We don’t know if it’s just us, but 2024 has felt like it’s both flown by and been a hard slog. What we do know however is that a lot has happened. Below, we link to some of the news you looked at the most.
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Report reveals ‘best and worst performing’ charities online

The National Trust has seen the biggest increase in online searches over the last year, analysis has revealed.


Hospice charity to launch Sheffield’s first charity department store

A Sheffield based hospice charity is to launch the first charity department store in the city.
St Luke’s is converting the 8,500 sq ft site on the Kilner Way Retail Park into a charity store with a raft of departments including wedding, fashion, children’s, homewares, furniture, books and records.


HIV support charity to close after 37 years amid rising costs and funding challenges
An HIV support charity that launched 37 years ago is to close this month amid rising costs and difficulty securing funding.

NAM aidsmap was founded by volunteers at London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard in 1987 to give information to those impacted by HIV and AIDS at a time when “there was very little reliable information”.

But after struggling to keep the charity running amid rising costs and funding challenges its board has decided to close its doors.


Charity regulator criticises safeguarding failures at school where monks abused pupils

Safeguarding processes at two linked charities have been criticised by the Charity Commission in the aftermath of an abuse scandal at a religious school where monks were found to have abused children as young as seven.

Safeguarding failures were found at St Laurence Educational Trust, which runs independent school Ampleforth College on the site of Ampleforth Abbey, North Yorkshire.

Failures were also found at Ambleforth Abbey Trust, which manages the Abbey and whose monks provide chaplaincy and teaching to pupils.


UN child protection chief to lead JK Rowling’s charity

Lumos Foundation has appointed Howard Taylor, executive director of the United Nation's global partnership to end violence against children, as its next chief executive.


Fundraising event participants ignoring animal and children’s charities, research finds

Charities supporting animal welfare, children and measures to tackle poverty are being shunned by participants taking part in fundraising events despite being popular among donors generally, research has found.

Instead, those taking part in marathons and other sponsored events prefer to back good causes that fund medical research, mental health support hospices and hospitals.


Public set to give £2.8bn to charities this Christmas

The British public is expected to give £2.8bn to charities ahead of Christmas this year, research is suggesting.


Association of Chairs pledges action to tackle lack of diversity among charity leaders

The Association of Chairs (AoC) has announced a series of measures aimed at improving diversity among chairs of charity boards.

The move has been revealed in its strategic plan for 2024 to 2027, as “our chairs are not representative of the different elements of our society”.


Staff and service cuts loom following Autumn Budget, charity leaders warn

Charity leaders have warned that measures announced in Labour’s Autumn budget could lead to cuts to staff, services and salaries.

In her first budget Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves announced an increase to employers’ national insurance contributions, a reduction in the threshold when they need to pay, as well as an increase in the national living wage.


Digital exclusion hindering roll out of technology support, charities warn

Two in three charities are struggling to roll out digital support due to a lack of technology skills among service users, volunteers and their workers, a survey has found.

The survey of more than 200 charity representatives also found that more than half are struggling to reach service users due to problems involving digital technology.

Four in five are concerned about digital exclusion, with managers and trustees among the most concerned, according to the survey, which has been carried out by charity technology platform Charity Digital.

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