We hope you and your family and friends are all keeping safe and well in these difficult times. We were sad to have to cancel all the activities, trips and fundraising events we had planned over the Summer and the activity leaders are missing seeing you all! But it is important that we all remain at home for the time being.
It’s a difficult time for charities and to try and continue our fundraising efforts in the next few weeks, we would like to invite you to take part in the 2.6 Challenge – you might have heard about it already. It is a way to support all UK charities and the more that can be raised for Lollipop by doing the 2.6 Challenge the more funds we will receive to support us. It is a fun and easy way to spend time at home and will also contribute to good causes! The 2.6 Challenge will launch on Sunday 26 April – what should have been the date of the 40th London Marathon.
The challenge
Which inventive ways can you think of to raise money that involve the number 2.6 or 26?
Or
If you do not feel like a challenge right now, can you donate £2.60, £26 or whatever you can afford to the cause?
Here is the link to our fundraising campaign page.
Why are we asking you to join in the 2.6 Challenge with us?
As a result of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, Lollipop have had to cancel all sessions and activities for the next few months. In addition, all our fundraising events for the next 6 months have also, understandably, been cancelled. We know we’re not alone – charities across the UK are losing billions of pounds in fundraising income over the next 6 months and the challenge is a great way to support charities that are close to your heart.
What is the 2.6 Challenge?
The idea of the 2.6 Challenge is to take part in an activity of your choice, based around the numbers 2.6 or 26, and fundraise or donate to support Lollipop. You can be as creative as you like with your activity! People all across the UK will be taking part. Most people are taking part from Sunday 26 April, but you can do your activity whenever works best for you over the next few weeks.
It’s really important to remember when taking part in the challenge that you follow Government guidelines on exercise and social distancing. You’ll find information below on how to join in, as well as some ideas we’ve come up with to help you get started.
The team here at Lollipop are going to be taking part too and we’ll be sharing on our social media.
We hope you’ll join us!
How to join in
Invent your 2.6 challenge! See the ideas below for some inspiration!
Visit our 2.6 Challenge web page (opens a new tab) to donate or set up your own fundraising page
Complete your challenge
Send your photos and videos to us via email to Becky info@lollipopyork.org.uk or tag Lollipop in your social media photos
Some ideas to get you started
You can do whatever you want as part of the 2.6 Challenge. The key thing is that it involves the numbers 2 and 6 and that you have a lot of fun!
Here are some of our suggestions for things you could do:
You could sign the BSL alphabet in 26 seconds whilst wearing 26 pieces of clothing
You could learn 26 new BSL signs for different animals/places/theme of your choice
You could use sign language for 2.6 hours (2 hours and 36 minutes!) or 26 hours
You could do 2 or 6 TikTok challenges
You could bake 26 delicious cupcakes or biscuits decorated with icing finger spellings
You could try 26 new foods
You could make up a new dance with 26 moves and teach it to your family
You could choose your 26 favourite Lego pieces and make a model out of them
Whatever you do, make it something you find fun and let us know what you do!
Donate or start your 2.6 Challenge fundraising for Lollipop here!
How the coronavirus outbreak has changed our plans
It has been difficult time for a lot of charities since the coronavirus outbreak and it will be difficult for some time to come. Here are details of what’s been happening behind the scenes at Lollipop since social distancing began and what’s coming up now all our plans have changed!
We’d like to send a huge and heartfelt thank you to John Lewis & Partners and Community Matters as we have just received confirmation of a £1,000 donation to Lollipop! As some of you will know Lollipop were part of the Community Matters scheme at the start of this year, but the temporary closure of John Lewis shops stopped the campaign in its tracks!
The coronavirus outbreak has stopped Lollipop’s many fundraising events that were planned for the Summer, this means that we won’t be able to raise as much money to help support Lollipop families.
We have had to cancel all the fundraising events below. This leaves a big gap in our fundraising for 2020 and the impact of that will felt into next year. We will of course be changing the dates for these events when we are able to do so and look forward to seeing you there when we are able to gather again.
