How LEAP is powering sustainable community support with Give A Little regular giving

While the larder was thriving, relying on spontaneous cash donations made it difficult to forecast the future. Charlotte Keir, Larder Services Manager, knew that to keep the project sustainable, they needed to move their supporters towards a more reliable way of giving.

The challenge: From spare change to sustainable support

As the local community moved away from cash, LEAP found that their most passionate supporters wanted to give but often arrived at the larder without any spare change. Charlotte went on a mission to find a digital solution that could handle both on-the-spot contactless donations and long-term monthly commitments.

"We had had a few people approach us and say, 'Do we have a Direct Debit option?'... A lot of people don’t carry cash anymore so we also needed a way to take card donations. I found Give A Little through researching online and as I was reading through all the things it offered, I was going 'Well, that’s just what we’re looking for.' It just made sense for us to have it all in one place."

The solution: Monthly giving made simple

In January 2026, LEAP launched Give A Little, utilising the platform's Magic campaign template to create blended app and web campaigns. This versatile setup allowed them to accept both one-off and monthly recurring donations via their fixed CollecTin More contactless donation box, equipped with a Stripe WisePad 3 card reader.

To reach supporters beyond the larder's walls, they utilised the same Magic campaign by sharing links to the associated web campaign on social media and using QR codes. Whether at the larder or online, donors have the flexibility to choose between a one-off gift or a recurring monthly commitment, making it easy for the community to support the charity’s future.

In just a few months, LEAP has already secured nearly 30 regular monthly donors, providing a consistent baseline of income that helps the charity breathe easier.

Why regular giving is a game-changer for LEAP

Reliable planning and financial security

For a small charity, knowing exactly what is coming in each month is transformative. It allows Charlotte and her team to focus on serving the community rather than worrying about how much they collect through one-off giving each day.

"For a charity where you’re relying on donations and funding, if you know there’s a set amount rather than it fluctuating so wildly with one-off donations, it makes it a bit easier to plan. The monthly donations have been a great thing actually." - Charlotte Keir

Supporting from a distance

Many of LEAP’s regular donors are people who support the charity’s environmental mission but don't necessarily visit the larder to collect food. Give A Little’s web campaigns allow these remote supporters to stay connected.

"We have a lot of supporters who don’t necessarily use the service frequently, so they aren't there to give a physical donation. Having the option to sign up for a monthly donation means it doesn't matter if they can come and see us physically; they can still support us that way." - Charlotte Keir

Maximising income with Gift Aid and Inflationary Giving

LEAP has fully embraced Give A Little’s donor focused features to supercharge their fundraising. By enabling Gift Aid on their Give A Little campaigns, they can easily allow donors to opt-in either there and then or later via Gift Aid Later. They are also an early adopter of Give A Little’s new

Inflationary Giving feature, which allows donors to opt into increasing their monthly donation in line with inflation to protect the gift's value.

"It’s great that you can get the Gift Aid through Give A Little as well, which has been fantastic. The fact that once donors are signed up to Gift Aid, if they're using that same card the next time they donate, they are remembered and don’t have to opt-in again is great. We’re using a lot of the features available to us... the inflationary giving was something we weren't necessarily looking for, but I don't see why any charity wouldn't want that!" - Charlotte Keir

Real-world flexibility: Supermarkets and offline taps

The charity’s fundraising isn't limited to the larder. Recently, the team took their CollecTin to a local Sainsbury’s supermarket to collect donations. They even discovered the benefits of offline donations when the internet dropped out during an event.

"We were a bit confused at first... we saw people tap their cards, but it wasn't showing in the total. But as soon as we took it back to the larder and it connected back on the Wi-Fi, they all came through! It’s been a game-changer for us." - Charlotte Keir

The verdict: A real boost

By embracing Give A Little’s cashless giving and recurring donation features, LEAP has turned its "pay-what-you-can" model into a stable, professionally funded community staple.

"We’ve honestly been so happy with it. It fits exactly what we were looking for and has been really well received by our supporters... Genuinely, using Give A Little has been a real boost to our work at LEAP and we couldn't be happier with it." - Charlotte Keir