This page provides advice and guidance on many of the ways you can support Communication Matters with fundraising activities. Your support helps us to meet our aims of increasing awareness about Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), improving service standards, encouraging research and empowering AAC users.
The difference you make
Thanks to donations and fundraising activity by our members and supporters, Communication Matters has been able to support the AAC community in many different ways, including;
- 93 subsidised places at the Communication Matters International Annual AAC Conference
- 27 free concession memberships for AAC users and their families
- Funding Makaton training for SEND hoiday camps in the North East of England
- Building our Research Matters community of researchers, AAC users, families and professionals.
Talk about amazing fundraisers
It takes a determined spirit to meet the challenge of getting the most out of AAC systems. Here are a few stories of our top fundraisers. Perhaps they’ll inspire you too.
Summer of Madness
Dr Annalu Waller, known for her research and professionalism, brought an incredible energy to her 60th year and her Summer of Madness Challenge. She took a look at her bucket list dreams of sky diving and crewing a tall ship – and did BOTH.
Annalu raised more than £6,800 for Communication Matters, The Brae Riding for the Disabled and Capability Scotland. You can see her sky diving video here and her crewing video here.
500 miles without a voice
Jamie Preece is an astonishing supporter of Communication Matters. He took to his mobility scooter in 2020 and 2021 to travel 1,000 miles and raise more than £2,500.
He’s spent plenty of time on the road, crossing fields and finding pathways across Yorkshire, logging his travels on Strava and even clocking up miles in Tenerife.
In memory of David Sigall
Karen Sigall explains, “David Sigall spent his whole career around the human voice. As an artist manager for classical musicians – and supporter of many arts organisations — he helped singers and orchestras to share their music around the world.
“Following his diagnosis with a rare neurological condition in 2017, David gradually lost his speech and the ability to move his limbs. David discovered many other ways of communicating deeply – initially through word boards, spelling charts, symbols and pictures – and later through eye gaze, sounds, rhythm, eyebrow movements, coughing, gestures, touch and more. “
His wife, Karen Sigall, asked those who knew David to consider supporting Communication Matters. We are very grateful to have been a part of David’s communication experience and thank Karen for raising more than £3,800 for raising understanding of speech loss and AAC.
Ideas & inspiration
AAC Awareness Coffee Mornings
Bake sales and coffee mornings are ideal for raising awareness of Communication Matters at hospitals, schools and community centres. We recommend displaying our Focus On leaflets (currently being updated) to prompt discussion and share an understanding of communicating with AAC users.
The donations you raise will be greatly appreciated for the awareness, workshop, membership and lobbying activities organised by Communication Matters.
Focus On leaflets
Our “Focus On…” series of eight leaflets cover topics related to AAC and are written in a clear style. These are currently under review and will be published here as soon as they become available.
Cupcake Toppers
Add our Communication Matters toppers to your coffee morning cupcakes. We even add a cupcake recipe and flyer.
You can order a fundraising pack for just £1 – it contains a flyer, cupcake recipe and 24 CM cupcake toppers. Contact our office to order your pack.
CM Merchandise
We have lots of CM goodies for gifting and selling at your fundraising event.
- Ceramic badges – £2 each
- Pens – £1 each
All profits are 100% donated to Communication Matters.
Please contact our office to purchase merchandise. We can also loan you a CM collection box by post. Please let us know if you would like to borrow one.
Give As You Live
Next time you think of shopping online with Marks & Spencers, John Lewis, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and many other retailers – sign in to your Give As You Live account first.
- Choose a charity and tell us a few details about yourself. You can start to raise money for charity immediately.
- Start your shop from Give as you Live Online by finding the store you’d like to shop with on the website, app or Donation Reminder.
- Once you’ve clicked through, just shop as normal. Everything will look the same, but as long as you’ve visited the store from us, they’ll know you’re a Give as you Live Online shopper.
- Give As You Live will automatically add a donation to your account (at no extra cost to you) and pay your chosen charity.
Livestream Gaming and More
Love gaming? Have a challenge that you would like to share?
Consider livestreaming your activity or challenge and inviting donations or sponsorship online.
- Create a Just Giving account
- Link your Twitch, YouTube or Mixer account to JustGiving – click for instructions.
- Promote your event online via your social profiles and real life connections.
- Start your livestream and prompt your watchers to support with online donations.
Strava
Perhaps fitness challenges are more your style. From parkruns and marathons to cycling, golf and paddle boarding – collecting sponsorship has never been easier.
And of course, if it’s not on Strava, did it even happen?
- Create a Just Giving account
- Link your Strava account to JustGiving – click for instructions.
- Promote your event online via your Strava activity, social profiles and real life connections.
- Start your challenge and encourage supporters to exchange kudos for donations.