In 2020’s Make Your Mark ballot, young people voted both plastic pollution and climate change in their top five priority issues. This year, the UK Youth Parliament will be campaigning to address climate change at a national level with a particular focus on making sure that we stop non-essential single use plastics by 2025.
The British Youth Council recognises that solutions like litter picks and recycling are not enough, and that the Government must reduce the amount of plastics initially produced. However, the sad reality is that the average Briton’s annual plastic waste includes 242 plastic bottles, 109 single-use coffee cups and 209 crisp packets according to a DS Smiths poll, and a good proportion of that does still end up littering our communities.
This autumn the British Youth Council are encouraging you as our supporters to keep your communities tidy, reduce plastic pollution, and raise money for the British Youth Council all at the same time. We are looking to raise £500 to support our programmes and campaigns such as Stop Plastic Pollution, and we need your help!
All you have to do is:
- Grab some bin bags, rubber gloves and litter pickers – you can order these online or borrow kits from your local council – and organise a day to go to your local woods, park, beach or town centre and pick up any stray litter you find. Many local organisations also run community litter picks, so you could arrange to tag along with one of those if you would prefer.
- Get a group of friends together to have more of an impact – the more of you there are, the easier it will be to clean up more rubbish, and the more money you’ll be able to raise.
- Set up a Virgin Money Giving or Facebook Donate fundraising page, where your friends and family can sponsor you for your hard work. Remember to share your fundraising page often, and keep your family and friends updated with photos of you on your litter pick.
- Finally, dispose of the litter that you pick up in a sensible and sustainable way. Recycle anything that can be recycled, and be careful of any sharp objects that you find.
This a really fun way to keep your local area tidy, promote the reduction of single-use plastic within your community, and raise vital funds for the British Youth Council to put towards our campaigns such as Stop Plastic Pollution.
We encourage you to visit the Keep Britain Tidy website for more information and advice on preparation and safety before you begin your Litter Pick!
You can also support us by making a donation via our Virgin Money Giving page.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing fundraising@byc.org.uk.
Sunday 25th July saw the return of large-scale organised runs in the capital, with the ASICS London 10k taking over the streets between Oxford Street and Westminster.
The British Youth Council team, made up of supporters and partners, took part in this exciting run to raise vital funds in support of our work empowering young people to share their voice and create meaningful change. A cheer team was also on hand to provide a boost to all of the runners and to soak up the atmosphere of the event.
Overall, the British Youth Council team raised a phenomenal £1,112. This is an incredible achievement from our runners, and all of the funds raised will be invested into amplifying the voices of young people all across the UK.
Thanks to all of our amazing runners, our fantastic cheer team, and everyone who sponsored and supported along the way. We couldn’t do what we do without any of you!
If you would like to take part in a challenge event or would like to organise your own fundraising event, please get in touch with our Fundraising Intern, Olivia Attey, on olivia.attey@byc.org.uk
The British Youth Council’s 100k in a month Challenge is coming to an end. It began in February 2021 as a way to engage with our supporters in a fun but Covid-safe setting, and it has been immensely successful in its first year. All together, we raised over £3000 in this challenge, which is more than three-times our initial target! As a community, we grew, with partakers from across the UK and all over Europe participating, and sponsors from all over the world.
Thank you to all of you who participated, shared and donated to this challenge, as without your AMAZING support and effort, we never would have achieved such an accomplishment.
One of our participants Chris Attey, 58, decided to take part in this challenge along with 5 friends he’s known since school. They walked from Chepstow (Monmouthshire, Wales) to Carey (Herefordshire, England) following along the Wye river. They accomplished 80km in 2.5 days!
Chris shared this heart-warming message about his experience, “I often walk less than 3,000 steps in a day, so completing over 40,000 for two consecutive days, and then another 20,000 the next morning was a massive challenge. I almost gave up after day two, I ached so much, but seeing the donations still coming in gave me a massive boost and kept me going. The British Youth Council does such important work and raising money for them by doing this challenge has been a privilege. One of the most enjoyable and satisfying experiences I’ve ever had!”
If you are interested in partaking in another Challenge for the British Youth Council, or know someone who would be, we have exciting news for you – The British Youth Council has two more spots free in the Asics 10K London Run, which will take place on the 25th July, 2021. But hurry, the deadline is the 16th July, 2021.
If you missed out on doing the 100k this year, do not worry! We will be launching this challenge event again next year in February, so be sure to mark it in your calendars.
