Feel Good Fundraising: Flo in the sky with diamonds

In our ‘Feel Good Fundraising’ series, Bamboo’s digital marketing apprentice, Georgie, follows up on the stories of inspirational volunteer fundraisers to ask them the questions no one’s thought to ask.

Georgie, it’s over to you.

While googling inspiring fundraisers, I came across Katie Pollard.

I was touched by her story as, after Katie lost her best friend, Flo, she decided to face her fear of heights to raise money in Flo’s memory.

Flo had always wanted to do a skydive, but Katie had never had a desire to throw herself out of a plane.

But she wanted to fulfill Flo’s wish, so made the jump to raise money for Young Minds Matter.

I reached out to Katie to find out more.

How was the experience?

“I took part in training before the jump. I was briefed on all the positions to adopt (when falling out of the plane, descending, and landing) and every stage of the jump was explained, in detail. This put my mind at ease … for a while.

In the air, my anxiety rose as people launched themselves out of the plane. I was the last one to jump.

I started to panic as I got near the ledge but told myself 'there’s only one way down,' and before I knew it, me and my instructor were falling.

It was terrifying, but amazing at the same time. My favourite part was when the parachute was pulled, and we gently glided down to earth. My instructor was pulling the parachute strings, making us do spirals and turns, which was amazing. It was like a theme park ride.

The skydive consisted of 60 seconds of free falling and five minutes of gliding. But it went super quickly. With all the adrenaline and excitement, it felt like it was over in seconds.

The view was incredible. I did the jump in Salisbury, but you could see Southampton and the Isle of Wight from that high up.

As soon as we landed, I felt on top of the world. I couldn't believe what I had just done. I was proud of myself and knew how happy and proud Flo would have been. I was buzzing for the rest of the day.”

Would you do it again?

“The build-up was worse than the actual jump. I was terrified as the plane took off. But once we started falling, all my nerves disappeared.

I’m still scared of heights, but the experience was so thrilling I would love to do it again. Although I would want to do it in summer as it was -20 degrees in the air!

If you or someone you know is struggling to cope, or experiencing suicidal thoughts, don’t suffer in silence.

There are lots of places you can go for help:

1.     Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/

2.     Mental Health Foundation: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk

3.     National Institute of Mental Health: https://www.nimh.nih.gov

4.     Young Minds: https://www.youngminds.org.uk

Looking for a community fundraiser to inspire volunteers like Katie? Drop us a line to info@amboofundraising.co.uk

Are pet-friendly offices set to become the norm?

During the pandemic, an estimated 3.2 million households acquired ‘pandemic puppies’.

Millions of people turned to their new furry friends for comfort and companionship while they were stuck indoors, isolated from friends and family. But now, as people are being asked to return to the office, employees are reluctant to leave their furry friends’ home alone.

According to research by Wagmo, 67% of employees said their pet is the main reason they’re unwilling to return to the office full-time. What’s more, a survey conducted by OnePoll found that 60% of pet owners have left their jobs since offices reopened as their employers didn’t do enough to accommodate pets.

Paws fur thought

The question of how to lure workers back to the office has left employers scratching their heads over the past year. The stats suggest that embracing pet-friendly policies could help.

But the benefits of office dogs go way beyond getting bums on seats.

Research has found that dogs can improve employee well-being by reducing stress, boosting morale, promoting productivity, and encouraging a healthier lifestyle.

And forward-thinking employers are reaping the rewards. The University of Lincoln conducted a study “to quantify the benefits and impact of dogs in the office on work-related and dog-related outcomes”. 

The findings? Employees that took their dogs to work reported a 22% increase in job satisfaction.

What charity doesn’t want that?

What do pet policies look like?

Pet policies can take many shapes and forms. For example:

• Carers UK allows employees to bring dogs into the office on days when people with dog allergies and phobias are working from home.

• Attest offers dog-friendly office spaces, up to 5 days paid leave when an employee adopts a pet, and up to 8 weeks of flexi-time to ensure they have adequate time with their new family member. Oh, and pet parents get a pet stipend.

• TaskRabbit covers employees’ pet insurance and allocates three days of paid leave when a team member adopts a new furry family member.

