Small Change Makes a Big Difference: Catherine’s office pantry fundraiser

If you love the idea of fundraising for Guts UK but don’t quite know where to start, our Small Change Makes a Big Difference campaign could be the inspiration you’re looking for. This simple fundraiser focuses on small, easy-to-set-up, money-raising ideas that, in turn, will make a huge difference to our charity.

Meet Catherine from Thirsk, who lives with her husband, Dave, and two children, Isla, 15, and Toby, 12. Catherine’s Small Change fundraiser has raised over £100 and counting through an office Guts UK charity pantry. We caught up with Catherine to find out more.

Focussing on what’s essential in an office environment – a decent brew – Catherine’s idea was born from frustrations with having no communal drink-making facilities and watching her colleagues each bring in their own items.

Describing a cuppa at your desk as a ‘basic human right’, Catherine cleared out a kitchen cupboard and got to work stocking her Guts UK charity pantry. Complete with everything from tea, coffee, and milk, to packets of biscuits for that afternoon pick-me-up.

With posters to explain the pantry and the addition of an honesty box, the pantry has a very strict rule inspired by the popular 90’s film, Fight Club – ‘The first rule of charity pantry is you pay for charity pantry.’

Talking about setting up the pantry, Catherine said: “I liked the idea of an honesty box and encouraging good behaviour by saying any profits will go to charity. The pantry is a small way for me to be able to help. I’ll get the milk and the tea and keep it all clean and tidy, then all everyone else needs to do is put their money in and enjoy a cuppa.

“It’s gone down really well. I’ve heard people say how great it is that we do this. Many people don’t know it’s me; they just see it as the Guts UK charity pantry. Every time somebody picks up the milk or grabs a tea bag, it’s all labelled up with Guts UK stickers, so it’s a great way of raising awareness as well.”

Catherine’s fundraising and support of Guts UK follows her husband, Dave’s, diagnosis of acute necrotising pancreatitis. Read Dave’s story, which was featured as part of our 2023 Kranky Panky campaign.

Talking about how Guts UK has supported her family, Catherine said: “We found that Guts UK provides patient-centred information that is really needed. With acute necrotising pancreatitis, to the extent that Dave has it, where he was in intensive care at one point, it’s incredibly medicalised.

“What we’ve all found useful is to hear all the different stories and to understand that it affects people in different ways. Everybody feels a little bit confused about it because there is a lack of understanding about the inner workings and how it all happens, what causes it, and how best to treat it. To talk to and listen to the community of patients, rather than just the medical professionals, offers a more holistic understanding of what it means to live long term with this condition outside of the hospital setting.”

Talking about Dave’s recent health, Catherine said: “Dave’s doing really well. We very recently passed an incredible milestone of an entire year outside of any hospital care. He occasionally has blips where he might feel a little bit tired or a little bit unwell. But whereas those blips used to last a week or two and put him in the hospital, they might last overnight and leave him feeling tired for a couple of days. They’re very infrequent now.”

It’s not just Catherine who has the fundraising bug; it’s the whole family. The pair’s children, Isla and Toby, walked 100 miles each during the summer holidays, calling their fundraiser ‘miles of smiles’ which raised an incredible £1,000 for Guts UK. A Falcon Hike sponsored walk reached £933, and Dave and Isla’s 10k raised an amazing £850.

After a lovely catch-up with Catherine about her simple, yet effective charity pantry, we asked one last question…

Why should others take part in our Small Change Makes a Big Difference fundraiser?

“I think especially with a smaller charity, the pennies and pounds matter as much as the big lump sums. We can all support in different ways, and the charity pantry making a few quid a week is important.

“We can’t run a marathon every week, but we can make a cup of tea every day.  I think it’s all about coming together for a cumulative impact to help provide ongoing and big support.

“For me, Guts UK just seemed to be a friendly, approachable, and supportive charity when we needed them most. So, I guess the question is, why shouldn’t you fundraise for Guts UK?”

Feeling inspired? Download our fundraising guide and join our Small Change Makes a Big Difference fundraiser today!