An annual festive livestreaming fundraising event has raised over £3m for good causes.
Jingle Jam, an event where gamers, YouTubers and online creators and their communities raise money for chosen charities, ran from 1 to 14 December.
The event raised £3.23m for eight charities - Autistica, Become, Campaign Against Living Miserably, Make-A-Wish, Grand Appeal, Trevor Project, WWF and War Child.
This is more than the £2.67m raised in 2024 and £2.70m raised in 2023.
Itself a charity, Jingle Jam began in 2011 when Lewis and Simon of the Yogscast, a group of YouTube content creators who produce gaming-related video content, asked fans to donate to Oxfam via a JustGiving page instead of sending them Christmas presents.
Since its establishment, Jingle Jam has raised £27.5m.
This year, Jingle Jam received 71,108 donations and 54,920 collections, with the average donation being £45.38.
More than 300 content creators participated, while individual streams attracted up to 40,000 simultaneous viewers, “allowing creators’ messages to spread widely in ways other traditional forms of fundraising might not”, WWF said.
WWF, which raised £359,327, added: “This year, creators channelled their collective influence toward causes their predominantly young audiences care about most: mental health, diversity, inclusion, climate change and conservation.”
The Grand Appeal, a Bristol-based children’s hospital charity that raised £434,747, said: “In case you missed it, the money you’ve raised for us will be going towards the Grand Appeal’s Patient Hotel, Jingle Jam Building.
“This facility will provide sick kids and their families with accommodation, rehabilitation and treatment spaces under one roof.
“Crucially, the Patient Hotel will allow children to leave the hospital’s clinical setting as their intensive treatment and care come to an end.
“It’ll be a space for patients and their families to rest and recover as the child undergoes the final stages of their treatment.”
War Child said: “We’re blown away by the incredible Jingle Jam fundraising!
“You’ve now raised £400,000+ for War Child! That could provide 2,000 children in Afghanistan at risk of child labour, early marriage and exploitation with protection, trauma recovery and long-term support.”
