The Do It for Dorset Campaign, a joint initiative between Daily Echo and the Dorset Community Foundation has helped local charities sports and community groups raise over £16,000 in less than seven weeks.

Dorset Community Foundation – a registered charity dedicated to promoting charitable giving and grant making for charities and community groups across the county has been helping local groups with their online fundraising.

All the groups that have joined the initiative have signed up to Localgiving.com are currently benefitting from their donations being matched through the Grow Your Tenner Campaign where every £10 becomes £22.50!

Andrew Tibbles from Fern-down Sports FC, one of the groups that have joined the initiative explained: “We use our page on Localgiving.com a lot to receive donations from players, sponsors and friends.

“Everyone at the club has promoted the Grow Your Tenn-er campaign and we’ve had quite a few donations”.

Ferndown Sports Club is just one of the more than 60 charities signed up to the scheme.

Tracy Melling is the dedicated Localgiving.com appeal manager that has been working with local groups explained the success of the campaign.

She said: “A lot of small charities, sports clubs and community groups are struggling to survive – they are mostly volunteer led, have no appointed fundraisers and need help.

“Localgiving.com and the Do It for Dorset Campaign is designed to help those groups group raise awareness, support and donations.”

If you are a charity, sports club, village hall or a community group and would like to join the campaign, please contact Tracy Melling on 01202 315952.