With Coronavirus restrictions easing around the UK, this summer will see the return of organised challenge events such as the Asics London 10k.
What better way to celebrate the empowerment of youth voice and demonstrate your support for the British Youth Council than by joining our team and taking part in this iconic run?
Taking place on the 25th July, you’ll get to enjoy live music and entertainment as you make your way past famous London attractions such as Big Ben, Regent Street, and the London Eye, all whilst raising money for a cause that you care about.
Registration is free and all we ask is for a fundraising target of £200 per runner!
To register, please get in touch with the British Youth Council, and we can offer you any support that you may need – from setting up your fundraising page, to boosting engagement with your campaign.
For more information on the Asics London 10k, please visit their website.
Please contact Olivia Attey by emailing olivia.attey@byc.org.uk if you would like to register for the event.
The Coronavirus pandemic has really reduced the amount of physical activity we get day-to-day. We have got an awesome new challenge that will be a great way to get active and outdoors as well as supporting the British Youth Council!
Walk or run 100km in one month!
It’s a very simple challenge, just grab your trainers, your headphones (your dog or kid if you have one!) and go out for a walk. If you plan on spreading it out over the whole month, that’s just 2 miles per day! And just like you would for a regular challenge event, you can set up a fundraising page linked to the British Youth Council (we recommend Virgin Money Giving).
If you need any information or help, the British Youth Council are here to support you throughout your challenge.
Make sure to send through your photos and updates so we can share and celebrate your progress.
Charities and youth organisations like the British Youth Council have been significantly impacted by Covid-19 as many physical fundraising events have come to a standstill. So I came up with a way of fundraising for the ones that matter to me and have shaped me into the person I am today.
I hosted The Big 12 Hour Livestream on Saturday 20th June 2020 with the hopes of being in front of a computer for twelve hours, live streaming on YouTube. The concept involved interviewing a number of guests whilst fundraising for the British Youth Council, Hampshire Youth Parliament, Andover Trees United, Unity and my own youth organisation DMK Worldwide. These beneficiaries mean so much to me. They have given me many opportunities to voice my own opinions and get involved within the community of Youth Voice and I only wish that I had found them sooner.
To say the least, the livestream was a challenge. I have done many livestreams before, but never for twelve hours straight, so I really wanted to make sure everything went smoothly, and for the most part it went very well. I interviewed a huge variety of guests, from the British Youth Council’s very own Chair, Amanda Chetwynd-Cowieson, to Members of Parliament such as Kit Malthouse, MP for North West Hampshire and Minister of State for Crime and Policing. The full livestream with all interviews can be found on Youtube. There were of course a few technical difficulties here and there but it was definitely an awesome learning experience. There could perhaps be another livestream coming in the future, for an even longer time.
It is so important during these challenging times to continue to support small charities like the British Youth Council, through fundraising initiatives and donations, and I would encourage anyone who is passionate about Youth Voice to do the same.
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic effect on the charity sector, with the cancellation of thousands of events and the loss of billions in income through fundraising events.
The Virgin Money London Marathon alone, which should have taken place on Sunday 26 April, is the world’s biggest one-day fundraising event, which raised more than £66.4 million for thousands of charities in 2019.
The British Youth Council, like so many charities across the UK, has been significantly impacted by the effects of Covid-19 and the subsequent cancellation of fundraising events. The British Youth Council endeavours to empower young people across the whole of the UK to speak up and be heard. We help to lift up their voices and ensure they are able to influence decisions on issues that matter to them. We want to ensure that we can continue to do so during these uncertain times. However, as a small charity facing big challenges, we need your help with this.
The organisers of the biggest mass participation sports events across the country have come together to create a new campaign to raise vital funds to help our fundraising and save the UK’s charities, and we are getting involved!
The campaign, The 2.6 Challenge, will launch on Sunday 26 April 2020 – what should have been the date of the 40th London Marathon, the world’s biggest one day annual fundraising event, which raised £66.4 million for charities in 2019. The challenge will last for a week. The 2.6 Challenge is open to anyone of any age – the only requirement is that the activity must follow the Government guidelines on exercise and social distancing and remember to stay local.
From Sunday 26 April 2020, we are asking you to dream up an activity based around the numbers 2.6 or 26 and fundraise by donating on our Virgin Money Giving page.
