We did it! Crowdfunder campaign hits £10k target
ON #ComingOutDay - 11th October - we asked you to #ComeOutForOpenTable by sharing and supporting our crowdfunder - and you did!
We needed your support for this six-week campaign because we’ve seen phenomenal growth, from six people at our first gathering in 2008 to 21 communities across England and Wales supporting hundreds of people today, and more to come.
PLUS We've worked harder than ever during lockdown!
OTN Trustee Augustine Tanner-Ihm thanks our crowdfunder supporters for making a difference for LGBTQIA+ Christians
We became a registered charity.
We supported more lonely, hurting LGBTQIA+ people than ever.
We heard from more churches wanting to join our Network than ever.
We researched our impact on our members’ mental well-being.
BUT we were running out of money.
We grew so much at the height of the pandemic that we’re now over-run with requests, questions and cries for help. And we try very, very hard never to turn anyone away. But we’re a brand new charity. That means that many big funders won’t fund us to a large extent straight away.
We set a target of £10,000 to keep us going for the next four months while we work hard on more funding bids to secure support for our communities for the long-term.
Campaign total
When the crowdfunder closed at midday on Monday 22nd November, thanks to 101 generous pledges we raised £9186 plus £555 of donations in cash or by PayPal, and an estimated £1351.50 in Gift Aid, a total of £11092.50!
PLUS eight generous donors committed to giving a regular monthly amount to show ongoing support.
PLUS we've applied for up to £10k of match funding from the National Emergencies Trust Local Action Fund, and are awaiting their decision.
Our crowdfunding page will remain live to receive any further donations, and for anyone who would like to create a fundraiser for the Open Table Network: crowdfunder.co.uk/open-table-means-everything-to-me