Generous readers have donated £300,000 to the Guardian and Observer’s Christmas charities, just over halfway into this year’s annual appeal.
Nine charities that challenge stigma and seek to create more positive attitudes to mental illness, ranging from national organisations to small local projects, will benefit from the donations.
One anonymous donor gave £40,000 to the appeal just before Christmas.
The total includes £20,000 pledged by readers during the annual telethon day staffed by Guardian and Observer journalists, held in mid-December.
The overall total, counted at close of play on Christmas Eve, is £299,000, over £164,000 more than at the same stage of the appeal last year.
The nine charities, which will share equally in the total money raised, are: Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, Gardening Leave, Cooltan Arts, Centre for Mental Health, Samaritans, MAC-UK, Star Wards, and Kidstime Foundation.
You can read more about the charities here and keep up with the progress of the appeal, at the appeal blog.
Introducing the appeal, the Guardian editor-in-chief, Alan Rusbridger, said: “Each [charity] offers innovative services in their particular areas of expertise, but all have a common mission, which is one we as a media organisation share: to challenge stigma and create more positive societal attitudes towards mental illness.”
The appeal runs until mid-January. Readers can give online or by phone.
