Every year the Telegraph selects four highly deserving charities to support across the festive period, encouraging their readers to donate online throughout November-January and via a public phone-in on Sunday 7th December.
We are thrilled to have been selected this year alongside Prostate Cancer Research, Canine Partners and the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
To encourage donations the Telegraph will run a range of stories in their print and digital publications throughout November and December about the work of The Not Forgotten. Journalists from the Telegraph have been busy over the past month interviewing some of our veterans and celebrity supporters and attending our events. They’ll be telling our story across their channels from now until January – so look out for familiar faces championing our cause!
The Telegraph’s festive philanthropy dates back more than a hundred years – even predating The Not Forgotten itself. The newspaper's tradition of reader-supported Christmas fundraising began during World War I - in 1916 readers’ donations supplied three million plum puddings for British soldiers in the trenches on Christmas Day!
The Christmas Appeal in its current format has been running since 1986, raising over £31 million pounds for hundreds of charities over 40 years; inspiring readers and impacting many millions of lives.
The Telegraph announced today:
"With a storied history dating back more than 100 years, the Telegraph Christmas Charity Appeal’s impactful legacy has inspired readers and staff alike. This year, we have chosen four charities whose work speaks to the very spirit of Christmas - offering support, connection and hope to those facing devastating illness or adapting to life with a disability and those who have served our country with duty and honour.
Christmas is a time for compassion, for community and for kindness. As we come together to celebrate the festive season we must also do our part for the people who sorely need our help to put some joy and cheer back into the world. Every year, you respond to our charity appeal with outstanding generosity. We humbly ask the same of you in 2025."
Richard Walker, Chief Executive of The Not Forgotten said:
“We are immensely honoured to have been chosen for the Telegraph Appeal this year, and it comes at a pivotal time. Many veterans we support are facing deepening isolation and financial hardship in today’s climate, as well as the enduring impact of their physical and psychological wounds. In our increasingly connected and fast-paced world where traditional communities and support systems are disappearing, too many are being left behind - digitally excluded, socially disconnected and emotionally adrift.
The support of Telegraph readers will help us reach and reconnect those veterans - enabling us to sustain our unique programme of events and support. With your help we will bring people together through meaningful, healing, in-person experiences that foster connection and belonging, as well digital outreach across the country and the generations to restore purpose, dignity and joy. Thank you for your support in transforming lives and for reminding those who have served that they still matter.”
In previous years the Telegraph Christmas Charity Appeal has raised half a million pounds
Shared between the four charities, this is a substantial amount we should receive, enabling us to sustain and build our unique programme of events and support in the coming year and helping us reach and reconnect thousands of veterans who need our support and community.
Not to mention raising the profile of The Not Forgotten and spreading the word about our vital work to over one million readers of the Telegraph.
But we need your help!
Please tell everyone you know about the Telegraph Christmas Appeal this festive season…
The Appeal runs from 1st November right through to the end of January, so look out for articles and interviews featuring The Not Forgotten and enjoy reading about the life-changing impact we have on 10,000 veterans and serving personnel every year.
We’ll share the coverage on our digital channels – please share onwards far and wide and encourage everyone you know to share, to talk about our work and to donate to the Christmas Charity Appeal.
Every pound raised will go directly to helping those who gave so much for others. We remain determined that no veteran is forgotten - and the Telegraph Christmas Appeal will help us reach further, faster and with greater impact than ever before.
Read more about the Telegraph Christmas Appeal 2025
