How shopping is helping one local cancer charity

A ‘QUIET’ way of fundraising is being used by a local charity which supports hundreds of people going through cancer.

Wigtownshire Wellbeing and Cancer (WWAC) was set up in 2018 by a group of women who all had their own experiences with cancer.

It started as a way of supporting rural and remote communities locally, where access to support services can be notoriously challenging.

And it proved to be in huge demand.

Co-founder Nicola Kelly said: “After going through a cancer journey ourselves, we realised how little local support there was for people and their families in Wigtownshire.”

Co-founder Sheila Jackson added: “We knew how overwhelming and lonely that journey can be, and we wanted to create something locally that would offer understanding, compassion and support when people need it most.”

Initially, WWAC was a volunteer-led organisation, but as it has grown they have secured funding to employ sessional therapists, an administrator and a volunteer coordinator.

But keeping going relies on funding from many sources, such as grants, donations, community fundraising and hosting events.

However, Nicola and Sheila have noticed that with the cost of living forcing everyone to cut back, fundraising has become increasingly challenging.

“People still want to support us,” said Nicola. “But household budgets are tighter, and that affects our donations and event fundraising.”

“Like many small charities, there have been challenging times where sustainability was a concern. Demand for our services has grown steadily and that puts pressure on funding.”

So, they have started using easyfundraising’s online shopping service as a fundraising alternative.

Supporters sign up to the website or app and choose WWAC as their cause. Then the retailers they shop with via the website or app will automatically donate a percentage of their purchase to WWAC without adding any extra expense to the shopper’s bill.

In just over four months, WWAC have managed to raise £250 this way. That money has been used towards therapy sessions, wellbeing activities, and general running costs.

Nicola added: “It’s reassuring to know that money is being raised quietly in the background while supporters go about their normal shopping.”

Their goal is to keep growing as the demand for their services grow, and she urged more people locally to sign up for easyfundraising to help them achieve that.