The Archer Project launches Gift Aid campaign

11th June 2024

"We've launched a campaign because the people we support can’t afford for us to miss out on this extra funding. Please help us bridge the Gift Aid gap by ticking the box at: https://archerproject.org.uk/gift-aid"

Charities Aid Foundation reports that a massive £564 million of Gift Aid goes unclaimed every year in the UK. The Archer Project have launched a campaign, stating: “We don’t want to be part of that statistic. And the people we support can’t afford for us to miss out on this extra funding.

“Every single extra penny we can get adds up to make even more of a difference to some of the most vulnerable members of our community. The cost-of-living crisis has had a huge impact, but a small action you can take right now can make a big impact too.”

The charity have transferred over to an entirely new database, so are having to start from scratch with Gift Aid declarations. This means even if you’ve done it before, The Archer Project needs your help to make sure they’ve got a declaration on file.

So, what is Gift Aid exactly? The scheme, available to charities, allows claims of an extra 25p from HMRC for every £1 donated by individuals paying the basic tax rate. This means Gift Aid can make donations go further at no cost to the person making the donation. 

Fundraising Manager, Joe Logan, tells us just how crucial Gift Aid is: “Our charity faces consistently increasing demand as more people come to us for help. Completing a gift aid declaration form lets us stretch every donation to support as many people as possible. It’s such a simple, easy way to boost our Project’s resources. We need to get the word out to everyone we can.”

He continues: “£5 runs our washing machine for the day and £10 feeds 5 people for breakfast. It may not seem like a lot, but it really does add up.”

Across 2023, 1,085 individuals were accessing support at The Archer Project, and the charity served a total of 20,963 meals. Based on the current demand, projected service for 2024 is 26,712 meals. In 2024, recorded numbers of rough sleepers are the highest they’ve been since counting began; it’s 120 higher than 2010, and 61 higher than 2014.

The demand for emergency care at the charity – breakfast and lunch each weekday; food parcels; provision of clothing, sleeping bags and toiletries; access to showers and laundry; access to GP and dental services – has reached unprecedented levels. The Project is the busiest it has ever been, and getting busier at an unsustainable rate.

The charity receives no government funding, so are entirely reliant on donations from people in the community, and local businesses. Adding an extra 25 to any monetary donation, no matter how big or small, will help The Archer Project support people experiencing homelessness in Sheffield today.

To tick the Gift Aid box, please visit:
https://archerproject.org.uk/gift-aid 

Alternatively, you can make your declaration over the phone by calling 0114 321 2311.