How to Find Local Charities Near You
While it feels great to support a charity in any way, there is something special about making a difference through local charities in your own community. Helping a local charity can mean going beyond a one-time donation and getting to know your community on a deeper level. You might also gain a better understanding of the organisation and its mission.
Finding charities near you
There are a number of easy and quick ways to find charities near you supporting a wealth of different things, from homelessness to animal help. And, if you want to start raising money for a charity near you, we’ve got a blog with tips on how to do so here.
Search the charity register
The UK Government’s charity register is an easy way to find charities registered near you. You can search by charity name, number or date of registration – but also where the charity operates. It’s easy to search for charities here on the register by constituency.
Use GoFundMe’s charity finder
Using GoFundMe’s charity finder can also help to inspire you on local charities in your area. If you know of a charity in your area, you can search for it on the site to see what fundraisers are running. But also, if you search by location, you can find any charities that have that location in their name.
Contact charities directly
If you’re inspired by the work of a larger charity, it’s also an option to contact them and ask how they operate in that area. Most larger charities will have an email address on site – or a contact form – so why not drop them a message to ask if they have any location-specific operations in your area?
Our local charities list makes helping easy
If you’d like to get involved with local charities, you might be wondering, “What is the best way to find charities near me?”
This charity directory will help you find some of the most prominent charities operating in different areas across the UK. And if you want to see an even more comprehensive charity list, we have one here.
1. Shelter
Shelter is a housing charity operating across the UK. They help to support people who are struggling with housing issues and can provide advice on things like renters rights. They offer one to one personalised advice on housing and homelessness issues, can offer legal advice and attend court and have a free emergency helpline. They also campaign for housing justice.
2. Milestones
Milestones supports adults with learning disabilities or mental health needs. They focus on helping people who need support with their mental health to develop skills and coping strategies to lead a stable life, along with services that support those with learning disabilities including advocacy or helping to find appropriate accommodation.
3. Midlands Air Ambulance Charity
The Midlands Air Ambulance Charity operates three air ambulances – providing a lifesaving service to those who are ever in a position to need it. It costs £288 on average for each trip to critical care and millions of pounds a year to maintain them.
4. East Anglia Children’s Hospices
East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices – or EACH – support families who have children suffering from life threatening or life altering conditions across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. They offer services for children like sensory rooms, specialist play, art therapy and hydrotherapy and put the family first.
5. Cornwall Hospice Care
Cornwall Hospice Care operates two hospices: Mount Edgcumbe Hospice in St Austell and St Julia’s Hospice in Hayle. They provide their care free of charge to people who need it and also have services such as occupational therapy.
6. Yorkshire Cancer Research
This charity is based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire and helps to fund research into cancer – for people in Yorkshire and beyond. Late diagnosis of cancer in particularparticularly is a problem in the county, so they help to fund early screening services like urine tests, kidney screenings and lung checks. They also fund research into treatment options and new cancer services.
7. Stepping Stone
Stepping Stone supports care leavers in the North West of England. They aim to make the transition into independent living as easy as possible and offer short term accommodation for those who need it, along with support and advice based on each individual person’s needs.
8. St Joseph’s Hospice
St Joseph’s Hospice is based in east London, and aims to provide palliative care to those in the community who need it. They aim to provide support in a physical, mental, spiritual or social way. They’ve got a 24/7 advice and support line, day services and counselling available to those who may be entering the palliative care system. Their core boroughs are City, Tower Hamlets and Hackney but they can also provide services to people in Islington, Haringey and Enfield.
9. Perthyn
Perthyn provides care to people with learning disabilities across both Wales and England – including Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Swansea, Shropshire, Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire. They help people to live fulfilling and active lives, empowering people to minimise the effect their disability has. They’ve been established since 1995.
10. National Animal Welfare Trust
The National Animal Welfare Trust helps to rescue animals and find them new, loving homes across the south of England, with five rehoming centres and charity shops in Cornwall, Essex, Hertfordshire, Berkshire and Bedfordshire. They also offer support and advice to pet owners and services like paddock hire – fully enclosed areas where dogs can go to exercise.
Do more to help a charity
Besides donating to a nonprofit’s website or volunteering locally, why not spearhead your own fundraising efforts and make a difference in a unique way? Here are just a few people who took action and helped charities in their own communities:
In Memory of Fire Dog Kai
Mat Dixon decided to start a GoFundMe for the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals in honour of his dog, Kai. Kai was a Fire Investigation Search Dog and was ‘always’ by Mat’s side, at work and at home. Kai suddenly lost his sight however, and was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Mat and Kai lived life to the full until Kai passed away. The National Foundation for Retired Service Animals helps to support retired police, prison service and border force dogs and horses as they get older and need more treatment from vets etc. Mat has raised more than £1,600 in Kai’s honour.
The Speedomick Foundation
Speedo Mick has donned his speedos and traversed the UK to raise money for charity – and he has his own foundation. He’s currently on his final trip, trekking from John O’Groates to Lands End – which is a thousand miles in total. Overall, he’s raised nearly £1,000,000 for charity and it’s his aim to hit that target with his final push.
Running Manchester Marathon for Clatterbridge
Josh decided to raise money for The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity, after his dad Jonathan lost his battle with leukaemia.
The charity is dedicated to research and helping patients at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool, where Jonathan had his treatment. Josh wrote on his fundraiser: “I hope that this fundraiser will help Clatterbridge in giving other families the chance to see their loved ones fight and overcome Cancer as well as say Thank You for the care they have provided.” They’ve raised more than £8,700 so far.
Make a difference in your community right now
There’s a reason why GoFundMe is one of the top charity fundraising sites around. We offer a fundraising model that allows you to keep more of your funds, and plenty of charity fundraising tips on our blog, not to mention 24/7 customer support from real people. When you’re ready, sign up to create your charity fundraiser on GoFundMe and begin making an even bigger difference in your community.