The Telegraph has a long history of supporting charitable initiatives and helping communities in need.
Early examples of charitable fundraising by the Telegraph include raising money in 1915 for a monument for nurse Edith Cavell, which can be found outside St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, just off Trafalgar Square, as well as the setting up of the Edith Cavell Trust to help nurses impacted by their war work.
Plus, in 1916 during the First World War, Telegraph readers’ donations helped supply three million rations of plum-pudding for British soldiers on Christmas Day.
The Telegraph’s annual Christmas Charity Appeal started in 1986 and has raised close to £30 million for charities since its launch. In 2020 the Telegraph raised over £2 million for charity thanks to readers supporting both the Christmas Appeal and the special Coronavirus Charity Appeal. The Coronavirus Appeal raised money for Turn2us, a charity which offers practical and financial support to people facing financial shocks caused by life-changing events.
In 2017 The Telegraph’s Stella partnered with the charity Smart Works which provides high quality interview clothes and interview training to unemployed women in need. A fundraising initiative in 2021 saw The Big Stella x Smart Works Fashion Sale at Bicester Village where over £150,000 was raised for the charity from a pop-up boutique sale.
As an organisation, TMG aims to support the communities staff live and work in. All TMG employees have the opportunity to make use of the Telegraph Volunteering Scheme which gives staff the chance to participate in two paid volunteering days a year, in addition to annual leave. Recent examples of volunteering include providing support for environment and conservation projects, assisting isolation and loneliness charities and helping food banks.
In 2021 The Telegraph launched a Media Literacy Programme for 16-18 year olds which focuses on the importance of quality, edited news in society.
Run by Telegraph journalists, the month-long scheme aims to break down the barriers to careers in journalism and provide young people with the tools and skills to think critically about the media landscape.
Following its successful pilot, the scheme has returned yearly. In 2023, the Programme worked with over 300 young people from across the UK.
Participants also have the opportunity to learn about The Telegraph future talent schemes which include work experience, internships, apprenticeships and graduate programmes. Everyone who completes the programme is awarded a certificate and invited to join the Media Literacy Programme Alumni Talent Pool where entry-level opportunities are shared.
In 2023, the programme was once again supported by The Careers Office, a charity aimed at helping young people from diverse backgrounds make decisions about their future.
“Before this session, I honestly didn’t know such effort was put into a simple headline, it brought to my attention how integral headlines are. The beauty session also showed me a different side to journalism – when I think of journalism I always think of serious topics regarding politics etc; the beauty director showed me that journalism is extremely diverse.”
“Truly inspired me, the wonderful people who lectured us spoke about their experiences in such a great way that it simply made me want to experience them myself.”
The Telegraph leads on a range of impactful campaigns which seek to bring about positive change. Some recent examples include:
Campaign for Children launched in June 2021 calling for the government to prioritise children and end the disruption and isolation children have experienced from repeated lockdowns. The campaign has received support from more than 100 charity and education leaders including the National Children’s Bureau, the NSPCC and the Association of Educational Psychologists.
You Are Not Alone was launched days after the first lockdown of 2020 and provided subscribers with a collection of stories showcasing community spirit, support and advice and shared tips for coping and optimism. From it sprung the Good News Newsletter, a weekly bulletin with positive news and uplifting stories of community.
Keep Kids Active launched in response to the government putting a halt on children’s outdoor sport, just before the second lockdown in 2021. The campaign won support from a cross-party group of MPs, sporting bodies and leading scientists and evolved into a useful hub hosting online PE lessons for parents and schools.
The Telegraph continues to lobby the government for the safeguarding of children online with its Duty of Care campaign. The campaign’s recent success saw the government announce that social media firms that fail to protect children face being barred.
The Women Mean Business campaign launched in March 2018 on International Women’s Day, with the signing of an open letter from 200 female founders and inspirational leaders which called on the Government to take action to close the funding gap that prevents women from starting their own business. The campaign sparked a Government-backed review and three years on from its launch a new fund for female entrepreneurs has signalled the next chapter of the campaign. Women Mean Business
Business leaders and MPs signed The Telegraph’s letter urging the Government to back Britain’s working women in the budget and warning that Lockdown’s financial impact on women is being ‘overlooked’.
In March 2022, Telegraph Women's Sport launched the Close the Gap campaign aimed at tackling the “shocking disparity” in prize money between men’s and women’s sport, after stark research revealed the profound impact on aspiring sportswomen.
Backed by sports stars, campaigners, and politicians from across the political divide, the long-term campaign will lobby sport’s biggest governing bodies to deliver "equal play, fair pay" for all participants.