A Cumbrian charity is celebrating after a key fundraising week proved a truly huge success. For the second year in a row, The Lake District Calvert Trust took part in the ‘Big Give Christmas Challenge’ week where every donation made was match funded meaning that when individuals and businesses gave once, their donation had twice the impact.

This year, the team set themselves the target of £50,000 to help fund a specialist outdoor instructor for one year. These instructors are at the heart of delivering the charity’s objective: providing outdoor adventure breaks to people living with even the most profound disabilities.

What they achieved was astonishing and far exceeded the team’s wildest expectations. Over the course of the seven days, the final sum raised was £110,000! It was a true team effort with staff, guests, local families and businesses all playing their part – highlights included:

1. A 24-hour Calvert superhero triathlon where 40 Calvert staff, volunteers, guests, trustees, family and friends rode, jived, swam and swung their way through 24 one hour slots to help kickstart fundraising
2. Local businesses including Booths, Bothy Threads, Pioneer, Keswick Town Council, Friends of Calvert Trust, Edwin Thompson, David Hayton, Holiday Cottages, Air Products, Decking Design, The Gruesomes. Atkinsons, Stoneswood Homes and Verey Books all supported incredibly generously

1. Individual fundraising efforts were spectacular too! One local family promised to make and give away 500 Portuguese custard tarts in an effort to galvanise friends and family to donate during the week. In the end Sibella (9) and her dad, Ciso Barbosa made and gave away 690 Pasteis de Nata!

Head of Income Generation, Helen Archibald commented:

“What an incredible week we’ve had with this year’s ‘Big Give Christmas Challenge’. We’re all overwhelmed at the response from our community. These vital funds will help us help more guests find out just what they ‘can do’ and I’d like to extend a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to each and every individual and business who supported us. What a brilliant bunch!’

The Calvert team are already planning for 2025’s Big Give week. To get involved or discuss a fundraising idea, please call the Fundraising team on 017687 72255 or email [email protected]. To find out more about the work of the Lake District Calvert Trust, please visit www.ldct.org.uk.