This holiday season, Save the Children is set to roll out its very first gaming‑focused fundraising initiative, a live‑streamed event dubbed "Save Point." The concept emerged from a broader ambition to deepen the organization’s connection with the global gaming community, a sector that has shown remarkable enthusiasm for social causes. Fiona Baxter, the charity’s senior fundraising manager, shared with GamesIndustry.biz that Save Point was "born from a wider desire to engage more with the gaming community," reflecting a strategic shift toward more inclusive and accessible fundraising formats.
Unlike traditional endurance challenges such as marathons, which demand significant physical preparation and time, a gaming and streaming fundraiser offers a low‑barrier entry point for supporters of all ages and abilities. "Save Point allows us to engage more with the gaming community, both from a partnership and individual supporter perspective," Baxter explained.
"Not everyone can run a marathon, so an event like this is a lot more accessible and allows us to showcase what a different type of supporter can do." By leveraging the interactive nature of live streams, the charity hopes to attract participants who might otherwise feel excluded from conventional charity events. The event will be anchored by a collaboration with popular online content creator and streamer TheKapFantastic, a figure who has already demonstrated a strong commitment to the cause by raising over £5,000 for Save the Children earlier in the year. This partnership exemplifies the growing trend of influencers using their platforms to mobilise audiences for philanthropy.
Baxter emphasized that the charity aims to nurture these relationships beyond the immediate fundraiser. "It would be incredible to reach more people in this community with information about the work we do and why it's important," she said. "I will consider it a huge success if we walk away from this event with a new crew of supporters who might want to game for us again because of their experience with us." Because this is Save the Children’s first foray into a gaming‑centric fundraiser, the organization anticipates a steep learning curve. "There are also a lot of learning opportunities in this event.
This is our first time doing this type of fundraiser, so the feedback we get will be invaluable and help us shape bigger and better gaming events year‑on‑year," Baxter noted. The insights gathered will inform future campaigns, potentially expanding the scale and scope of charitable gaming events, and establishing best practices for collaboration between NGOs and the gaming industry.
Baxter praised gamers and streamers as "unsung heroes of fundraising," highlighting the unique capacity of the gaming space to set "a new, innovative standard" for charitable support. She observed that gamers share a deep love for storytelling, imagination, and immersive experiences, which can be harnessed to drive real‑world impact. "There is an understanding between game‑lovers that we are a group of people who love stories, imagination and escaping to new worlds through the power of play. By turning our love of gaming into a force for real‑world, lasting change, we're demonstrating just how powerful and impactful the gaming community can be," she said.
Save Point is a key component of Save the Children’s broader "The One Delivery That Matters" campaign, slated to launch in November 2026. The campaign seeks to shift public attention from material gifts to essential supplies that children in crisis desperately need during the festive period. While many children anticipate toys and sweets, millions are instead waiting for life‑saving deliveries of food, medicine, warm clothing, and safe shelter. Baxter underscored this stark contrast: "Absolutely anything you could think of can be delivered right to your door at the tap of a screen.
But for millions of children this Christmas, it’s not toys or treats they’re waiting for – it's the deliveries that will save lives and protect childhoods." The Save Point event is scheduled for December 5‑6, 2026, and will run as a continuous livestream where participants can set up personal fundraising pages, engage their audiences, and compete in gaming challenges that unlock additional donations. Viewers will be encouraged to donate directly through integrated platforms, with real‑time updates showing the cumulative amount raised. The charity plans to feature a mix of popular multiplayer titles, retro classics, and indie games to appeal to a diverse audience.
To join the initiative, individuals can register their interest via the official Save Point landing page. Once signed up, participants will receive a toolkit containing guidelines on how to set up a streaming channel, tips for audience engagement, and resources to explain the cause to viewers. The toolkit also includes branding assets, such as overlays and donation tickers, to maintain a cohesive visual identity throughout the event. Beyond the immediate fundraising goal, Save Point aims to cultivate a lasting community of gaming‑focused philanthropists.
By providing a platform where gamers can align their passion with purpose, Save the Children hopes to embed charitable giving into the fabric of gaming culture. This could lead to recurring events, collaborative charity tournaments, and even the development of in‑game items whose sales directly support humanitarian projects. In summary, Save Point represents an innovative blend of entertainment and altruism, leveraging the reach and interactivity of live streaming to mobilise a new generation of donors. Through strategic partnerships, thoughtful planning, and a commitment to learning, Save the Children is poised to set a benchmark for future charity events in the digital age.
The organization invites anyone with a love for gaming and a desire to make a difference to join the cause, promising that every minute spent playing could translate into tangible help for children who need it most during the holiday season.