Nick Rusling, Co-Chair of the Mass Participation Sports Organisers group (MSO) and CEO of Human Race said “The 2.6 Challenge can be anything that works for you
“You can run or walk 2.6 miles, 2.6km or for 26 minutes. You could do the same in your home or garden, go up and down the stairs 26 times, juggle for 2.6 minutes, do a 26 minute exercise class or get 26 people on a video call and do a 26 minute workout – anything you like. We want people to get active, have fun and raise money to help Save the UK’s Charities by giving money or raising funds for the charity close to your heart.”
Hugh Brasher, Co-Chair of MSO and Event Director of London Marathon Events said “For many of the UK’s charities, the day of the London Marathon is the biggest fundraising day of the year
“One of the founding pillars of the London Marathon was ‘to show how the family of mankind can be united’. We hope that The 2.6 Challenge, which starts on the day our 40th Race should have taken place, will embody that spirit and inspire people, families and communities to fundraise for their chosen charity to help Save the UK’s Charities. Right now, our vulnerable members of society need the help of charities more than ever before.”
The mass-participation events organisers behind The 2.6 Challenge are: Human Race, parkrun, The Great Run Company, Run 4 Wales, Grounded Events, London Landmarks, Virgin Sport, Limelight Sports, Threshold Sports, Running High and London Marathon Events. The design and website has been created by Studio Republic and the social media campaign by LiveWire Sport. The campaign is supported by the Charities Aid Foundation, the Institute of Fundraising, the Small Charities Coalition, the Office for Civil Society, Sport England, Let’s Do This, Virgin Money Giving and JustGiving.
For more information on The 2.6 Challenge, visit twopointsixchallenge.co.uk
Once again, this year the British Youth Council are taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge. Between 12pm Tuesday 3rd December and 12pm Tuesday 10th December, all donations to the British Youth Council will be doubled by match funding!
So, if you give £25, we’ll receive £50, give £50, we’ll receive £100 and so on…
We are looking to raise £2,000 which will then be matched to give a grand total of £4,000!
We want as many supporters as possible to get involved in the campaign to ensure that we empower young leaders to make real change. Whether you support with a donation or simply by sharing our campaign within your networks, everything you do will make a difference. It means that young people can be empowered through our Leadership Development Programme to make their voices heard and create real change.
Read more about how the British Youth Council empowers young leaders on our campaign page and donate to make twice the impact.
On Sunday, 21st July, ten runners including young people from our programmes, staff from our incredible corporate partners Fledglink and the Bank of England and other members of the British Youth Council community, took part in the ASICS London 10K to raise money for the British Youth Council.
Our cheer team made up of staff, trustees and friends were there to offer encouragement at the half-way point to our team of runners.
Collectively raising over £2,200 the challenge event champions smashed their targets and have made a huge contribution to the British Youth Council and young people across the UK. To the runners, donors and volunteers, thank you!
Luke Thornton, Treasurer at the British Youth Council and one of the runners in our challenge event team on Sunday commented “Small charities like the British Youth Council benefit so much from challenge events like this one and I am delighted I can support their work in this way.
“It is so great to see more and more support like this for the British Youth Council and I know that it will make a huge difference to the charity.”
If you would like to take part in a challenge event or would like to organise your own fundraising event, please get in touch with our Head of Fundraising, Victoria Ward on Victoria.ward@byc.org.uk
On Sunday, 2nd December, seven supporters, including staff members, young people and friends of the British Youth Council embraced the festive season, dressed up as Santa, and took part in the London Santa Run. Raising money for the British Youth Council, the runners were cheered on by a team of staff, friends and trustees underneath a flurry of fake snow.
Kira Lewis, who is a member of the UK Youth Parliament Procedures Group, commented; “I was proud to take part in this year’s London Santa Run, alongside some of the fantastic British Youth Council staff. The organisation has given me a platform to campaign for issues that have mattered most to me over the years I’ve been a member. I’ve really seen the difference the British Youth Council has made locally and nationally, so it’s important to me that I help give back to them through fundraising.”
The runners raised over £1,200 towards the work of the British Youth Council, which is an incredible amount. Support from events like this enables young people from across the UK to find their voice and use it for social and political change. From everyone at the British Youth Council, thank you to our runners, supporters and donors.
If you would like to make a donation to the British Youth Council or sign up to your own challenge event, please contact Victoria Ward our Head of Fundraising on Victoria.ward@byc.org.uk.
Don’t forget, to hear more about ways you can be involved in events like the Santa Run, sign up to our Friends of British Youth Council mailing list here.
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