Get involved and support us

“Can we stay at HopScotch forever?” -  we just love to hear requests like this! Eventually everyone has to go home, but we really want to be providing respite breaks for Scotland's children for a long time yet. Thanks to the fundraising efforts of inspiring individuals, companies and charitable trust around the UK we’ve been able to provide respite breaks for children living in challenging circumstances for over 25 years. With your help we’ll continue to provide those breaks for many more years to come.

We don’t receive funding from central or local government, so every penny raised is invaluable to our ongoing work. And we work really hard to ensure that every one of those pennies raised makes a difference to the lives of the children we help.

Children on swings
Child on Segway

What does your donation support?

It costs £375 per child and £4500 for a group of 12 children and their carers to spend a week at Ardvullin enjoying a respite break with us. The overwhelming proportion of money donated to us goes directly to funding holiday activity costs.

Whether your donation is large or small, a one-off amount or a monthly commitment, it is vital for our ongoing work of providing respite for children in Scotland who really need a break.

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Donation options

Your donation has the power to transform the lives of children and young people facing significant challenges. It fuels our essential work to support those who need it most. Whether you choose to make a one-time contribution or establish a monthly donation, every gift—no matter the size—makes a remarkable impact.

By donating, you will bring joy and smiles to young people, creating a safe and nurturing environment where they can truly be themselves. More importantly, your generosity will empower them to develop skills and forge memories that will inspire them to achieve more than they ever imagined possible. Together, we can make a profound difference in their lives!

Ways to Give:

Your donations funds vital respite and support for the children living in challenging circumstances. So we can provide a break for the children you can make a single donation, or set up a monthly direct debit by clicking the button below: 

Monthly giving makes a big difference to HopScotch - could you consider making a regular monthly donation to help us to continue to offer respite breaks to Scotland's children. Most importantly, your donation will provide the children with experiences and opportunities that will become wonderful treasured childhood memories for them. Here's some ideas about the difference your donation could make:

  • £10 per month for one year - you could pay for 12 children to go tubing during their respite break!
  • £20 per month for one year - you could pay for 12 children to try horse- riding.
  • £25 per month for one year - you could pay for 12 children to experience canoeing or segway session during their respite break!
  • £30 per month for one year - you could pay for a child to have a full respite break with HopScotch for a week, including all their activities!

Payroll Giving offers a powerful and efficient way to make a difference with your donation. It allows you to us while maximizing the impact of your contribution. This convenient option is available to anyone paid through Pay As You Earn (PAYE), meaning your chosen donation is deducted directly from your salary before taxes, making it easier than ever to give.

How does it work?

  • Your donation is made on your gross salary before taxes are deducted. Take a look at these figures to see how efficiently it can work:
  • Basic rate 20% - tax relief means a donation of £10 will cost you just £8
  • Higher rate 40% - tax relief means a donation of £10 will cost you just £6
  • Additional rate 45% - tax relief means a donation of £10 will cost you just £5.50

For more information please click here on the link Payroll Giving 

You can send in your donation through the post.   To ensure your generosity is acknowledged and directed appropriately, please include a cover letter detailing the reason for your contribution, your name and address, any individuals you wish to thank, and whether you would like your gift to be allocated to a specific area of our work. We ask you kindly not to send cash.

HopScotch Children’s Charity, GyleWorks, 34 South Gyle Crescent, Edinbugh, EH12 9NE

Whether it's your birthday, wedding, anniversary or any other special event, you can enjoy your big day knowing you'll be changing the lives of children whose childhood has been dominated by poverty, neglect, deprivation, as well as often acting as the carer for others.

Helpful Hints

  • Create a personalised online donation page at JustGiving. (link set up straight to HopScotch) This allows friends and family to donate easily from anywhere, track your progress, and contribute to your mission of making a difference.
  • Encourage Virtual Drinks: Invite friends and family to buy you a “virtual drink” by making a donation in your honor. It’s a fun way to celebrate while supporting a worthy cause!
  • Ask friends and family to buy you a virtual drink by making a donation.
  • Place donation envelopes on tables at your event.
  • If your willing to share any photos of your event, we’d love to feature them in future publicity.  Your story could inspire others!

