Fundraising Challenge Defies Economic Doom and Gloom to Raise GBP7.7 Million

LONDON, December 16 - A fundraising challenge, launched by one of the UK's leading
not-for-profit organisations, has exceeded expectations during the economic
downturn to raise GBP7.7 million for charity, in a single working week.

This year, The Big Give's Matching Challenge raised three times more than
the GBP2 million it raised in 2008, giving a much needed boost to the 175
charities involved.

The Big Give's Matching Challenge fundraising is achieved by creating a
matched fund - generated through a combination of trustees, major donors and
the charitable Reed Foundation - which was then used to double donations via
its website, www.thebiggive.org.uk, between 7th and 11th December.

Charities set to benefit from the world's largest ever online matched
charity fund, include the Prince's Trust, the National Trust and the WWF.

Hannah Levin, development manager at Wimbledon Civic Theatre Trust, which
provides young people with the opportunity to perform on a professional stage
at New Wimbledon Theatre, said: "We are thrilled to be a part of the Big
Give's Matched Funding Challenge this year - being a small local charity,
this additional funding has helped us to raise our profile within the local
community.

With the help of a core donation of GBP1.5 million from The Reed
Foundation, the matched fund was used to match pound for pound every donation
up to GBP5,000 to charities involved in the challenge.

The Big Give, described as 'the Google of giving', is the brainchild of
renowned philanthropist Alec Reed who spent GBP1 million of his own money to
launch the charity search engine for matched funding initiatives in October
2007.

Alec Reed CBE, founder of Reed Global and The Big Give, and also chairman
of The Reed Foundation, said: "I believe that exceeding our target and
raising GBP7.7 million for charity in a single working week is an amazing
achievement, which proves that, in this traditional season of goodwill,
donors are looking for ways to make their support go further.

"I set up The Big Give so that I could give my money away intelligently
and I'm delighted that people continue to use our website throughout to
support the valuable work charities do and make a real difference to the
lives of others."

Today www.thebiggive.org.uk showcases nearly 6,000 UK charities
working worldwide and has raised more than GBP5 million for charity. In
September 2009, The Big Give was awarded the Third Sector Excellence Award
for Innovation in Grant Making, in recognition of last year's matching
challenge.

Last year, The Big Give's first matched funding challenge saw GBP2
million raised, in just 45 minutes, with an average donation of GBP1,400,
representing some GBP44,000 raised every minute.

Contact only available to media: James Thomlinson on +44(0)20-7861-2516,
+44(0)7708-386-288 or email jthomlinson at bell-pottinger.co.uk