Open Collective
Open Collective
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Year Two Update 🎉
Published on December 17, 2024 by Robert

We're at the end of the second calendar year of Downham Solidarity Fund. We started early 2023 in response to the ongoing cost of living crisis, which people in our community are still struggling to face. 

📈 In 2024 Jan-Dec, we have distributed an amazing £1,452.11! Possible only through donations made in solidarity from the Downham Market community. We currently have six people who have set up monthly regular contributions, and many others have made one-off contributions during the year. Thank you to you all! 💚 

Since November, we took the decision to reduce the grant available per person to £40 (from £50). This was a difficult decision between helping people more, or helping more people. At the time, just over half of grants we distributed were below £40 (averaging £36) so we felt this was a positive change to allow limited funds to go further. 

🌲 In December we ran a crowdfunding appeal aiming to match the donations we received in December 2023. Not only did we match the £208 raised last December, we smashed the target and raised an impressive £298! This allowed us to help a record number of 8 people in December, three more people than the previous biggest month. This also pushed us past another significant milestone, we've distributed over £2,000 since starting out! 

🗺 For the first time, we have analysed where the DSF support goes within Downham Market. Breaking the town into the four 'council wards' by postcode, we see 44% of grants have gone to 'East Downham' ward; 37% to 'Old Town'; just 19% to 'North Downham', and none to 'South Downham'. It seems noteworthy that 81% of grants have gone to just two wards. This is something we'll think more about in the coming year. 

🗓️ We continue to post monthly fund updates on Facebook and Twitter with how many people the fund has supported that month and how much has been donated, holding ourselves accountable so the community knows the impact their solidarity is having. This year we're also trying out using Instagram and BlueSky to try and spread the word further. 

🗣 If you want to help us spread the word you can share our posts on social media. As always, you can request a grant or donate to the fund using these links. 

Write to us on [email protected] if you have any questions, feedback or ideas. 

In Solidarity, 
Downham Solidarity Fund