• Tailster encourages dogs to join meetings. And they have a sun terrace equipped with fake grass for the dogs to do their business.

Things to consid-fur

If office dogs boost morale and satisfaction, a pet policy is a no-brainer, right? Maybe. But before you ‘roll over’, be sure to consider the health and safety risks.

Pets can be messy

You don’t want your office to smell like a pet shop, or become unsanitary for your workers, which can sometimes happen with animals. Pets shed, get sick, and have accidents, so cleaning up after needs to be a top priority.

Damage

If you’re a dog owner, you’ll be well aware of the damage dogs can cause to belongings, furniture, and carpets.

The workplace is no different. But throw costly IT equipment and other people’s personal property into the mix, and you could have a recipe for disaster. 

Allergies

Even if none of your team are allergic to dogs, a dog-friendly workplace could scare off potential hires that do have allergies.

Create a pet policy

Weighed up the pros and cons and decided to go dog-friendly?

Start by getting familiar with the Pets at Work Toolkit. It covers everything you need to get started, from making a case to senior management to creating a fool-proof workplace pet policy.

The final bark

Office dogs may not be able to help you do your job (unless you're a professional stick fetcher), but embracing them in the workplace can provide plenty of benefits for you, your employees, and their furry friends.

If you’re looking for dog-loving fundraisers to complete your team, we can help. Call us for an initial con-fur-sation on 020 3750 3111.

‘Feel Good’ Fundraising - Abigail, the Mini Hooper

I found a diamond this week in Abigail: a gymnast with a rather, special hidden talent of hula-hooping. I read her story and I was so inspired by her ‘unusual’ fundraiser and desire to help others at just seven years old! I thought back to my own childhood gymnastic years in a wave of nostalgia and naturally I wanted to learn more, so I reached out to her Mum, Claire:

Why did Abigail choose this challenge and this cause?

“Abigail is now eight years old and has been doing gymnastics since she was two, in the parent and tot class. She absolutely loves it, they’re like her second family. She has made friends for life and continues to learn new skills. Abigail chose to fundraise for her club: Chorley Gymnastics, in the hope of purchasing some fantastic new equipment for all the gymnasts to use while training!”

Where did the idea come from?

“Abigail has a hidden talent of hula hooping! One day she came home from school and told me she had been doing it there and could I buy her a hoop . Of course I did and wow I was so surprised at how good she was. Abigail thought it would be a brilliant challenge to set herself to hula hoop non-stop for at least 30 minutes which is unbelievable and takes a lot of determination and will power, which she has a huge amount of. I believed in her from the moment she said the challenge, when she truly wants something in life she has this amazing dedication to succeed.”

What do you want to be when you grow up?

“Abigail says she wants to be a famous gymnast but also a children’s nurse like her Mummy when she grows up. Abigail enjoys school, writing stories, swimming lessons and playing with her little sister Emily.”

What does Abigail love about gymnastics?

“Abigail loves all apparatus but maybe floor and bars are her favourite at the moment. Last year we went to watch the World Gymnastics Championship in Liverpool where she absolutely made memories for life. She even met some of her idols after!”

I am in awe of you Abigail, your parents must be extremely proud of you!

If you want to read more content like this, as well as keep an eye on the latest roles we’re recruiting for, follow our company page on LinkedIn.

Or, if you’re in the market for event and community fundraisers, then get in touch on iinfo@amboofundraising.co.uk to find out how we can help.

‘Feel Good’ Fundraising’ Cara’s Ceilidh Celebrations

In our ‘Feel Good Fundraising’ series, Bamboo’s digital marketing apprentice, Georgie, follows up on the stories of inspirational volunteer fundraisers to ask them the questions no one’s thought to ask.

Georgie, it’s over to you.

Today I’m talking to Cara, Bamboo’s Content Manager. Cara recently organised a charity Ceilidh night: a traditional Scottish event with folk music, singing, traditional dancing, and storytelling.

I caught up with her to find out how it went.

Why did you choose this challenge and cause?  

We chose a Ceilidh night as it’s fun, interactive, and gets everyone involved. Also, the event fell on Burns Night, so it was fitting!

We organised the event to raise money for the Trussell Trust (a UK food bank charity), as we wanted to do something to help with the cost-of-living crisis.

