CHIPS, the international Christian peacemaking charity, today launches a Christmas fundraising appeal for its Voices For Change project tackling youth violence in Brixton.
The charity is participating in The Big Give Christmas Challenge, the UK’s biggest match funding campaign. For seven days, from midday Tuesday 3 December until midday Tuesday 10 December, The Big Give offers people the opportunity to have their donations doubled while matched funds last.
CHIPS is seeking to raise £18,500 to build on its work in Brixton working with young people affected by or at risk of serious youth violence, and partnership with schools to reduce the number of exclusions.
The money the charity receives from the appeal will go directly to its community organising work, which builds on CHIPS’ six years’ experience working in Brixton. The charity will engage and listen to young people and families in three of the area’s largest estates to understand their frustrations and concerns, and then partner with them and other local organisations to help them drive practical change in their communities.
Donations must be made online at chipspeace.org/biggive between midday Tuesday 3 December and midday Tuesday 10 December in order to qualify for match funding.
Richard Asomaning, lead youth and community organiser at CHIPS, said: “Too many young lives have been lost to violence again this year, but we believe that by listening to young people and empowering them to take action, we can help them to become positive changemakers in their communities.”
“Raising our £18,500 target this Christmas would make a big difference to us, helping to fund more grassroots youth workers and to develop more young community leaders for the future.”
Andrew Jackson, co-director for development at CHIPS, said: “At CHIPS, we rely on the generosity of the public to help us deliver our Brixton peacemaking work and The Big Give is an incredibly effective way to give to us this Christmas. From midday Tuesday 3 December until midday Tuesday 10 December, every donation to CHIPS will be doubled while matched funds last thanks to our partners, The Childhood Trust and The AS Charitable Trust.”
