We did it… thanks to you!

Staff and volunteers at Stroud Valleys Project (SVP) are celebrating a huge achievement that they say will support people and protect nature in the district. The charity launched a crowdfunder through the online platform Spacehive, and after three months of dogged fundraising, they announced on Tuesday 24 March that they had hit their target.

The Creative Shed team celebrate the Spacehive success!

Through online donations from supporters old and new, cash and card donations from street fundraising on the streets of Stroud, and pledges from local businesses and organisations, SVP raised an impressive £18,294.

“We launched Little Acorns, Mighty Oaks as a way of accessing funding through Stroud District Council (SDC), who backed us with a pledge of £8,000, with an additional £1,500 from Cotswold Canals Connected (CCC),” explained SVP CEO Clare Mahdiyone. “The race was then on to hit our target of £17,350, using the Spacehive online platform to reach out to our supporters and to find new ones!”

As well as over 150 donations from individuals supporting the charity’s plans to extend their nature work with children and provide creative nature-based activity with adults, several local businesses donated to the appeal.

Along with the pledges from SDC and CCC, donations ranged from £2 to £1,154 and came from the newly formed Our Co Op; Ethical Giving; Forest of Dean-based Rubicon; Kava Communications; She’s Electric; brand new Stroud bookshop Borderless Books; Chalford-based Pangolin Digital; long-time SVP supporter Saymor Furnishings; and investment advisor Zest for Life. Many local parish, town, district and county councillors also backed SVP’s appeal with donations.

“We’ve had numerous enquiries from schools in the area who want to work with us on nature-based learning – and thanks to our donors, we’ve got the funding to do it,” said Clare. “Some of the research that backed up our appeal showed a shocking level of disconnection between children and nature, and we want to be able to buck that trend here in Stroud and ensure youngsters know a little about our world and the species we share it with.

“We’re also overjoyed that we’ll be able to secure our work with adults on our Creative Shed and Wild Shed projects when the funding for them runs out later this year.

“We’d like to express our gratitude to every single person who donated to help us get over the line.”

Stroud District Council leader Chloe Turner added, “Stroud District Council is delighted to pledge to the Little Acorns, Mighty Oaks project because it will deliver exactly what our community crowdfunding programme is designed to support: meaningful, inclusive activities that strengthen community wellbeing and resilience, key priorities for the Council’s Stroud Funding initiative. 

“By offering nature‑based learning for young children and hands‑on, confidence‑building activities for adults, the project takes a lifelong approach to connecting people with the natural environment.

“This aligns strongly with our environmental and climate commitments, encouraging residents of all ages and abilities to engage with biodiversity, food growing, and sustainable practices. Little Acorns, Mighty Oaks represents the kind of imaginative, community‑led idea that brings people together, promotes learning, improves local wellbeing, and helps create a greener, healthier district.”