Plan and fund your gap year

Planning an adventure? Whether it’s a six month world trip or a six week project closer to home, your friends and family will want to help you get there. With Patchwork you can show people the things they can help you fund – like tours, accommodation and vaccinations. And also the things they can do – like lending you a rucksack or helping you brush up on your Spanish.

EASY TO SET UP
Customise a travel template to share with friends.
FUND MAKE DO
Invite friends to contribute money, time or skills.
MONEY DIRECT TO YOU
Collect cash gifts direct to your PayPal and/or Stripe account.
SAY THANK YOU
Keep track of contributions, view messages and send thanks.

Create your adventure page

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“The gift list innovators. Patchwork removes the stigma of asking for cash”

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Featured as ‘Website of the Week’ by Lauren Laverne on BBC6 Music

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“Using the power of friendly donations to banish bad gifts”

Editing a patch within a gap year patchwork

1. Set up your page

Browse our many unique gap year and solo travel destinations and choose a readymade template to customise. Or create your own adventure wish list from scratch. With Patchwork you can invite friends and family to fund items, pay for much wanted experiences or contribute time and skills. A patchwork of images shows them the things you’d like them to fund, make or do. For example, you could include the option for people to contribute £30 towards accommodation, £5 for a street food lunch, lend you a backpack or make you a playlist for those long bus rides!

Browse our travel templates

2. Collect money

Patchwork is not tied to any travel agents and we don't hold your funds. Instead money goes directly into your PayPal account or your bank account via Stripe so you can book your trip when, where and how you like. It's free to sign up to Patchwork, we only make money when you receive yours - with a 3.6% commission on contributions you receive. You can compare partner fees here. If you have a promotion code to waive our fee, partner fees still apply.

Patchwork Commission 3.6% + payment partner fees on funds received

Contributing to a patchwork with PayPal or Stripe

3. Say thank you

It's super easy to keep track of contributions and messages from friends and family. So when you’re enjoying your various travel experiences, you can upload photos to your account to send along with a thank you message to the friends who helped make your adventure happen. You can also send printed thank you cards using our 30% discount with our friends at Moo.

With readymade templates for a huge range of different destinations and a gorgeous image gallery, it's easy to set up your travel fund with Patchwork. And the Pinterest-style layout and mobile friendly experience makes it easy and fun for friends to contribute, too.

Start your travel fund

Hear From Happy Travellers:

Jake's Around-the-world Adventure

"l wanted to involve my friends and family in the adventure I was about to go on and Patchwork was the perfect way to do it. I asked friends to lend me travelling essentials and make me playlists, and my family gave me money towards my savings."

Holly's Trip to Thailand

"It was a fun way to show all my family and friends the kind of things I wanted to do with my time away, and got them really involved. It's a straightforward and easy to use way to fund your travels."

Alice's Journey Through Asia

"Patchwork meant my family could choose to give me an activity during my travels, maybe 'a day in Tokyo' or a much needed 'meal in a restaurant' or even a 'cocktail on the beach' — it allowed them to give a real gift whilst also helping me fund my trip!"