Foresters Charity Appeal Monthly Roundup – July 2026

Welcome to the latest edition of our Foresters charity appeal roundup! In this series, we provide updates on our current appeal and celebrate the incredible efforts of our members, as they unite to support Shelter, a national UK housing and homelessness charity.

A Message from our High Chief Ranger, Bruce Hicks:

July has been the first full month of my year as High Chief Ranger and with it the beginning of our fundraising year for Shelter.

It has been wonderful to see the appeal getting off to such an encouraging start, with Branches (traditionally known as Courts) and members around the country already finding different ways to get involved.

During July we have seen afternoon teas, a Branch dinner and, of course,numerous raffles all raising money for the appeal. These are exactly the sort of activities I hoped we would see, opportunities to raise funds for a very worthwhile cause while also bringing Foresters together and having some fun along the way.

The sale of our Appeal Calendars is also going particularly well. I won’t say too much about those just yet, as I hope to have more to report next month, but thank you to everyone who has already bought one or helped with their sale.

On a personal note, Helen (my wife) and I had the pleasure of attending a very enjoyable afternoon tea in North Yorkshire during July. It was a lovely event, with great company and a warm Foresters welcome, and a reminder that the appeal is about more than simply the amount of money we raise. It is also an opportunity for us to get together, support one another and enjoy the fellowship that has always been such an important part of Foresters. And, naturally, there was a raffle!

Every afternoon tea, dinner, raffle and calendar sold adds to our collective effort. No individual event needs to raise a huge amount, when Branches and members across the Society all do their bit, those contributions soon add up to something significant.

Helen and I would also be delighted to support Branch events personally whenever we can. If your Branch is planning something for the Shelter Appeal and you would like us to come along, please do let us know. We cannot promise to be everywhere, but we will certainly do our best.

For me, these visits are about more than fundraising. They are also a valuable opportunity to meet members in their own Courts and, importantly, to listen. I want to hear what Branches and members have to say about Foresters, what is working well, what could work better and what matters to you as we look to the future of our Society.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the Shelter Appeal during July, whether by organising an event, buying a raffle ticket or calendar, donating, or simply helping to spread the word.

We have made a very encouraging start, and I am looking forward to seeing what August brings.

Bruce Hicks
High Chief Ranger

How you can get involved

Foresters Friendly Society is encouraging everyone to join this year’s appeal and help create meaningful change. There are plenty of ways that you can get involved:

Funds raised by Foresters members throughout the year will go directly towards Shelter’s mission, helping to make a meaningful difference to the lives of people facing homelessness and housing insecurity across the UK.

How to access support

Shelter works across every aspect of the housing emergency to provide both immediate help and long-term solutions.

If you need support and would like to speak to Shelter, please visit the charity’s website where you can find information about their helpline, online housing advice service and webchat facility.

 

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