We wish you a very happy New Year! We begin 2026 with hope, especially as it’s a milestone year for DSRF UK. By October we’ll have completed 30 full years of working to promote quality research on Trisomy 21, and advocating for the rights of the Down syndrome community.
We’re proud to have worked with so many wonderful partners over the years who share these aims and take this area of research forward. There are increasing opportunities and urgent needs, and we are currently being approached by more researchers than before who need our support.
Throughout 2026, we’ll spotlight what has happened in the last 30 years: needs identified, research achieved, and how the landscape of possibilities has widened and become transformed globally for people with Down syndrome. We’ll share why research matters, the practical difference it has already made across three decades, and why it’s important to that research is backed up with human rights advocacy.
We also have a target for fundraising this year, because promoting research for Down syndrome in the UK has significant challenges. Despite being the only UK charity focused on Trisomy 21 research – and although this research affects the largest group of people with a congenital syndrome in the UK – there is no government funding available for this work. We are stepping up our public fundraising with a campaign to raise £100,000 in our 30th anniversary year.
One of the very best ways you can support us is becoming a regular giver. A monthly commitment gives us immediate help, and also more peace of mind that DSRF UK can continue with your support.
For 2026, would you consider donating £21 per month for Trisomy 21 research and advocacy? If you are a UK taxpayer, you can donate £16.80 per month, and once giftaid is added, £21 would reach us.
You can donate here: https://www.dsrf-uk.org/donate/
Other fundraising resources can be found here:
https://www.dsrf-uk.org/support/
https://www.dsrf-uk.org/support/leaving-a-gift-in-your-will/
Please reach out to us this year if you have ideas to support our fundraising effort. Legacy giving, one-off donations, grant opportunities – all of these are welcome sources of support to us too.
Thank you for your support for Down syndrome research over our charity’s existence. We’ve gathered great momentum in 30 years, and we know the road is paved ahead of us for further significant advances. We are grateful we can count on our supporters to keep moving forward. We wish you the best possible start to 2026!
