Introduction

I have had a long-term interest in child fundraisers. I am not talking about children who become the object of a fundraising campaign, often due to health or medical reasons, or sponsorship of children from afar. Both are worthy topics of our attention. Nonetheless, the focus I wish to settle on here, building on the previous chapter in which I critique the problem of elevating giving of money as the only tool in children's philanthropic toolbox, is children who seek to raise funds independently, though almost always facilitated by family, friends or organisations, such as schools or charities.

To date, this topic has been, almost bizarrely, overlooked by scholars, practitioners and policy makers. A widespread literature search on the topic reveals a significant gap in the literature and understanding. A limited amount of literature discusses how to encourage children to be givers in the fundraising world, but there is almost nothing on the child ‘doers’. Nonetheless, children play a vital role in leading fundraising campaigns for causes they are passionate about. This is widely celebrated by schools, families and the media.

For instance, in response to the Ukraine crisis, Save the Children highlighted the remarkable surge in contributions from children following the onset of the conflict (Hill, 2022), with each young fundraiser generating an average of £1,400, tripling the previous benchmark of £400. Mapping out these examples in an article in The Guardian newspaper, the creativity of child-led fundraising activities is clear (Hill, 2022). Evie and Rowan Lewis, aged 13 and 11, from Ilminster in Somerset raised £2,568 for Save the Children's Ukraine campaign by shaving their heads. Ella and Leo Ketley, aged nine and five, walked 43 miles, the same length of journey undertaken by many Ukrainian families seeking refuge in Poland, raising £1,859. Similarly, eight-year-old Zachary Clare did a 10-mile walk for the charity, raising a further £500. And seven-year-old Veda Plotkin and her three-year-old sibling sold hot chocolate and homemade cookies to passers-by from their doorstep in Haringey, North London, raising £256.

Collectively, these narratives converge to really show the power children can have when harnessed with purpose and directed towards action.