Charities use social media to plug donations gap

Julia's House Children's Hospice uses videos of clients receiving care to help boost fundraising

Charities say they are increasingly using social media video campaigns to plug the gap caused by a drop in donations from the public.

They say using pictures and videos of clients has the most impact on their fundraising.

Rose Road Association in Southampton and Julia's House, which has children's hospices in Dorset and Wiltshire, both use videos across their digital platforms.

Charities Aid Foundation's UK Giving 2025 Report reveals that charities are now relying on donations from 50% of people, down from 58% in 2019 — equivalent to about four million fewer donors.

Mike Bartlett, deputy chief executive of Julia's House says it is constantly working on its social media presence: "A lot of the best work that we produce on social media is really storytelling. It's helping to demonstrate the impact of our work.

"So children's stories, children playing at the hospice, children having fun with our nurses and carers - that's what's most impactful, either to reach new people or to tell people about the work we're doing.

"Social media is quite a cost effective way to reach new audiences, and also to communicate with existing supporters".

He says it is important that its social media videos focus on the children at the hospice and the care they are receiving.

"In a way, people aren't supporting Julia's House as an organisation, they're supporting the children and the families we care for," he explains.

The Rose Road Association in Southampton says social media posts are very important to it

Rose Road Association works specifically with young people with disabilities.

Fundraising manager Beth Rogers says social media posts are very important.

"It's essential, because every piece of fundraising we do, we're competing against other causes," she explains.

"So the more touchpoints we have with someone, the more likely they are to say 'that cause, that's the one for me'.

"So yes, we have to keep doing it, we have to be fast and we have to do it regularly, otherwise we will just get left behind in the current market.

"We have to work a lot harder to attract each new person to us as a cause. It's not all doom and gloom in the sector but it is harder than it's ever been - the cost of living, it's really difficult."