In the week prior to the launch of Smile! The National fundraising week created by the Bacta Charitable Trust to help its chosen charities, Coinslot spoke with Oa Hackett, Founder of Little Lifts, and Amy Chambers, Chief of Staff and Director of Fundraising and Communications at Rays of Sunshine, to learn more about the challenges faced by smaller charities, what the support of Bacta means to them and what they are looking forward to at the 2025 edition of the Park Avenue Open Day.

Coinslot: As a smaller charity how difficult is it to build profile and generate revenues in what are difficult economic circumstances for many households?

Little Lifts: Little Lifts is a small charity consisting of eight staff members and supported by 75 volunteers. Raising awareness of our work can be difficult due to our small resources and lack of marketing budgets, for example. Little Lifts offers a more personal, collaborative, and creative approach to fundraising and awareness-raising, which is a significant strength, especially in an environment where people are seeking authenticity and impact. While the challenges are real, our success so far is because we are highly focused, community-driven, and transparent.

Rays of Sunshinee: Like all charities, we’ve been impacted by the economic uncertainty of the last few years. Rays of Sunshine feels the effect of financial hardships twice over; not only is it harder to fundraise when household incomes fall, but it is also more expensive to provide our services to the young people who need us. We have been so grateful to our longstanding supporters like Bacta and its members for their continued support during tough times.

 Coinslot: How did you first connect with Bacta?

Little Lifts: Zoe Hill was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 at the age of 34. She received her Little Lifts Box during her chemotherapy treatment at Ipswich Hospital, and since then, she has been part of the Little Lifts family.

Zoe is also the Operations Director and business owner of Paddy & Scott’s, a coffee company based in Suffolk. Her business experience, coupled with her experience of breast cancer, led her to join our Trustee board at the end of 2022. It was Zoe who introduced us to Nick and Bacta.

Rays of Sunshine: We’ve been lucky enough to be supported by Bacta for more than a decade now, and from it we have developed some brilliant relationships with its generous members. 

Coinslot: What are your main revenue streams – where does most of the income come from, the corporate world or from individual donations?

Little Lifts: We cannot do what we do without the kind support of our amazing Little Lifts Community, which is now UK-wide. Our small fundraising function at Little Lifts is led with passion and offers a collaborative approach to those who want to fundraise for us.

Approximately 43 percent of our income is generated through grants. We receive approximately 10 percent from corporate donations and 20 percent from individual donations. The rest comes from hosting our own events and Gifts in Kind.

Rays of Sunshine: 100 per cent of our income comes from fundraising and we do not receive any statutory income. The major gifts income is our main revenue source, which includes corporate partnerships and philanthropy.

Coinslot: How important is it to establish partnerships with organisations such as Bacta and how has/is the partnership working?

Little Lifts: We are delighted that Bacta has selected Little Lifts as one of their charities to support. Corporate partnerships aren’t just about money – they’re about building strategic relationships that will, in turn, help our charity grow, become more resilient, and have a greater impact. As a small charity, this support has the potential to be transformative.

We also see it as an important way to raise awareness of breast cancer, which will ultimately save lives. We have been working closely with Bacta since the start of 2025, where we were warmly welcomed at the EAG Expo.

We are thankful to everyone who shares our vision that no one should face breast cancer treatment alone, and we look forward to working more closely with Bacta members.

Rays of Sunshine: Partnerships like the one we have with Bacta are absolutely vital — they help us turn hope into reality for seriously ill children across the UK.

Many member companies have been generous enough to undertake fundraising activities for us, from Funstation and its VIP days, to Elliot Ball of Clacton Pier Company running the Palma Marathon and Tom Clarke of JNC Sales running the London Marathon.

Similarly, Bacta members have been valued partners in helping us deliver our services to seriously and terminally ill children and their families. From working with SEGA to help a child meet their hero, Sonic the Hedgehog, to being able to make our children feel even more special with plushies from Bandai Namco – members have been on hand to help us spread a little bit of magic to the children who need it most.

And of course, we can’t miss out the opportunity to speak about the amazing “50 for 50” campaign which has been ongoing since last year, to celebrate Bacta’s 50th anniversary. Through this incredibly wish sponsorship campaign, generous people and companies have allowed us to grant 26 (and counting) magical wishes for seriously ill children.

We are so proud of this partnership – it’s a powerful example of how businesses can come together to make a real and lasting difference. Quite simply, we couldn’t do what we do without them. 

Coinslot: How much are you looking forward to Park Avenue and launching Smile! Bacta’s first National Fundraising Week?

Little Lifts: Little Lifts in London! This is a first for us, so we are very much looking forward to meeting the members and discussing ways people can get involved during National Fundraising Week to raise funds for Little Lifts and the vital work of Rays of Sunshine.

This National Fundraising Week marks a first for us, as we partner with a corporate business in this way, and we hope it brings creativity and fun to Bacta members while also raising funds and awareness for two charities doing vital work across the UK.

Rays of Sunshine: We are genuinely excited to be part of Bacta’s National Fundraising Week event at Park Avenue. This event is not only a fantastic opportunity to raise vital funds but also a celebration of the deep and meaningful partnership we’ve built with the Bacta community over the years.

So many Bacta members have gone past the point of being just supporters of Rays of Sunshine and have become true friends to our mission. 

We are very much looking forward to seeing everyone again, meeting new faces, and witnessing the passion and generosity that underpin Bacta’s continued support and commitment to Rays of Sunshine.

Coinslot: Bacta members have a reputation for going ‘all-in’ and for putting the fun into fundraising – how important is it to raise money and to enjoy doing it?

Little Lifts: Bacta members sound brilliant, and we can’t wait to support them during this National Fundraising Week. Fundraising is essential to support our work, but how it’s done matters just as much as what’s raised.

We want BACTA members to enjoy the journey because this keeps the momentum going and allows us to grow our community around our cause, creating a lasting impact.

Rays of Sunshine: The last several years have not been an easy one for fundraisers. But the level of passion, commitment, and, most importantly, fun, Bacta members pour into their fundraising really shines through.

Whether they’re running a marathon or putting on a family fun day, they put their all into everything they do. As a charity which has joy at its core, it warms our heart that the very people who help our world turn are having fun while doing it.