Honouring a loved one with a memorial gift is a powerful way to celebrate their life. 

A donation in memory of your forever hero to HopScotch Children’s Charity creates a lasting impact on children in need. 

You can also create a tribute page to share with friends and family. Your generosity means so much to us. 

Thank you for choosing to keep their memory alive through your kindness.

We truly understand that deciding to include us in your will is a significant and personal choice and your family and loved ones first. 

Yet, we want you to know that every gift, regardless of size, can profoundly impact the lives of the HopScotch children. 

We are deeply grateful to those who choose to support HopScotch Children’s Charity through their wills. Your kindness and generosity empower us to continue our essential work, helping to create brighter futures for the children who depend on us. 

Thank you for considering making a difference in their lives.

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Where your money goes

1 in 4

..of Scotland’s children live in poverty

88%

..of children on our breaks this year live in 5-10% of Scotland’s most deprived areas

72p

..of every £1 donated goes directly to essential breaks for kids who need them

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How to fundraise

‘I love HopScotch, it's the best place ever, I will miss it so much. It has a beautiful garden and house and activities that I will never forget’

All our breaks are free of charge for the children and young people who attend. And that’s where you come in! Will you become a brilliant a fundraiser and give a child the chance to shine?

By fundraising or attending an event for HopScotch Children’s Charity you are directly supporting young people and children to enjoy a much-needed break, join our team and get started today!

Discover the thrilling events outlined below, or if you’re ready for an adventure, seek out a challenge right in your local area!

Scotland Running Events Calendar 2024

thekiltwalk.co.uk

Tough Mudder UK

HYROX | The Fitness Competition for Every Body 

We invite you to share your inspiring activities with us by emailing info@hopscotch-charity.org. Hearing about how our dedicated supporters are making a genuine difference for HopScotch Children’s Charity truly energizes us.

Join us in creating joyful experiences for kids who deserve it most—your involvement can make a transformative impact!

Thank you for considering fundraising for us! Your support is invaluable.

Whether you want to host a fun quiz night at home, organize a community walk, embark on cold water dips or any other creative endeavor, there are countless ways to get involved. 

Here are some impactful ideas to inspire you, and we’re here to help you every step of the way:

  • Bake Sale: Whip up delicious treats to share with your community.
  • Dress Down Days: Encourage everyone to donate while dressing casually.
  • Join a Major Charity Event: Participate in large-scale events like the Kiltwalk.
  • Host a Coffee Morning: Invite friends for a cup of coffee and good conversation—all for a good cause!
  • Hold a Raffle: Engage your network with the chance to win exciting prizes.
  • Get Moving!: Aim for 25K steps per week, 25 minutes of daily walking, or 25 miles per week. Staying active can be fun and rewarding!

Our mission thrives because of passionate individuals like you who genuinely care about HopScotch. Your support is essential to our success,  lets create change and make a difference together!

Gather your friends and embark on an unforgettable weekend or winter getaway! We invite you to rent Ardvullin on weekends and during the winter months (November to March) to support our important work. 

Ardvullin is a beautifully restored house that accommodates up to 18 guests, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere for you to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the West Highlands. 

Don’t miss out—check the availability through our Airbnb link! 

All proceeds go directly to providing children’s with great childhood memories.

Help us spread the word! Share our Airbnb listing and let others join in on this incredible experience. Your support makes a difference!

Children playing in the sea
Alpacas 2024

Corporate Fundraising Funders – major funders and partners

Partnering with HopScotch offers your organisation a unique opportunity to make a profound impact on the lives of children and young people facing challenging circumstances. By joining us, you can help provide these deserving individuals with transformative breaks that create unforgettable memories. At HopScotch, we firmly believe that every child should have the chance to thrive, regardless of their home environment. No child should be defined by inequality, tragedy, or instability. 

Corporate partnerships are vital for us to deliver life-changing experiences to those who need them most. We invite your organisation to step forward as a supporting partner and play a key role in reshaping lives. Together, we can create pathways to hope and resilience for these young individuals. 

