On Monday 1 December the Small Charities Coalition launched their website at an event hosted by Google UK.

The Coalition exists to help small charities access the skills, experience and resources they need to achieve their aims. They are like a voluntary sector matchmaking service, matching small charities with other organisations that have the skills, experience, and in some cases resources, that the small charity lacks. These skills and experience may come from a fellow small charity, known as a friend to the Coalition, or from a supporter, for example a large charity or a business.

Guests at the event heard from a number of speakers including David Locke, Executive Director of Charity Services at the Charity Commission, and Claire Capal of the Pegasus Theatre in Oxford.

Claire was one of the first friends to take advantage of the unique resource matching service providing fundraising support to a much smaller charity in desperate need of a fundraising strategy. In return Clare was matched with the Project Manager of Oxfam’s Global Mobilisation Team to assist with their community project programme.

In the afternoon representatives of small charities were given the opportunity to gain insightful knowledge and advice from one of Google's web experts into how they can maximise the impact of their own website.

This event will be followed by another in the New Year that aims to team talented student web designers with small charities to build and develop their very own websites.

Becoming a friend of the Coalition is FREE. All they ask is that Coalition friends donate 24 hours of their time over a year to help their fellow small charities. Visit www.smallcharities.org.uk or email info@smallcharities.org.uk for more information.