An environmental match funding campaign that aims to raise £4m for 178 charities gets underway this weekend.

The annual Green Match Fund campaign takes place this year from 22 to 29 April and is being organised by match funding platform Big Give and the Environmental Funders Network.

This is the third year of the event, which has already raised £4.6m for more than 250 charities.

Following an application process earlier this year 178 charities are taking part with foundations and philanthropists matching donations made by the public.

The campaign aims to address a lack of interest among donors in giving to green causes. Big Give cites Charities Aid Foundation figures showing just 7% of giving in 2021 was made to environmental, heritage and conservation charities.

Charities taking part include Surfers Against Sewage, RSPB, WWF- UK, Project Seagrass and Gwent Wildlife Trust.

Others include Blue Marine Foundation, UK Wild Otter Trust and Whale and Dolphin Conservation.

Celebrities involved include the actors Michael Sheen, Joanna Lumley and Olivia Colman and musicians Paul McCartney and Ellie Goulding.

“More than ever the charities looking after the planet and everything that it offers and provides us humans are under threat,” said Big Give managing director Alex Day.

“With funding cuts and the cost-of-living crisis biting into their budgets, this year’s campaign will make a huge difference to so many good causes whether it’s keeping our oceans and rivers clean, to saving our green spaces from rash development or supporting endangered species.”

Also backing the campaign is BBC Springwatch and Autumnwatch presenter Megan McCubbin, who said: “Whether it’s bees, beavers, trees or our green open spaces, the charities and causes in this year’s campaign need our support more than ever. Big Give’s ability to double people’s donations is amazing and this will have a material impact on the charities ability to continue to make a difference”.

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