments to fund awareness campaigns.
Fundraising target: £20,000
TEENS UNITE FIGHTING CANCER
What they do
Support those in their teens and early 20s who are fighting cancer.
Candis Big Give Project
To support its annual programme of in-person and digital workshops and activities for young people aged 13-24 whose lives have been impacted by cancer, including workshops on career readiness and CV writing; mental health support; mentoring; peer support groups; residential stays; and social activities and sports. This will help young people with cancer to develop skills, build resilience, and improve social connections, physical and mental health, education and employment opportunities.
Fundraising target: £40,000
WELLBEING OF WOMEN
What they do
Fund research, campaign and provide health information for women’s gynaecological and reproductive health.
Candis Big Give Project
To continue to fund its groundbreaking research into miscarriage and stillbirth, to better understand and prevent baby loss. Its appeal will also raise awareness of baby loss in the hope that by sharing stories and the research it is funding, it can help families in their healing process.
Fundraising target: £19,400
YORKSHIRE AIR AMBULANCE LTD
What they do
Provide state-of-the-art emergency response air ambulances to save lives across Yorkshire.
Candis Big Give Project
To purchase 12 flight suits and six night-vision capable aviation helmets for Yorkshire Air Ambulance aviation staff and medics, who each require their own helmet and two flight suits to protect them as they carry out their roles. Correctly fitted and suitable equipment helps to ensure faster helicopter takeoff times and allows crews to work day and night in all weathers, often in extreme circumstances, helping to save lives at the scene.