What was the vibe? 

Informal and fun.

All the attendees were lovely and very supportive of what we were doing. And they were totally ‘up for it’. We had a few men in kilts (which was surprising as it was a really cold night) and one man came in a tux. We didn’t ask people to dress up, but we should have done!

I wish I’d worn my ginger tartan wig.

We also had a fantastic band, The Conquering Heroes. The caller (who led the dancing) was amazing. He was really funny and engaging.

Everyone was on the dance floor all night. And they loved the impromptu sing-along the band initiated at the end of the evening. I’m Gonna Be (500 miles) and Auld Lang Syne were among the requests.

We had considered doing a traditional haggis, neaps, and tatties dinner, but catering for 100+ people would have been a logistical nightmare (especially with my cooking skills), so we decided against it. In the end, a local Persian restaurant donated the most amazing bread, kebabs, and dips. However, people didn’t eat much as they were too busy dancing.

To raise more money, we organised a raffle. I sourced prizes from local businesses. We had go-karting tickets, massages, spa experiences, meals, and a PT session, to name a few. We also had a paid bar which boosted the income.

Was it a successful night?

Yes. It exceeded our expectations. There were about 100 people (any more would have been too many due to the nature of the dancing and the size of the hall) It brought the local community together and raised funds for a worthy cause, which is exactly what we wanted. It hasn’t been finalised yet, but I think the final total will be in the region of £2,000. 

I know you do a lot of fundraising, what’s next on the agenda?  

I ‘officially’ hung up my event organising boots in 2018, but this event reminded me how much I enjoy it. I’m not sure what I’ll do next, but we got such a buzz from the Ceilidh night, we’re going to do another one in the autumn.

If you’re looking for a community fundraiser to inspire volunteers like Cara, get in touch at info@amboofundraising.co.uk.

‘Feel Good’ Fundraising’ Margaret’s Magic Hands

In our ‘Feel Good Fundraising’ series, Bamboo’s digital marketing apprentice, Georgie, follows up on the stories of inspirational volunteer fundraisers to ask them the questions no one’s thought to ask.

Georgie, it’s over to you.

Just before Christmas, I came across Margaret’s JustGiving page. She was aiming to make and sell 50 jars of jam and marmalade in her 100th year to raise funds for Nightingale Cancer Support Centre.

I wanted to see how she got on, so I got in touch.

By my count, you’ve made 115 jars, smashing your original target of 50. How do you feel? 

I feel overwhelmed. In no way, did I think I would be able to make more than 50 jars of jam and marmalade, the target I originally set with my son-in-law David. But all the support I’ve received spurred me on. I can’t thank people enough.

I enjoy making jam and marmalade. I’ve been doing it for years. But it’s challenging now, partly because of my age and partly as I have limited sight due to Macular Degeneration, and Rheumatoid Arthritis in both hands.

I was admitted to hospital twice last year, and I’m still recovering from the latest visit. I hope I can get back to making my jam and marmalade soon. As I’ve got orders coming in but I’m getting low on marmalade.

I’m extremely grateful to Lucy from the Nightingale Cancer Support Centre, who has made me labels for the jars. The only problem is, due to the Macular degeneration, I sometimes put the labels on upside down, so there’s the odd unique jar out there.

What keeps you motivated on difficult days?

I hit my target of 50 on 11/7/22 and the orders have continued to flood in, so I’ve kept going, and I love doing it.

Fundraising for a worthy cause and knowing my jams and marmalade will bring some enjoyment to others keeps me motivated.

Classic FM also keeps me going. I have it on in the kitchen.

You’re clearly a jam connoisseur. Have you got any top tips for our readers? 

1. A little flora (the vegan one) in the jam helps to prevent foam from forming while cooking. I add a ½-teaspoon as soon as it starts. Otherwise, I have to skim off the foam with a spoon before adding the jam to the jars.

2. Cut up the fruit while it’s frozen. This will prevent the juice from staining your hands.

3. Weigh everything properly. Even a small variation will affect the process.

If you’d like to support Margaret, there’s still time. Click here to donate.

Or, if you’re looking for a community fundraiser to inspire volunteers like Margaret, drop us a line at info@amboofundraising.co.uk.