Ezra chose to raise money and awareness for Yellow Door and support people impacted by domestic and sexual abuse in a bold way—by shaving their head live on Instagram.
The head shaving, which was streamed in real time, drew support from friends and donors who tuned in to watch. Ezra began by getting in touch with us, setting up a fundraising page, and encouraging friends and family to donate before the big day.
We asked Ezra why they chose to support Yellow Door:
“I have a couple of friends who have unfortunately been in toxic and abusive relationships/situations, and they both said that Yellow Door was a massive help to them. I wanted to choose a charity that was local, where I could see the impact in my community around me, and the mission of Yellow Door is something that I feel very passionate about.“
We asked ‘how was the whole experience?’
“The experience was great, it was really nice seeing all of the people in my life step up to support the charity, and the livestream of my head being shaved by all my friends was so fun. The whole thing was super easy too, all I had to do was set up the page and then start fundraising.“
Ezra’s support was a visible act of solidarity with victims and survivors, and a powerful way to spark conversation around domestic and sexual abuse, and highlight the support Yellow Door offers for those who need it.
By the end of the event, Ezra’s fundraising page raised an incredible £700 with £55 gift aid on top. These funds go directly to the vital work we do in Southampton and Hampshire including therapy, advocacy and education for adults, families, young people and children who have experienced abuse. We asked Ezra how it feels to have helped people impacted by abuse, access life changing support.
“It feels great, especially thinking about my friends and the awful situations they must’ve been in, to be able to help provide a way out of that for someone else’s friends or daughter or brother is so meaningful.“
Ezra’s fundraising stands as a reminder of how small acts can have a big impact within your community.
Finally, we asked Ezra ‘What would you say to people considering fundraising?’
“I would say go for it! Like me, it doesn’t have to be a matter of great personal sacrifice to you – if you think you could raise any amount of money doing it, give it a shot. Don’t be worried about the amount either; any amount is helpful and just by doing it you’ll be raising awareness and potentially showing Yellow Door to people who might need to know about it.“
Thank you to Ezra for fundraising and for taking the time to speak to us about your experience. If you are interested in fundraising for Yellow Door, please get in touch! It could be a personal challenge, a creative project, or even a small event with friends. What matters most is choosing a cause you care about and inviting others to be part of it.
You can visit our fundraising page or get in touch with the team by emailing supportus@yellowdoor.org.uk or calling 02380 636312 and asking to speak to Libby or Sarah. If now isn’t the right time for you to fundraise, but you’d like to donate to our work, you can do so below.