Thank you for wanting to raise funds to help and support people in your communities, we’re all grateful for your support! The YOU Trust works with incredible people who have differing issues and vulnerabilities and together we can make a difference to them.
The money you raise, or donate, will help our work with adults and children, and enable them to live the life they want, filling the gaps where contractual funding doesn’t reach. For those fleeing domestic abuse, or young people and others in our community, every penny will have a lasting, positive impact.
In this fundraising guide, you’ll learn all you need to know about our charity and what you can do to help support our work.
Who we are in a nutshell
People might ask you who The YOU Trust is. Here’s a helpful summary:
The YOU Trust is a charity that supports vulnerable people across the South. We help people in our communities who need care, support, and advice. This may be due to poverty, homelessness, disability, age, ill health, or abuse. We’ve been helping people since 1985, so we have knowledge and experience in many areas that can positively affect people’s lives. Our teams understand what matters in our communities and have the skills and expertise to respond in the right way, at the right time.
Our charity helps many different people, so we have different services. These are:
Care and support
We help people live the lives they want by assisting them with everyday things. Like cooking, cleaning, finding work, learning to live alone, etc.
Domestic abuse
Paragon is our domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking teams. We work with both adults and children, victims of violence and abuse and have specialist programmes for people using abusive behaviours.
Counselling
We have four counselling teams. Three specialise in specific life experiences: sexual assault, domestic abuse and substance misuse. We also have a team in Portsmouth offering generic counselling.
Young Lives
We help young people gain the skills needed to live independently by developing confidence, self-respect, and ambition.
Community
This is our community wellbeing team. Offering advice, help and support to people in a variety of circumstances. This may be getting involved in their communities, back to work and where needed, link with other support services.
Where we work
Getting started
Here are some helpful ideas you may want to include when you start your fundraising journey:
3. Explain what your challenge/fundraising event is and what people’s support will mean to you.
4. Remember to donate something to your own challenge. It shows you mean business.
5. Thank donors with a personal thank you note, written when you set up your online fundraising page.
6. Share your target and keep people updated as this motivates donations.
7. Ask friends/family to share your page on social media or over email.
Ways to donate
Fundraising online
TotalGiving™ is an entirely free platform to raise money. You can sign up for free and then select The YOU Trust as your charity. It’s a simple way to raise money as people can donate via PayPal or debit/credit card.
Sponsorship opportunities
If you prefer not to use TotalGiving™, you can use our downloadable Sponsorship Form. Please return this with your donation so we can claim Gift Aid. Please also include a letter if you have any specific service you wish to support. You are welcome to also include a message if you’d like us to share your hard work on our social media.
Gift aid
When you raise money for a charity, if you are living in the UK and pay tax, you can use Gift Aid. This is paid by the government. Adding ‘gift aid’ increases donations with a 25% contribution from the government. Download the Gift Aid form.
All donations automatically transfer to our TotalGiving™ account. This means you don’t have to worry about technical or financial matters. Simply visit www.totalgiving.co.uk to register. You’ll also get a unique QR code when you create your page. Just put ‘/qrcode’ at the end of your fundraiser url. You can then use the QR code in posters, flyers, or even on clothing!
Fundraising inspiration
Here are some fundraising ideas:
- Raffle or coffee morning
- Celebrate an occasion by giving (donations instead of gifts for a birthday/wedding etc)
- Bake sale
- Sponsored carwash
- Sponsored silence
- Abseiling
- Bowling event
Where your support will go
We work within our communities to help in a number of ways. Here are a few examples of how your contribution might be used include:
£20 can buy
• Essential toiletries pack
• Healthy living recipes, food and cooking sessions
• Paint and paper for craft activities
• Bedding and towel bundle
£50 can buy
• Activities for parents/carers to take children out during school holidays
• Resources to support children harmed by violence and abuse
• Vouchers for food
• Clothing for those who have had to leave theirs behind
£500 can contribute towards
• Maintaining a trike (electric bike) in our Cycling Without Age service
• Packs for those leaving refuge
• Family away days for those in refuge / outreach support
£1,000 can contribute towards
• Play equipment for children at a refuge
• 20 counselling sessions
• Festive gifts
• Life skill activities
• The purchase of safe accommodation
YOU will be supporting vulnerable people who live in our community.
Other ways to support 
Corporate partnerships
We are looking for organisations to partner with who align with our values and wish to support a charity and their local community. Together we can make a difference. We’ll work with you to promote your support via our own social media. For further information visit our website theyoutrust.org.uk/ fundraising
Legacies
If you wish to leave a gift in your Will, this will help support the most vulnerable members of your community in the future. We believe that everyone has the right to be safe, happy and live the lives they want and your gift will leave a lasting impact!
Thank you for considering leaving us a gift in your Will. Contact us by emailing: fundraising@theyoutrust.org.uk
My name is Eliza and I am a young person living in supported living, with the care of my keyworkers.
I’m proud to call myself a feminist activist and I am proud to live in a home in which I feel supported as a young, independent woman.
I was 23 when I lived at a refuge after fleeing parental abuse. Growing up, the abuse at home was really bad from my stepdad. One day I came across a mental health support centre. I went in and asked for help. This moment changed my life. I’m now ready to move on with my life and be more independent.
*Real name not used
When I first reached out to the Into Work team, I was pleased with how quickly they responded to my enquiry.
I enjoy my new job, it gets me out and keeps me busy. Ground Control are a really good employer.
Spread your fundraising story
Share your success with a # and @
Social media is an inexpensive and effective way to share what you are doing. It’s also an excellent way to bring your challenge to the attention of those who may be able to help!
Share your fundraiser across social media, and if you let us know, we’ll be sure to share on our channels, too.
Remember to include us!
- Main Facebook- @theyoutrustuk
- Domestic abuse service on Facebook (PARAGON) – @YouParagon
- Instagram- @theyoutrust
- X- theyoutrust
- Threads- @theyoutrust
Tag us using #Fundraising4YOU
Boring, but important!
Make sure you use The YOU Trust logo so that you do not confuse anyone. You’ll also need to refer to your fundraising challenge as:
‘in aid of The YOU Trust’.
Also note:
- If you intend to collect money, you will need to get the permission of the landowner if it’s private property.
- Please note, you will need a licence from your local authority to collect donations on the street or any other public property.
- If you are under 16, you will need consent from a parent or guardian to fundraise in aid of The YOU Trust.
- If children are at your event, make sure they have permission to take part and are supervised by an adult. Be extra careful when taking photos of minors, and never use them without written permission.
15% of all donations will contribute to administration costs.
Health and safety
Keep your personal safety in mind while planning your event and on the day. We recommend you do your own risk assessment as The YOU Trust can’t take responsibility for your activity.
If you are serving food at your event, everyone involved will need a basic understanding of food hygiene.
Payment methods
Total Giving
totalgiving.co.uk/charity/the-you-trust
BACS
Bank Transfer (BACS)
Bank: Lloyds Bank
Account Name: – The You Trust Sort Code: – 30-13-95
Account No: – 00245862 Reference: DONATIONS
Cheques
Made payable to The YOU Trust
Delme 1, Delme Place, Cams Hall Estate, Fareham, Hants
PO16 8UX