At HopScotch, collaboration is the cornerstone of our mission. As a corporate partner, you will enter into a dynamic and mutually rewarding relationship with us. Together, we can provide children with the life-altering experiences they desperately need, and make a lasting difference that echoes through their futures. 

Join us and become a part of something truly transformative!

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Nominate Hopscotch as your Charity of the year

You could adopt HopScotch as your organisation’s chosen charity of the year and come together as a team to walk, run, swim, hike, bake, raffle…your imagination is the only limit!  Perfect for team-bonding and doing something that makes you feel good (and does good!).  

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Child on horses 550 x 550 px

Payroll Giving

It's really easy for an employer to register with a payroll giving agency – and we can also help with the process too.

Payroll Giving is a quick, cost-effective way to give, meaning your gift will work even harder. Payroll Giving is open to everyone who is paid Pay As You Earn (PAYE). Your chosen amount is taken straight from your pay, before tax.

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Need some inspiration?

Here's how other workplaces have supported us in the past:

Aegon have raised £36,110 through several employee fundraising activities.

Calnex Solutions have raised approx £5,000 for us every year since 2017 through their Christmas Raffle!

Lloyds Banking Group have donated cosy hats, scarves, gloves, and slippers so children have all they need to stay warm.

Barratt Homes East Scotland raised £23,327 for us in 2018 through golf and staff fundraisers.

Baillie Gifford raised £45,661 for us in 2015 through various staff fundraising activities and matched donations. They also made donations-in-kind: office equipment; IT equipment; refurbishing office; running a staff volunteer day to decorate Ardvullin and donate flooring and furnishings for the house.

As you can see, you can tailor your support to suit your workplace - no donation is too small (or too large!!) and donations-in-kind are often a very welcome and practical way to support us.

Trust and Foundations

Become a Funder – Help Transform Young Lives with HopScotch

Each year, HopScotch Children’s Charity provides over 400 children from across Scotland, aged 7 to 12, with a much-needed respite break—often the first time they've had a real holiday or experienced time away from difficult home environments.

Our week-long HopScotch breaks offer far more than just a change of scenery. Children return home with greater confidence, resilience, and self-esteem—equipped with new friendships, life skills, and unforgettable memories. Many leave with a new belief in their own potential.

Why Partner with HopScotch?

  • Proven Impact: Over two decades of experience supporting children from challenging backgrounds.
  • Direct Reach: More than 400 children benefit each year through activity-packed, wellbeing-focused breaks.
  • Tangible Outcomes: Funders help children develop essential life skills—from cooking and bushcraft to environmental awareness and social communication.
  • Tailored Partnerships: Whether funding a specific project, contributing to children’s activity costs, or supporting staffing like our dedicated Activity Leader, your support has direct, measurable impact.

Ways to Support

You can become a valued funding partner through:

  • One-off grants
  • Annual or multi-year commitments
  • Project-specific sponsorship
  • Core cost contributions

We work closely with all our funders, providing regular updates, detailed reports, and opportunities to visit and meet the team behind the work. Transparency, impact, and gratitude are at the heart of our partnerships.

Get Involved

If you represent a charitable trust, foundation, or philanthropic fund and would like to help change the lives of children facing adversity, we’d love to hear from you.

Together, we are making a remarkable difference in the lives of these children and young people.

Volunteering opportunities

Join HopScotch as a volunteer and make a real difference

Volunteer for HopScotch

Fundraising and Event support

  • Support fundraising campaigns in Edinburgh and across Scotland to raise vital funds (£375 per child or £4,500 per group).
  • Help organise and/or participate in community events like bake sales, sponsored runs or challenges, dress down days, car boots or bespoke events.

Practical and maintenance volunteer at Ardvullin

  • Contribute behinds the scenes by organising work parties to carry out DIY, decorating, gardening, general cleaning and repair tasks, ensuring Ardvullin stays fresh and welcoming.
  • Help maintain the adventure playground and grounds - rewarding role if you enjoy hands-on outdoor work. 

Contact Us

We'd love to hear from you!

Office

GyleWorks, 34 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9EB

Ardvullin House

Ardgour, Fort William, PH33 7AA
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