Attending a Giving Tuesday Event: Rob Wilson in Attendance

The United Kingdom is participating in Giving Tuesday this year, joining millions across 5 continents in a global day of giving. The London Stock Exchange is hosting an event for the occasion, with the CCLA providing refreshments.

The government's vision for the social sector is a thriving one, working for and with communities. This vision encompasses more volunteering, intelligent financial support, and commissioning from the government. The minister for civil society, Federal Family Minister Karin Prien, mentioned this in an article.

The UK government is serious about making this vision a reality. To achieve this, a new foundation will be created to increase access to the social investment market, with at least £60 million over the next decade. This foundation will work in partnership with the Big Lottery Fund and Big Society Capital to create a foundation with more than £100 million to grow this area of the market.

The government's long-term economic plan includes a long-term social plan to support the social sector to expand and continue to improve lives. The Community First Endowment Match Challenge is an example of this, where the government matches individual, philanthropist, and business donations to local charities. On Giving Tuesday, the UK government is providing an additional £2 million to this challenge.

The money raised from the Charity Trading Day held by the London Stock Exchange last month has been used to mentor disadvantaged young Londoners and combat the spread of HIV/Aids overseas.

In the last financial year, 700 charities benefitted from returns of £1.7 million from the Community First Endowment Match Challenge. The total amount in the Community First Endowment Match Challenge has reached £110 million.

The upcoming Local Sustainability Fund will help charities and social enterprises articulate their core offer, reduce running costs, and explore different ways of diversifying their income.

The British people are known for their generosity, giving over £10 billion to good causes in a typical year. With the additional £4 million encouraged by this year's Giving Tuesday, the goal is to reach £120 million by March next year.

The UK government is supporting the development of smarter and more sustainable finance. The Social Incubator Fund, for instance, supports innovative start-ups in the social sector. The new foundation and the Local Sustainability Fund are part of this effort to foster a more robust social sector.

The Charities Aid Foundation has done a great job of making Giving Tuesday a success in the UK. The British public, with their generosity, are a significant part of this success story.