This holiday season, Save the Children is set to roll out its very first gaming‑focused fundraising campaign, titled "Save Point." The initiative merges live streaming, competitive play, and community engagement to generate funds and awareness for children in need during the festive period. Fiona Baxter, the organization’s senior fundraising manager, shared with GamesIndustry.biz that the concept for Save Point emerged from a broader ambition to deepen the charity’s connection with the gaming world.
"We wanted a platform where we could interact with gamers and streamers on a level that feels natural to them," Baxter explained. "Traditional charity events like marathons are fantastic, but they aren’t accessible to everyone. A gaming‑centric fundraiser opens the door for a much wider audience to participate and make a difference." The event will be anchored by a collaboration with popular online creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, who previously helped raise more than £5,000 for Save the Children earlier this year.
This partnership exemplifies the charity’s strategy of aligning with influential voices within the gaming community to amplify its message and broaden its donor base. Baxter emphasized that the goal extends beyond a single weekend of donations. "We’re looking to forge lasting relationships with gamers, content creators, and their audiences.
If we can turn first‑time participants into repeat supporters, we’ll have built a sustainable pipeline of advocacy for our cause," she said. "Success for us means walking away with a new crew of enthusiastic backers who want to keep gaming for good causes because of the positive experience they’ve had with us." Because Save Point is a pilot effort, the team anticipates a steep learning curve.
"There’s a wealth of insight we’ll gather from this event—what works, what doesn’t, and how we can scale up in future years. The feedback will be crucial for shaping larger, more ambitious gaming fundraisers down the line," Baxter noted. Describing gamers and streamers as "the unsung heroes of fundraising," Baxter highlighted how the gaming sector is setting a "new, innovative standard" for charitable support. She pointed out that many gamers share a love for storytelling, imagination, and immersive experiences.
"When we channel that passion into real‑world impact, we demonstrate just how powerful the gaming community can be in driving lasting change," she added. Save Point is a cornerstone of Save the Children’s broader campaign, "The One Delivery That Matters," which launches in November 2026. The campaign aims to shift the public’s focus from traditional holiday gifts to essential supplies that children in vulnerable situations desperately need—such as nutritious food, medication, warm clothing, and safe shelter. Baxter illustrated the contrast vividly: "Anyone can order a gadget or a toy with a few taps on a screen, but for millions of children this Christmas, the most critical deliveries are those that keep them alive and protect their childhoods.
Our message is that the same technology that delivers entertainment can also deliver lifesaving aid." The two‑day Save Point event is scheduled for December 5‑6, 2026. Participants will be able to sign up through a dedicated registration portal, where they will receive guidance on setting up their own fundraising livestreams, tips for engaging viewers, and resources to maximize donation potential.
The charity encourages both seasoned streamers and newcomers to join, emphasizing that every contribution—whether a small donation, a shared social media post, or an hour of gameplay—adds to the collective impact. In addition to live gameplay, the event will feature special challenges, charity‑themed in‑game skins, and interactive donation milestones that unlock exclusive content for viewers.
These gamified elements are designed to keep audiences invested and to translate entertainment value into tangible financial support for children facing hardship. By integrating the excitement of gaming with the urgency of humanitarian aid, Save the Children hopes to create a replicable model for future collaborations across the entertainment sector.
"If we can prove that a gaming marathon can raise as much, if not more, than a traditional charity run, we’ll have opened doors for countless other organizations to explore similar avenues," Baxter concluded. To join the cause, interested individuals can register their interest via the Save Point sign‑up page, where they will also receive a toolkit for launching a successful fundraising stream.
The charity looks forward to seeing a diverse array of gamers, from solo players to large multiplayer squads, unite under the shared goal of delivering essential aid to children in need this Christmas.