The importance of giving at Christmas

Christmastime is one of the best times of the year to support your favourite charities like the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation.

Support the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation at Christmas

The importance of the holiday season to small charities

Christmastime and the holiday season are when we like to give a little extra to our families and friends and the causes we care about.

Small charities like ours rely on the generosity of our supporters to keep our education and outreach programmes and projects going.

At the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation, we are passionate about sharing the stories of the 1.7 million men and women in Commonwealth War Graves’ care. Hopefully, you are too!

Each one of those was a person with their own story to tell: a son or daughter, a wife or husband, a mother or a father. With your help, we can ensure they are never forgotten.

So, why give to our charity this Christmas? Here are some ideas to help you decide.

Your donations have an impact

With your generosity, we are able to carry out our core mission: sharing the stories of the Commonwealth’s war dead to make sure they are never forgotten.

We’re also able to inform the public about the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and why it’s important to remember so many who gave their futures for our today.

With your generosity, we can develop and implement a range of outreach, education, and conservation projects, both large and small.

Take a look at some of our most effective, impactful projects and programmes to see what your support does for the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation:

• Guides – One of our most popular projects, the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation Guides programme gives young people a chance to work with us at some of our most iconic Western Front sites. Our Guides become our point of contact on the ground, interacting with visitors, sharing the stories of those in our care, and learning real-life skills for personal development
• Speakers Programme – We have over 300 volunteer speakers delivering talks all through the year to organisations of all shapes and sizes. From businesses to universities, schools, and much more, our Volunteer Speakers go out and spread the word on who we are, what we do, and most importantly, the people whose final resting places we care for.
• Capturing veteran testimonials – We have recently completed several important projects in Kenya and Tanzania, collecting testimonies from Second World War veterans, preserving their stories and experiences for generations to come so they are never forgotten.

With your support, we can continue our existing programmes while exploring new initiatives for the future.

Giving feels good

There’s an old saying that it is better to give than to receive. Giving simply feels good!
Knowing that your donation, membership, or legacy is going towards a good cause is one of the best feelings of all.

A timely Christmas gift can help us pay for:

• A new group of passionate, motivated Guides to work with us on the Western Front, or could help pay for
• Health & safety equipment and training for Eyes on, Hands On project volunteers
• Develop new education technology-led projects in South Africa and beyond
• Train Volunteer Student Guides to get experience working with us at UK sites to enhance their practical skills and real-world knowledge while they study
• Much more

Your contribution will have a real impact on the work of Commonwealth War Graves, but giving also has some hidden health benefits too.

Studies have shown that when you give, you feel good. The act of giving, and knowing your generosity, has many psychological and even physical benefits!

When you give to a cause you care about, you increase your sense of community, your sense of belonging, and your psychological benefits. But medical studies suggest those who regularly support their favourite charities enjoy some health benefits too, such as lower blood pressure.

Giving preserves their memories

Ultimately, donating to the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation, becoming a member, or supporting us in other ways all go towards our ultimate goal: preserving the memories and stories of those commemorated by Commonwealth War Graves.

In doing so, we ensure the experiences, hardships and sacrifices of more than a million people worldwide are never forgotten.

The World Wars shaped the modern world, and those who gave their lives in these earthshattering conflicts helped secure the freedoms and liberties we enjoy today.
 
With your ongoing generosity, we can ensure their experiences and stories are kept alive for generations to come.

Support us while you shop

Did you know you can support us while doing all your Christmas shopping without any additional cost to you?

With our partners easyfundraising, you can shop at over 8,000 leading retailers, who will donate on our behalf - all without spending any extra pennies!

Whether you're picking up pressies at John Lewis, searching for last-minute deals and gifts on eBay, or getting in the Christmas shop at Marks & Spencer, you can help raise funds for the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation.

Visit easyfundraising to get started.

Alternatively, why not check out our range of gifts and merchandise in our online shop? You're sure to find the perfect stocking filler for the history enthusiasts in your life, and all proceeds go towards supporting our projects and programmes around the world.

This Christmas, help us keep telling the stories of the Commonwealth’s war dead

Keeping the memories of our war dead alive and spreading our shared is history is at the core of what we do at the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation.

Why not become a CWGF member? For just £36 a year, you can help us tell their stories while enjoying some big benefits:

• Access to CWG Chats: a series of special online talks about the work of the Commission, as told by CWGC staff, as well as specialist subjects from renowned historians
  Priority access to our brilliant events
• A regular newsletter keeping you up to date with all the latest CWGF news
• A yearly impact report detailing our projects so you can really measure the effects your donations and support have on our work
• Your subscription to the Foundation Magazine detailing events, more Foundation insights, and interesting snippets of World War history
• A free CWGF calendar

Thank you from everyone here at the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation.