Britain’s leading match funding charity Big Give, which runs the UK’s biggest fundraising campaign, has announced that TV personalities Lorraine Kelly, Ruby Wax, Deborah Meaden and Megan McCubbin have become ambassadors, strengthening the charity’s network of prominent supporters.
Big Give, which enables donations from the public to charities taking part in its campaigns to be doubled, has raised over £427 million to date.
Its flagship campaign, the Christmas Challenge, became the UK’s biggest public fundraiser in 2024 when it overtook more established campaigns such as Children in Need and Comic Relief. Last year, the Christmas Challenge raised a record £57.4 million in one week for 1,591 charities taking part.
The charity has previously worked with high profile supporters of charities participating in its campaigns, including Dame Judi Dench, Gary Lineker and Dame Joanna Lumley.
Now, as it seeks to spread the word further about the power of match funding, it has appointed four celebrity ambassadors.
Lorraine Kelly is one of the UK’s most familiar and respected broadcasters, best known as the long-standing host of ITV’s Lorraine. With a television career spanning decades, Lorraine has become a trusted presence in British households and a consistent supporter of charitable causes.
She has previously pledged her support to charities taking part in Big Give campaigns, most recently encouraging people to support The Muscle Help Foundation during last year’s Christmas Challenge.
Ruby Wax is a comedian, writer, broadcaster and mental health campaigner who rose to prominence with her sharp, often confrontational celebrity interviews on television shows such as The Full Wax and Ruby Wax Meets.
In recent years she has become a prominent advocate for mental health awareness, drawing on her own experiences of depression, earning a master’s degree in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy from the University of Oxford and receiving an OBE in 2015 for services to mental health. She has previously worked with Big Give when her mental health charity Frazzled Café has taken part in its campaigns.
Deborah Meaden is a business leader, investor and author, widely recognised for her role on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den, which she joined in 2006. She has been an active supporter of environmental and conservation initiatives throughout her career. She has previously supported Big Give campaigns through her involvement with Tusk, the conservation charity of which she is a trustee.
Megan McCubbin is a zoologist, conservationist, wildlife photographer and television presenter. She is best known for presenting the BBC wildlife programmes Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch, and for her work highlighting biodiversity and environmental issues. She has previously worked to highlight Big Give’s second largest annual campaign, Earth Raise, which is the UK’s biggest environment-focused fundraiser.
Their appointments reflect a shared commitment to effective philanthropy and high-impact fundraising. Big Give’s match funding model enables charities to multiply the value of public donations, encouraging people to give more and more often.
Deborah Meaden, Big Give ambassador, said: “I have been impressed with how Big Give has championed match funding, bringing in companies, foundations and individual philanthropists to double donations from the public. It is clear that multiplying people’s generosity in this way encourages people to give more.
“Given my longstanding interest in environmental issues, I am especially pleased to be supporting Earth Raise, which has grown to become the UK’s biggest green fundraising campaign. I encourage everyone to get involved when the campaign launches on April 22nd.”
Lorraine Kelly, Big Give ambassador, said: “I am absolutely delighted to become an ambassador for Big Give. I know they have worked so hard to establish the Christmas Challenge as the UK’s biggest fundraiser, and other campaigns such as Earth Raise, Arts for Impact and Women and Girls have become vital moments in the fundraising calendar.
“I have seen the difference Big Give can make to individual charities taking part in its campaigns and match funding is such a brilliant way of making people’s donations go further.
“I am proud to be supporting Big Give in making such a positive difference.”
Ruby Wax, Big Give ambassador, said: “I have seen how powerful match funding can be when my charity Frazzled Café has taken part in Big Give campaigns. Telling people their donations will be doubled is a brilliant incentive to give.
“Big Give has raised incredible sums already and established the Christmas Challenge as the UK’s biggest public fundraising campaign. They have set an ambitious goal to raise £1 billion for good causes by 2030, and I am really happy to be able to play a part in that work as a new ambassador.”
Megan McCubbin, Big Give ambassador, said: “I have worked informally with Big Give on different campaigns involving charities I support for some time, and am thrilled to be taking on a broader role to help spread the word about the work.
“Match funding is a superpower – Big Give have shown that it can consistently deliver better and better fundraising results. The fact that the Christmas Challenge raised £57.4 million in one week last year is really incredible – and this year we want to do even more.”
James Reed CBE, Chair of Trustees at Big Give, said: “Lorraine Kelly, Ruby Wax, Deborah Meaden and Megan McCubbin are all powerful and trusted advocates for positive change, and we are delighted to welcome them as ambassadors at Big Give.
“Their profiles and commitment to charitable causes will help shine an even brighter spotlight on the importance of match funding and effective philanthropy.”
