Several sector umbrella bodies have today announced their support for the Britain's Personal Best campaign, which has received £1m from the Big Lottery Fund to run a fundraising challenge weekend in October.

Acevo, Navca, the Institute of Fundraising and Groundwork UK are among organisations who have described themselves as "founding partners" of the project.

Today they have issued a call to charities, schools, community groups, universities and colleges to take part in the first-ever Britain’s Personal Best (BPB) Weekend on 4 – 6 October, "striving to achieve their own personal best, be it in sports, arts, education, or enterprise".

When the project was first unveiled to charities earlier this year, the organisers claimed it would be "the biggest fundraising event in history and the biggest mass participation event in Britain".  

Steve Moore, CEO of the Big Society Network which is coordinating the project, has said on his LinkedIn page that BPB will convene "thousands of organisations and millions of people".

He added: "Our ambition is to become the biggest fundraising event in the UK by 2018 and to take the idea to every corner of the globe by 2020."

Shadow minister for civil society, Gareth Thomas MP, has raised questions about why Big Society Network and its associated charity, Society Network Foundation, were awarded the funding without having to pitch for it when at least one of their previously-funded projects had failed to meet its objectives.

Thomas has also queried whether the organisers have given themselves enough time to deliver the project, given that they have only recently advertised three key management vacancies and schools are about to break up for the summer.

But various sector leaders were happy to offer their support for the campaign today.  Peter Lewis, chief executive of the Institute of Fundraising, said: "We are delighted that charities from right across the UK have this opportunity to take part in Britain’s Personal Best, inspiring supporters to recapture the spirit of 2012 by doing their personal best.

"This is not just about sport, it could be about being entrepreneurial, about the arts, about education or simply about being brave. Britain’s Personal Best is a fantastic way not only to support charities and the great work they do but also to help build on the Olympic legacy.”

Sir Stephen Bubb, CEO of Acevo, was slightly more equivocal. He said: “This could be an innovative and exciting project to build on the legacy of the London Olympics by supporting civic participation, volunteering and community engagement. There is great potential for our sector, which is keen to capitalise on the volunteering spirit of the Olympics.”

Other founding partners are volunteering charities CSV and vInspired, the NHS Confederation, 21st Century Legacy and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Sukhvinder Kaur-Stubbs, chief operating officer at Britain’s Personal Best, said: “Starting with our big weekend in October, and working in partnership with charities, community groups and schools, we want Britain’s Personal Best to become synonymous with motivating and inspiring individuals and communities to believe in themselves and reach their full potential.”

Participants can download a guide to getting involved from the new website whatsyours.org, and register their interest to be sent a toolkit containing a fundraising guide, balloons, posters and stickers.

Britain's Personal Best is the first of four projects funded by BIG to keep the spirit of 2012 alive.

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