In the build up to its eagerly anticipated 100 year anniversary in 2025, youth organisation Woodcraft Folk has come up with a new membership offering for young people and is calling on the public to sign up to its relaunched Friends of the Folk programme to help ensure its future success
Since 1925, Woodcraft Folk have supported children and young people of all ages from all over the world through their local groups, enriching programme offering, impactful campaigns, partnership projects, engaging events, volunteering opportunities and our unique residential centres. Woodcraft Folk has a strong focus on camping, outdoor activities and educating young people about social justice, peace and sustainability which is evident across the wide ranging activities they offer.
Next year, the UK charity turns 100 and this legendary milestone is important because it means Woodcraft Folk have been delivering cooperative activities around education for social change and spanning the world with friendship for a whole century, which is definitely something to celebrate.
However, like many charities, Woodcraft Folk faces a challenging future of continued rebuilding after the pandemic where many organisations have fallen and cautiously navigating the cost of living crisis and feeling the effects of a downward trend in volunteering.
Woodcraft Folk attributes a large part of its success and extensive length of service to the kind donations received over the years, without which, the charity would not have been able to continue its vital work with young people.
The charity is calling on people to be part of and fund its future stability through their recently relaunched Friends of the Folk regular donation programme to ensure it can carry on providing life changing opportunities to the young generation. The programme is a great way for those to give back who were a part of Woodcraft Folk when they were younger who are now too old to attend a group or for those who used to volunteer who are now not able to or just for those who want to support the next generation.
The charity relay on these donations to:
- Amplify young people’s voices
- Support our volunteers
- Run our residential centres where we engage with even more young people
- Fund engaging regional, national and international events
- Give opportunities to harder to reach children and young people
Regular donations have been the lifeblood of the charity over its centenary meaning it has reached thousands of children and young people. By making a regular donation, you can help ensure that Woodcraft Folk continue to support those children as well as create new opportunities to reach even more young people, for years to come.
You can make a significant difference with just a small monthly direct debit. For £5 a month you could give a child a free residential every year or for £3.25 a month you could cover a volunteer’s yearly admin fees.
You can sign up to Friends of the Folk at www.woodcraft.org.uk/donate/friends-of-the-folk-campaign. Once signed up Woodcraft Folk will update you on what your donations have helped to fund and you’ll be invited to special member events.
To widen its offering, the charity has also launched a new membership (Voyagers) for 10-15 years. The membership is special in that for the first time, it allows young people who for whatever reason are unable to attend a Woodcraft Folk local group to get involved with the charity from home. Those who sign up receive a welcome pack of goodies including a 40+ page activity booklet to explore at home, invites to regional and national events, branded stationery, water bottle, stickers and badge and a half termly themed newsletter. You can find out more at https://woodcraft.org.uk/voyager-membership/
Lauren Penny,Woodcraft Folk Communications Manager, says:
“Regular donations are the cornerstone of our ability to make a lasting impact. They enable us to amplify the voices of young people, support our incredible volunteers, run our residential centres, and provide opportunities to those who need them most.
By signing up for a small, monthly direct debit, you can make a significant difference. IN the build up to our 100 yar anniversary we are also delighted to introduce our new Voyager Membership offering to engage with even more young people who for whatever reason can’t attend one of our local groups.”
Woodcraft Folk have worked tirelessly over their 100 years of service campaigning to ensure young people’s voices are heard on topics that matter to them the most such as free school meals, anti-racism, peace and children’s rights. With the younger generation facing an uncertain future of war, climate change and financial challenges there has never been a more important time to empower and support young people and for the charity’s crucial youth work to continue.