🧚♀️ Hollicarrs in Riccall were going to host a magical woodland picnic
🏃♀️ We had a London marathon runner racing for Lollipop on 26th April
🏥 Hospital stall
🍰 St Crux
🌞 West Bank Fair
💪 A competitor in a now postponed Ironman race
👕 A clothes swap shop
🛩 A charity skydive
We were on track to be the busiest ever! But this is what we still plan to do with your help…
You may of heard of the 2.6 Challenge in the media. Lollipop wants to be involved we would like everyone to help us raise as much as possible. So whether you can raise £2.60, £26 or £260 you will be making a huge difference and helping to ensure we can continue! Further details of how you can get involved will be right here on our Facebook page in the next couple of days.
Finally, thank you to everyone who supports Lollipop, whether you or your family member/s are Lollipop members, if you’re a past member, a beneficiary, funder, collaborator, fundraiser or volunteer, we appreciate your support and that’s how we know we will get through this time together!
Sadly the Skydive has had to be postponed this year due to the coronavirus outbreak and the uncertainty this has brought. We will keep you posted about when we have a new date!
Lollidrop Sponsored Skydive 202
If you have always wanted to do a skydive or were inspired by last years amazing Lollipop skydivers (see post below), now is your chance! The Lollidrop skydive was a fantastic success last year and we have booked another skydiving day on Sunday 5th July 2020. The location will be the same – Peterlee Parachute Centre near Durham. It is a wonderful experience and your sponsorship will help to support Lollipop! Contact info@lollipopyork.org.uk for more information.
This event has been postponed due to the need for social distancing at this time. We will update this page with a link to book tickets once we have set a new date!
Donate your unworn clothes and get a new look
£5 entry. Bring 5 items and pick 5 new items to take away!
Ladies clothing and accessories, clothes should be freshly washed and brought on hangers.
Minster Building, 84 Lowther Street, York YO31 7LX
Parking at Lollipop or Union Terrace/Monk Bar car parks are 5 mins walk.
We had a great night at the Winning Post on Bishopthorpe Road, on the 12th March 2020 for our pub quiz! £74.03 was raised which all goes towards our work to fund free social activities and experiences for deaf children and young people. Thank you to everyone who came along and took part!
Thank you to the wonderful staff at Asda Monks Cross, York, who recently let our team of volunteers take over the back packing for a solid 6 hours on a very busy Saturday.
The children, young people, parents, staff and volunteers all did a great job raising awareness of what Lollipop provides to our local community, while making sure customers’ tins weren’t squashing their bread as we packed their groceries!
A big shout out to all those customers who said hello, asked about the work of the charity and gave kind and generous donations.
We raised a huge £625.00 of unrestricted funds, which will go towards the running costs and help coordination of the support we provide to Lollipop families. We are thrilled!!
Thanks again to everyone who helped make this happen.
This summer saw 13 daredevils flying to new heights in the ‘Lollidrop’ skydive, at Shotton Airfield, Durham.
Staff, volunteers, members, parents and siblings from Lollipop, together raised an astonishing £4,900.00 between them!! This boosts the unrestricted funds that will help Lollipop continue in delivering the outcomes for members and their families.
Parent Dawn Ross, who took part in the jump, shortly after her daughter joined Lollipop said:
We are so lucky and very grateful that we have such a brilliant charity locally. They have been invaluable for our family and we hope to raise lot’s of money for them to continue their amazing work. We honestly can’t praise them enough
Another parent, Mario Janovicius, who has two children at Lollipop was thrilled to dive with BSL support from camera flyer Alan Thompson. Mario was interviewed for That’s TV York, sharing his excitement and achievement in supporting Lollipop as a Deaf parent.
It was a great team-building activity and really challenged each of those who took part.
Thank you to everyone who supported the skydive and to all who donated.
Sunday 14th July saw the return of the annual York Rotary Club Dragon Boat Race to the waters of the River Ouse!
There were thirty six teams competing for the prestigious trophies in a bid to raise as much as possible for local charities, and the Visit York Dragon boat crew sailed in 13th place!
Thank you to everyone who kindly donated, those of you who went down to the river to cheer the team on, and the Visit York team for their hard work and commitment.
Lollipop is primarily funded through The National Lottery Community Fund. We are also funded by BBC Children In Need with further support from many local and national organisations.
