Donate to Shining Steps UK
Help us provide urgent, practical support when people need it most
Across the UK, families and individuals are facing record levels of poverty.
Food insecurity, energy debts, lack of essential furniture, and daily living pressures are now affecting whole households’ health and wellbeing.
Shining Steps UK exists to act quickly, providing practical, immediate support that helps people move from crisis to stability.
Your donation makes this possible. (Please click the word donation to go to our donation platform or visit https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/shining-steps-uk---initial-pilot
Help Us Launch Our Pilot Programme
We are preparing to launch our first pilot in January.
To do this, we are aiming to raise £15,000.
This would allow us to support around 75 - 100 households with urgent essentials, safe home support, and trauma-sensitive follow-up.
Why £15,000 Matters?
Your support will help us to:
- Provide essential items directly to people in crisis
- Build a trauma-sensitive, neuroinclusive referral pathway
- Support professionals in health, social care and education to refer safely
- Offer follow-up contact so people aren’t left alone after receiving help
- Evaluate what works and develop a sustainable CIC model
This pilot will give us the evidence and learning we need to grow responsibly and sustainably.
What If We Don’t Reach the Full Amount?
We will run the pilot anyway.
Every donation helps.
Even if we don’t raise the full £15,000, we will support as many households as possible and continue until all available funds have been used.
What If We Raise More?
If we exceed our target:
- We can support more households
- We can run the pilot for longer
- We can build a stronger evidence base
- We can invest in expanding our neuroinclusive, trauma-sensitive processes
- We can accelerate becoming a long-term CIC
Your generosity directly increases the number of people we can help.
Where Your Donation Goes
Every penny raised goes straight to providing actual items or services, not cash.
This keeps support safe, suitable, trauma-sensitive and fast.
Essential Items - Food, toiletries, clothing, bedding, baby items, school uniforms.
Safe Home Support - Furniture, small appliances, household basics.
Warmth & Energy Essentials - Emergency heating support, safe temporary solutions, and essential energy-related items.
Education & Daily Living Items - School supplies, travel support, communication and connection tools.
Supporting Families & Carers - Signposting, informal network guidance, and follow-up contact to ensure the support helped.
How Our Approach Works
- Fast and Fair - We respond quickly, reducing long waits that often worsen crisis situations.
- Trauma-Sensitive & Neuro-inclusive - Our communication, decisions, and processes are designed to reduce stress and avoid re-traumatisation.
- Referrals from Trusted Professionals - We take referrals from the services people already access such as health, social care, education, community and voluntary organisations.
- Follow-Up Care - We check in afterwards to make sure the support was helpful and to signpost to longer-term options where needed.
- Complementary, Not a Replacement - We don’t replace existing services. We fill the urgent gaps other systems can’t act on quickly.
- Donate Through CrowdFunder UK - All fundraising for our pilot is securely handled through CrowdFunder.
Your donation, whatever the size helps us take practical action when it matters most.
Donation Reward Tiers, Monthly Donations, Corporate & Group Gifting and FAQ's
Reward Packages
*BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL*
This Black Friday get a special discount on being one of our founding donators, you will get everything our £100 reward provides.
Numbers are limited.
As a special reward you will have a bauble on our Founder's Tree, each bauble will be made of glass and have your name or organisation name printed on the bauble and will be displayed with each year. (MAX 20 CHARACTERS)
£15 - Supporter Package
- Personal thank-you message
- Name added to our digital “Wall of Thanks”
- Updates on the pilot’s progress
£25 - Community Backer
- Personal thank-you message
- Name added to our digital “Wall of Thanks”
- Updates on the pilot’s progress
- Optional: Name included in our end-of-pilot public summary
- A short story/example of the type of impact their support enables
£50 - Pilot Champion
- Personal thank-you message
- Name added to our digital “Wall of Thanks”
- Updates on the pilot’s progress
- Optional: Name included in our end-of-pilot public summary
- A short story/example of the type of impact their support enables
- Invitation to a behind-the-scenes update email on what we’re learning
- Recognition in our evaluation report (name or organisation name)
£100 - Impact Partner
- Personal thank-you message
- Name added to our digital “Wall of Thanks”
- Updates on the pilot’s progress
- Optional: Name included in our end-of-pilot public summary
- A short story/example of the type of impact their support enables
- Invitation to a behind-the-scenes update email on what we’re learning
- Recognition in our evaluation report (name or organisation name)
- A personalised digital certificate of thanks
- Option to include a short message
Monthly Giving (Coming Soon)
Monthly donations will allow us to plan ahead, respond even faster, and build long-term sustainability.
You can register interest in becoming a Founding Monthly Supporter, in the interim if you would like to set up a standing order to support us on a regular basis please contact us on info@shiningsteps.co.uk
Corporate & Group Giving
We welcome donations and partnerships from:
- Local businesses
- Schools, colleges and universities
- Community groups and faith organisations
- NHS teams
- Public sector services
- Charities and foundations
We can provide tailored reporting to support CSR or community investment goals.
FAQs
Is my donation secure?
Yes. All donations are processed via CrowdFunder using secure payment systems.
Do you give cash to people?
No. We only provide items or services directly.
Who will receive support?
People referred by professionals in health, social care, education or community services who understand their needs.
Can I donate items instead of money?
Not during the pilot. We need to ensure all items are safe, suitable and reliably delivered.
Will I get updates about the pilot?
Yes, donors can opt in to receive updates and impact reports.
Do you support the whole UK?
Yes, however we will be starting in specific local areas during the pilot, with plans to grow responsibly.
Can I donate in memory of someone?
Absolutely, please contact us and we’ll support you sensitively.
Thank You
- Your support means someone has food tonight.
- A child can go to school with what they need.
- A family can stay warm.
- A home can become safe again.
Together, we can take practical steps that make life better, one household at a time.