Leeds Mind is proud to host a guest blog from Col Grist, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Few and Far, the creative studio partner behind Get Together Through Gaming. A huge thank you to Col and the whole Few and Far team for their continued partnership.
Four years ago, I spoke with Leeds Mind about an idea that didn’t fit any familiar fundraising category. A livestream gaming marathon. No venue. No gala dinner. No auction. Just people playing video games on the internet for a whole weekend.
As a gamer myself, I’d seen and enjoyed many fundraising events in the gaming space. I’d noticed that charities were missing out on the amazing communities that form through people watching their favourite streamers. Gaming can be a great way to look after your mental health, connect with your friends and build communities. For me, that’s always been true. It felt like a natural fit with what Leeds Mind stands for.
To their credit, Leeds Mind were up for it. One of the fundraisers had actually dreamed of hosting a gaming event – although it was a dream that felt impossible for the small team. Livestream fundraising still isn’t something charities are really doing, and GTTG remains one of a kind in that space. But the team had seen the potential and backed the idea from the start. That openness and willingness to try something new is what made the whole thing possible.
How it grew
The 2023 pilot raised £4,626. There was no budget, no brand awareness for GTTG, and onboarding streamers was difficult. But it was the largest ROI Leeds Mind had ever had for a fundraiser at the time, and they named us their Corporate Partner of the Quarter off the back of it.
In year two, streamers who’d taken part before returned and brought others along with them. We built a website so anyone could watch and donate without needing a Twitch account, which meant Leeds Mind’s trustees and supporters could join in. Income grew to £7,289.
By year three, we had 46 streamers across 85+ streams, coverage from ITV Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Evening Post, and I appeared on BBC Radio Leeds alongside Emily from Leeds Mind. The weekend featured gaming alongside darts marathons, makeup tutorials, live music and some genuinely open conversations about mental health. The total reached £8,387.
Across three years and just nine total days of streaming, GTTG has raised over £20,000 for Leeds Mind.
What I’ve learned
The thing that strikes me every year is the conversations that happen during the streams. Not the big moments, but the quieter ones. Someone talking openly about how they’re feeling. A viewer checking in on a streamer they’ve never actually met. That’s where GTTG does its best work. The fundraising total matters, obviously, but those conversations are what keep me coming back to this.
Working with Leeds Mind has been a proper education in what good partnership looks like. They’re resourceful, they’re brave with new ideas, and they show up for their community in ways that go well beyond what’s expected. The event wouldn’t exist without their trust and their team’s energy every single year.
Worth mentioning: every single streamer from 2025 has already signed up again for this year, barring a few scheduling conflicts. I think that says a lot about what this event means to the people involved.
GTTG 2026: 13 to 15 March
Year four runs from 13 to 15 March, live from 10am GMT. You can watch at gttg.stream, and if you’re able to, you can sponsor a streamer or donate directly. It all goes to mental health support in Leeds.
If you’re a business and you’d like to get involved for future years, reach out to the Leeds Mind team or get in touch with us at Few and Far.
Same time next year? Let’s go.
Col Grist
Co-Founder and Creative Director, Few and Far
About Few and Far
Few and Far is a creative studio based in Leeds that works exclusively with charities. They’re a certified B Corporation, a Living Wage Employer, and a 1% for the Planet member.
