THE CANDIS BIG GIVE CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE
The Candis Big Give is now in its 16th 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, 2-9 December. The great news is that your donation will be doubled by our match-funding pot while funds last.
ACTION FOR KIDS CHARITABLE TRUST
What they do
Help children and young people with disabilities 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 will help them to gain independence, confidence and the ability to take part in family and social life.
Location: National
Fundraising target: £20,000
ANAPHYLAXIS UK
What they do
Provide support and strive for a better future for people living with serious allergies.
Candis Big Give Project
The money raised will help the charity to support people with the emotional impact of living with serious allergies that can be life-threatening. It will develop and evolve much-needed resources to reduce anxiety and equip people with the tools they may need to cope, including accessible information via digital guides, infographics, bitesize podcasts and videos; a support group network led by trained facilitators; and its Safer Schools Programme, which includes school visits and face-to-face training to reduce the risk of allergy reactions at school, where 20 per cent of food allergy reactions currently happen.
Location: National
Fundraising target: £15,000
BOB CHAMPION CANCER TRUST
What they do
Support and raise funds for the Bob Champion Cancer Research Laboratory, which forms part of the first male-dedicated cancer research centre in the UK.
Candis Big Give Project
To develop a genetic test for prostate cancer that will provide a more precise prognosis for each patient and establish whether the patient requires surgery that can then be given more urgently – or surveillance, which will save them from unnecessary invasive surgery and long-term aftereffects.
Location: National
Fundraising target: £10,000
BRAIN AND SPINE FOUNDATION
What they do
Provide guidance and support for anyone affected by any neuro condition.
Candis Big Give Project
The money raised will go towards a specialist neuro nurse-led helpline that will offer expert clinical, emotional and practical support to people affected by brain, spine or neurological conditions, helping them to understand their condition, better manage their symptoms, reduce anxiety and feel more in control.
Location: National
Fundraising target: £24,000
DIABETES RESEARCH & WELLNESS FOUNDATION
What they do
Raise awareness of all types of diabetes, promote prevention through education and support, and fund medical research to improve understanding, treatment, management, and ultimately, find a cure.
Candis Big Give Project
To contribute towards a three-year fellowship supporting an early career diabetes researcher who will develop and lead their own research project, working towards the life-changing breakthroughs the diabetes community needs and helping to improve the lives of people with diabetes.
Location: National
Fundraising target: £10,000
THE KATIE PIPER FOUNDATION
What they do
Help adult survivors of burns and people with scars from traumatic incidents, and their families.
Candis Big Give Project
The money raised will help the charity to sustain its vital rehabilitation services throughout 2026, including psychological therapies, musculoskeletal physio, physical therapies, and intensive residential rehabilitation. It will also go towards expanding its outreach and remote support, making its specialist rehabilitation accessible to more burn survivors across the UK and helping to transform more lives.
Location: National
Fundraising target: £50,000
LITTLE HEARTS MATTER
What they do
Support and empower anyone affected by the diagnosis of a single ventricle heart condition – or half a working heart – which is an incurable condition.
Candis Big Give Project
To fund the charity’s Little Lives Appeal, which provides comfort and support, helping families of babies diagnosed with half a working heart, who face immense challenges in their first year of life including complex surgeries and long hospital stays. The charity will provide one-to-one support to families from their 20-week scan and along every step of their journey, helping them understand their child’s condition and treatment options, and ensuring access to medically verified resources, antenatal packs, a supportive community, and its trained parent volunteers who have experienced similar challenges.
Location: National
Fundraising target: £12,000
MS-UK
What they do
Support people affected by MS, which is a neurological condition affecting approximately 150,000 people in the UK and causing a wide range of symptoms including visual disturbances, neuropathic pain, chronic fatigue and mobility problems.
Candis Big Give Project
To 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. The money used will help to
fund webinars, information booklets and the charity’s national helpline that provides information and emotional support to anyone affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) via telephone, email or WhatsApp.
Location: National
Fundraising target: £10,000
NEUROBLASTOMA UK
What they do
Facilitate research with the aim of finding more effective treatments and ultimately a cure for every child diagnosed with the aggressive childhood cancer neuroblastoma.
Candis Big Give Project
The money raised will fund vital research into neuroblastoma, advancing the charity’s understanding of neuroblastoma in order to accelerate drug development and develop more effective treatments, bringing hope to children and families affected by this devastating disease.
Location: National
Fundraising target: £14,000
OVACOME
What they do
Provide support and information to anyone affected by ovarian cancer.
Candis Big Give Project
The money raised will help the charity to keep providing vital support and information to anyone affected by ovarian cancer through its support lines, online workshops, expert webinars, support groups, booklets, forum, magazines and in-person health and wellbeing days. The charity will also continue to raise awareness of symptoms as there is no screening test, and work with healthcare professionals to aid earlier diagnosis as the symptoms can be vague.
Location: National
Fundraising target: £40,000
PANS PANDAS UK
What they do
Push for change, provide support and aim to make a difference to the way the neurological conditions Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) are understood by the medical profession and the general public.
Candis Big Give Project
To provide families with more accessible information in various formats and launch a dedicated email support line, where parents and carers can access guidance and resources.
Location: National
Fundraising target: £30,000
ROALD DAHL’S MARVELLOUS CHILDREN’S CHARITY
What they do
Provide specialist nurses and support for seriously ill children.
Candis Big Give Project
To provide Roald Dahl Nurses – who support families navigating multiple appointments, specialists and hospitals, and act as a consistent, trusted point of contact – for seriously ill children. The money will also be used to support families with emotional, practical and financial help; improve care coordination and reduce hospital visits; and invest in nurse training, peer learning, and professional development to enhance services and outcomes.
Location: National
Fundraising target: £22,900
TEENS UNITE FIGHTING CANCER
What they do
Improve the lives of teenagers and young adults living with, and beyond, cancer.
Candis Big Give Project
To extend 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.
Location: National
Fundraising target: £100,000
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 raise awareness of gynaecological cancers, including its survival rates, lack of research and funding, and diagnosis rates. The money will also be used to fund more research projects to help look at gynaecological cancers, in particular ovarian cancer, which is very difficult to diagnose early so has low survival rates. The charity aims to improve these outcomes through further research.
Location: National