Spark Community Space crowd funder exceeds £10,000 target as Portsmouth community shows its support
THE community has come together to support an up-and-coming charity as people from across the area have helped a charity hit its crowdfunding goal.
People, businesses and organisations from Portsmouth and beyond have chipped in to Spark Community Space’s crowdfunding campaign, raising over £10,000.
Becki Simmons launched the campaign in February to raise enough money to get the charity, which launched in October last year, it’s very own space to call home.
Becki set the charity up after going through emergency brain surgery eight years ago that left her unable to work or resume her previous ‘normal’ life.
Her aim with Spark was to help people in all walks of life to ‘spark back into life’ and reintegrate into society with a support network to hold their hand while doing so.
The final total of the crowd funder is £10,470 – almost £500 over Becki’s goal.
The money will be put towards Spark’s space, which is set to be part charity shop, to continue raising money and part café, to allow people to come and enjoy time alone or with friends and family.
Becki said she has been overwhelmed by the support, which she says shows the true spirit of the community in Portsmouth.
She said: ‘People have all come together and supported us more than I could have imagined. It’s amazing how much people are willing to help someone out, many who don’t even know me.
‘I just really need to say thank you to every single person who has helped and supported me, whether that’s just sharing our posts on social media, donating items for the space, donating to the crowd funder, offering their services up for free – everything is so appreciated and that’s what has helped Spark get this far.’
Becki has been helped out by several city businesses and organisations, including BC&A Chartered Accountants, who has given up its time completely free of charge to help with the charity’s finances, as well as Express FM who has been following Becki’s journey since she began.
Rebecca Lodge from Start-Up Disruptors will be naming the space after donating £500.
As well as businesses, individuals have chipped in, with one person raising £1300 through GoFundMe.
Becki has big plans for the future and said: ‘The next steps for us is to find our home. We’re currently looking for spaces in Southsea and are hoping to be up-and-running in the heart of the city as soon as we can so we can achieve our long-term goal of helping as many people as we can.’
Portsmouth City Council will be matching £5,000 of the final total once the space is open.
