The start of a new year can often motivate people to make a positive impact on the world around us. Supporting charities is a wonderful way to do this, but it can sometimes feel overwhelming to know where to begin. The good news is that there are countless ways to contribute, no matter your budget or schedule.
Here are 10 straightforward ways to support charities like Jigsaw4u in 2025:
1. Challenge yourself for Charity
With the new year comes new resolutions which can often lead to people challenging themselves to improve their lives, learn new skills or to seek out new adventures. This is fantastic and incredibly exciting, but you can add to this excitement by fundraising for your favourite charity.
We wish to stress the fact that you do not necessarily need to make a monumental change to make a lasting difference though. You can participate in a charity walk, run, bike ride, or any other athletic event. Fortunately for charities like us, not only will you will be supporting a good cause but you will also be improving your own physical and mental health simultaneously!
Jigsaw4u’s SW London Bridge Walk 2025
Jigsaw4u has an exciting Charity Walk planned this year along the river on Saturday 10th May – we will be walking past 13 bridges in total.
It will be accessible to all walkers, including those who are less confident as well as experienced hikers. And most importantly, the event will not be a race! If you wish to take part, then please let us know by filling out our survey: https://forms.office.com/e/D6i2fHFhJt
Other Challenge Events
If you wish to get involved any other challenge event that you might have seen advertised, contact our fundraising team to see if we might be able to book you on your desired event at a discounted rate. If you have already booked a challenge event to fundraise for Jigsaw4u, our team would love to hear from you about this too! Get in touch with us.
2. Make a One-off or series of Regular Donations
Many charities, like Jigsaw4u, rely on the generosity of individuals. Even small, regular donations can add up to make a significant difference. Consider rounding up your purchases or setting aside spare change throughout the month to then donate.
Donating through Jigsaw4u’s website is simple. You can either make a one-off donation or a series of regular donations with us. A monthly £10 donation over the course of a year would cover an educational trip for a group of disadvantaged children, bringing about new memories and friendships for our young people as they overcome their social and emotional difficulties in combination with our therapeutic support. Click the button below to donate to Jigsaw4u.
3. Declutter and Donate
If you are planning an upcoming clear-out, discarding items that you no longer use such as; clothes, furniture, electronics, or toys – remember that these items can be donated to charity.
Jigsaw4u currently manages the Wilson Wellbeing Centre, which aims to improve the wellbeing of those living in East Merton. The Centre runs a regular clothes bank which is free for service-users to access. They are always on the lookout for more items. Contact the Wilson Wellbeing Centre for more information.
As for other needs that Jigsaw4u has, you can check out the full list through our partnership with ‘A Good Thing.’
Additionally, you can also give Jigsaw4u’s team a call to see if we can accept the items you have in mind, but please be aware that we do not have a large amount of space available at our offices so we cannot accept all donation offers. Get in touch if you have something in mind.
4. Donations to Celebrate or Commemorate
Instead of traditional gifts for birthdays, work anniversaries, retirement parties, weddings or even funerals, you could ask your friends, family and wider networks to donate to your favourite charity in your name.
If you might like to do this for Jigsaw4u, your support will make an enormous difference for our children and families. Please let us know if you would like to do this for us as we would love to help how we can. On top of this, our team would be delighted to hear why you have chosen to support us.
5. Give the gift of time by Volunteering
Charities always need an extra pair of hands. Whether it is helping at a fundraising event or assisting with administrative tasks, your time is incredibly valuable.
There are different options for volunteering with Jigsaw4u. We have long-term volunteering opportunities which include; providing practical and emotional support to those who have experienced domestic abuse (Helping Hands), as well as a service which has Volunteers befriend children in the care system and meeting up monthly with them (Independent Visiting). Additionally, you can volunteer at the Wilson Wellbeing Centre, assisting the team with day-to-day tasks and groups we run. Finally, if you have a specialism that you feel could benefit our service-users or staff team, please contact us to get in touch with our Volunteer and Events Coordinator.
6. Spread the Word
Share your favourite charity’s message on social media or tell your friends and family about their work. Raising awareness of what they do and who they support is crucial for attracting support of any kind.
We have social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, TikTok, X / Twitter and YouTube – follow, like, comment and share the posts that resonate most with you. This will help us to reach a wider audience and will be able to connect you to like-minded people that care about the same causes as you.
One other great way to stay on top of the latest news and updates from Jigsaw4u is by joining our bimonthly email newsletter to stay up to date on the latest news and ways to support our work: https://tinyurl.com/Jigsaw4uEmailNewsletter
7. Donate as you shop online
Many companies offer the option to donate a portion of your purchase to a charity. Look for these opportunities when you shop, or consider using a cashback site that allows you to donate your rewards.
Jigsaw4u is partnered with Easy Fundraising – which is one of these cashback sites. The clue is in the name, but their mission is to make it easy to get your favourite charity supported every time you shop online with over 8,000 trusted brands – all at no extra cost to you.
Check out our webpage which shares more information about how you can support us through their platform.
8. Organise a Fundraising Event
Organising creative events to raise money for your chosen charity is one of the best ways to support their mission. The great thing about these events is that the sky is the limit with what you can choose to organise, but one thing we often like to remind fundraisers is that they should consider their budget and seek any help from friends, family and their wider network to minimise on costs (particularly for events like Balls, Auctions, Raffles or Galas).
Jigsaw4u can provide you with the resources and support you need to run a successful fundraising event. We can also help you run through any ideas you might have and give you the encouragement and information needed for the best chance of success. Get in touch with our Fundraising team if organising an event for Jigsaw4u might be of interest.
9. Leave a Legacy
It might be worth considering leaving part of your will to charity in 2025. Leaving a legacy donation can be incredibly rewarding. This is because it can be transformative for your favourite causes and those they support. On top of the lasting impact your donation can make, it is possible that charitable giving in your will may be able to reduce the amount of tax paid from the rest of your estate. According to gov.uk, if you pay 10% or more to charity, then your inheritance tax rate could be reduced.
If leaving a donation to Jigsaw4u in your will might happen to be of interest, please contact us to find out further information on how to include us. You can also speak with your will writer to get more details about giving to charities in your will.
10. Be Kind
Unfortunately, there is an ongoing mental health crisis, which Jigsaw4u and other charities are actively responding to.
The NHS reports that one in four adults and one in 10 children are experiencing mental health difficulties. The severity of this crisis can be seen from the number of individuals we have previously supported – in 2023 we supported 7,399 individuals. In 2024, this figure increased, with Jigsaw4u supporting 10,101 individuals.
One thing we wish to promote is being kind to one another. Whether you are at school, in the workplace, spending time with family, friends or members of the local community, you could encounter someone experiencing complex social and emotional difficulties. Small actions you take can make a big difference to those who are experiencing such problems.
It’s also important to mention that being kind to yourself is incredibly important as well. If you might like to learn some simple strategies to help with stress or low moods, you can check out our full video library of ‘10 seconds to calm.’
Supporting charities does not have to be a grand gesture. Every small action counts, whether that is donating items, your time or unlocking free donations as you shop online. Enough small actions over the course of a year can make a HUGE difference. We hope that this list helps inform the best ways for you to make 2025 a year of giving back!
