The Quiet Struggle
Small charities are finding funding harder than ever
Small charities form the backbone of community support across the UK. Making up the vast majority of the sector they run local food banks, youth clubs, advice services, and mutual-aid groups that larger organisations often cannot reach. Yet many are fighting for survival. Fundraising - the lifeblood that keeps their doors open - has become increasingly difficult.
We need this beautiful melanistic pregnant female to be able to sleep peacefully on her favourite rock now and in the future
Donations make a big difference to SRT
Seal Research Trust (SRT) is different from many charities in that we operate with zero property overheads and have a lean, flat, agile structure with all Officers, Trustees, and our Director working voluntarily. This means that we max the amount from every pound for seals and conservation projects. This doesn’t however mean that finding the money to run the charity is easy. We rely on donations, legacies, online shop sales, our Wild Seal Supporter and Adoption Scheme, and our amazing corporate partners for our income.
Seals just do their own thing, oblivious to the fact that their future rests in our hands
Seals need SRT to be resilient
As we all know, we don’t live in easy times. We have all seen pressures on all our finances with rising fuel costs, food prices, and just about everything else! This squeeze on finances has had a huge impact on the charity sector. Recent figures show millions fewer people donating than a decade ago, with total donations falling and average gifts shrinking. What was once a cultural habit has understandably become a considered decision for many. We totally understand this, yet seals need us to be resilient and here, representing them for the long term. Small charities like us at the Seal Research Trust that rely heavily on local donations and community fundraising, feel this shift most acutely.
Adult female ‘Tap’ blissfully sleeping whilst we are busy protecting her future
Can you help us?
At SRT we are currently looking at ways to boost our income and are looking for fundraising ideas. We have recently launched our Legacy Pack to help people who love seals and may consider leaving a sum to the Seal Research Trust in their Will. We have also put together a new Corporate Partnership pack for businesses who would like to partner with us; the pack outlines the benefits that working with the Seal Research Trust can deliver. Please email our Secretary to find out more.
Whether it’s working a stand at an event, doing a sponsored activity, holding a local raffle, putting a Donation QR code in your place of work, or joining our Wild Seal Supporter and Adoption Scheme (from as little as £3.50 a month or £35 a year), we’d love to hear from you! We believe passionately about what we do for seals, so we need regular year in, year out, income in to be able do this.
Please consider supporting us https://www.sealresearchtrust.co.uk/collections/all-items/products/adoption-wws-1-year and get an exclusive quarterly update about SRT and your adopted seal.
