This month we are launching our Big Give Earth Raise 2026 campaign to grow Insect Week 2026, our flagship public engagement event to inspire people of all ages to learn more about insects and their roles in our lives.
For one week, starting on World Earth Day on 22 April 2026, the Big Give will match any donations made by our generous supporters, enabling double the impact for Insect Week 2026.
Double Your Donation
For a week between 22 – 29 April, every donation you make will be matched pound for pound, doubling your impact at no extra cost to you.
Donations of £5 will be turned into £10, £50 to £100 – your contributions will be DOUBLED up to a total of £10,000, giving us £20,000 to support conservation science.
What will you help us achieve?
Insect Week is our week-long annual flagship event to enable people of all ages to learn more about insects and feel inspired to take notice of what’s on our doorsteps, create habitats for beneficial species and maybe even study them in future. This Insect Week will bring hands-on insect science to communities across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, taking place across five city hubs in Liverpool, Dublin, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London. At each hub we will offer access-to-all activities, also supporting disadvantaged young people to study insects through science and art activities to empower local action
From microscope sessions and citizen science projects to wildlife walks and creative workshops, for many attendees this will be their very first chance to explore insects up close.
We aim to:
- Reach at least 1,000 visitors per city hub this Insect Week
- We will provide access to insect science at all levels with the support of passionate and knowledgeable entomologists from local community groups, universities and museums.
- Expand access to insect science for young people and under-served communities
- With our partners we will host diverse and fun insect identification activities, empowering participants to improve habitats for insects locally. We will host wildlife walks, creative arts and science sessions using microscopes and hand lenses, familiarising participants with scientific exploration.
- Ensure all activities remain free and accessible
- We will place an emphasis on supporting young people, families and individuals in harder to reach communities, supporting their participation in our free of charge activities by hosting Insect Week events close to home. We want everyone to have access to hands-on insect science and exploration.
Every donation made through Big Give Earth Raise will go directly towards strengthening and scaling Insect Week’s impact.
The best part?
Donate during the Big Give 22-29 April and your donation will be DOUBLED.
Wendy Harris
Cardiff
Tony Hunter
Liverpool
Jane Stout
Dublin
Ashleigh Whiffin
Edinburgh
Fran Sconce
London
“Did you know I am an Ambassador of the Royal Entomological Society? And I am participating in Insect Week in June this year, sharing the wonders of insects with children and families.
We really want to make Insect Week bigger this year so that more children can learn about insects like me in places close to you. We now need your help to raise some funds so we can run lots of free activities for anyone who wants to learn more about insects.
You can donate to our Big Give Earth Raise fundraising campaign between the 22nd and 29th April, and any donations made will be doubled!”
– Lloyd, Aardman’s Lloyd of the Flies
“As an entomologist and author on the fascinating lives of pollinators, my team and I have supported the Royal Entomological Society’s Insect Week for a number of years. Insect Week is a key moment in our annual calendar to share the wonders and diversity of these animals with the wider public.
Together with the Big Give Earth Raise, the RES are raising £20,000 to support creative and fun insect focussed activities during Insect Week in June. Any donations made to the campaign to support these activities will be doubled by the Big Give between April 22nd – 29th.
Your donation could support a child’s first encounter with a hoverfly, a young person’s opportunity to learn more about solitary bees, or to explore an ant up close through a microscope.
Please consider donating to the Insect Week campaign.”
– Dave Goulson, Professor, Biologist, Author and founder of Bumblebee Conservation Trust
This is a unique opportunity to make your support go twice as far. Every contribution, big or small, helps us continue our work championing insect science and safeguarding biodiversity for the future.
Stand Tall for the Small with our Big Give campaign
Have your support DOUBLED this April by donating through the Big Give Earth Raise.
Help promote our message
Support doesn’t need to be in the form of a monetary donation – Keep an eye on our channels from 22 April when we’ll start to post about the campaign via our social media below and share your support by spreading the word.
You can also download our Big Give Media Pack for some examples of newsletter and social media copy we’d love you to share amongst your community – support us by helping to amplify our message!
