Member Article

Everton in the Community unveils regular-giving campaign with new-look website

Everton in the Community – the official charity of Everton Football Club – has unveiled a brand new regular-giving campaign that gives people the chance to choose how their generous donations are spent, as part of a new-look website.

‘Together We Can’ offers kind-hearted supporters of the charity an opportunity to specify which area they would like to donate to, including projects that encompass mental health services and youth engagement outreach programmes.

One of the six areas people can donate to through the new campaign is the charity’s Blue Family initiative, a coordinated outreach and engagement programme which was set up to provide tailored support to some of the most vulnerable, socially isolated and at-risk members of the community during the coronavirus pandemic.

The other options are Young People; Disability; Mental Health; and Neighbourhood, while there is also a ‘General’ option by which visitors can donate to all areas of Everton in the Community.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the charity has worked to diversify its fundraising activities to create alternative channels of support for donors during lockdown, with the new website being one of the new methods to engage and update fans, supporters and funders.

The site, which has been created by sports tech company Urban Zoo, also gives visitors the chance to explore more than 40 social programmes currently being delivered by the charity, tackling issues prevalent across Merseyside such as mental health, education, homelessness, unemployment, poverty and disability.

Built using Urban Zoo’s Gamechanger platform, the site is fully compatible across smartphones, desktops and tablets, providing a suite of tools that allows for the creation of vibrant and diverse content. The new platform will make it simpler for would-be corporate partners to find out more about getting involved with the charity and deliver an enhanced user experience with videos and picture galleries helping to bring its work and its programmes to life.

Lesley Beattie, Director of Development at Everton in the Community, said: “We know that due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, public support services have become increasingly strained with unemployment and figures of those in poverty rising.

“It is now more important than ever that our donors know exactly where their money is going, and how they are helping us to support the health and wellbeing of the local community and that is why our new website will be a crucial tool in supporting our work and helping to drive donations to the charity.”

“Thanks to Urban Zoo’s generous corporate contribution and their impressive website design, we can engage with bigger online audiences to inform about the work we do, at the same time simplifying the process for people to donate, access our support programmes and learn more about volunteering and fundraising opportunities.”

As part of Urban Zoo’s work on the new site, the company has provided £20,000 worth of web and app development at no cost as a contribution and support for the charity, as well as two months of bespoke development time.

Chris Grannell, CEO of Urban Zoo, said: “When we had the opportunity to work with Everton in the Community and help to build their new website it was a no brainer for us to support the organisation.

“Our long-standing partnership with the club means we understand what great work they do off the pitch and for communities not just in the Liverpool City Region but all over the world. We wanted to use our expertise and understanding to help deliver on the great ideas the Everton in the Community team had so we could enhance their opportunities to support and help even more great causes.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sarah Jones .