Return of the Big Help Out

May 8, 2023, saw the launch of The Big Help Out, a national day of volunteering initiated by the Royal Voluntary Service and the Together Coalition.

The event, which took place on the Bank Holiday of the Coronation weekend, was designed to ‘raise awareness of volunteering and provide opportunities for people to make a difference in their communities.’

It’s safe to say it achieved its mission. 

30,000 charities offered volunteering opportunities at 55,000 events, and a whopping 7.2 million people around the UK took part.

Of those 7.2 million, 40% had not done any formal volunteering before, 80% had no prior relationship with the organisation they volunteered for, and 33% have gone on to volunteer again for the same organisation. 

Success story

One of the participating charities, the RSPCA, saw 850 people sign up to become “wildlife friends”. They spent the day litter picking, building hedgehog homes, and creating wildlife-friendly habitats. 

According to the RSPCA, 1,250 new volunteers have joined since the Big Help Out.

Back with a bang

Following the unprecedented success of the inaugural event, the organisers have announced the Big Help Out will return in 2024. But this time, it’ll take place over three days, from 7-9 June, to coincide with the end of Volunteers’ Week.

Catherine Johnstone, Managing Director of the Royal Voluntary Service told Civil Society that extending the event would ‘increase accessibility’ and allow ‘more people to get involved.’  She added that the organisers hope that by including a Friday as one of the days, ‘businesses and schools will be encouraged to take part.’

The value of the Big Help Out

Data from The National Council for Voluntary Organisation’s (NCVO) 2023 Time Well Spent survey revealed that volunteering is at an all-time low in England.

The report shows that, since 2018, the number of people raising money for, or taking part in sponsored events has almost halved, (down from 11% to 6%). And that there’s been a 52% drop in people organising or volunteering at charitable events (down from 14% to 7%).

As a result, volunteer recruitment is a top priority for charities.

Sarah Vibert, CEO of the NCVO said of the report, ‘without volunteers, some charities wouldn’t be able to make the huge differences to people’s lives that they do.

If you’re an organisation that wants to recruit more volunteers, please get involved – it’s a great way to promote your amazing work and the positive impact volunteering makes to local communities.’

Want to take part?

If you want to take part in next year’s event, keep an eye on the Big Help Out website.

Charities will be able to list volunteering opportunities from late January.

In the meantime, if you’re on the hunt for a talented fundraiser, you’re in the right place. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or email us at info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get the process started.

Has the charity telethon had its day?

BBC Children in Need has become synonymous with the word ‘telethon’ since it first hit our TV screens in 1980. That year, the Terry Wogan-fronted show raised £1m.

Since then, the annual event has raised over £1bn for disadvantaged children and young people.

However, despite the impressive amount raised over the years, the on-the-night total has been declining in recent years. In 2023, it raised £33.5m. This was down £1.5m from 2022 and £5.8m from 2021.

It’s a similar story for Red Nose Day, the BBC’s other annual charity telethon. This year, the on-the-night total was £32m. This was £10m less than 2022.
It’s even more noticeable if you compare this year’s amount to 2015. That year, the event raised £78m (more than double the amount raised this year).

The same goes for viewing figures. 2.9m people tuned in to watch this year’s Comic Relief, compared to 5.9m in 2019.

A downward trend

The data shows a clear downward trend in both donations and viewing figures.

But what’s causing it? A combination of factors.

1. The cost-of-living crisis

For one thing, the cost-of-living crisis is putting increasing pressure on consumers’ disposable income.

2.  An over-reliance on phone payments

Another factor is the reliance on phone payments, despite the growing popularity of digital payment methods.

A recent report by The Phone-Paid Services Authority revealed that charity donations via phone (calls and texts) dropped by 28% over the last year (a fall from £14.1m to £35.9m for both telethon and non-telethon fundraising). Notably, the phone-paid services regulator had forecast a drop of just £5.4m. 

The report goes on to state that charities’ use of digital payment methods, including contactless and digital wallet payment “will become increasingly important if telethon viewership continues to decline”.  

3. Fewer people are watching live television

According to media regulator, Ofcom, linear TV viewing is in a state of “long-term decline” as people are increasingly swapping live TV for streaming services.

The regulator’s latest Media Nations report reveals that the proportion of people watching terrestrial TV channels in a given week has fallen from 83% in 2021 to 79% in 2022; the sharpest fall on record.

This figure is even lower among 16- to 24-year-olds, with just 54% of young people watching any live television.

Diversification is key

The year-on-year decline signifies a clear shift in people’s viewing habits and giving preferences. 

To stay relevant, charities need to adapt. And that’s exactly what Children in Need is doing.

To diversify its income and reach new donors (particularly 16-24-year-olds, who are a key demographic), this year, the charity delivered appeals outside of its annual telethon.

Children in Need’s Commercial Director Claire Hoyle told Fundraising Magazine that the charity has undergone a “strategic shift in thinking” to attract new potential donors, including a focus on younger audiences.

“We know that younger audiences are spending more and more time on social; it’s clear that 16 to 24-year-olds tend to be on TikTok and Snapchat. So, we’ve looked at how can we create the right projects and propositions on the right platforms in the right spaces in a way that’s unique for Children in Need.”

As a result, the charity partnered with TIKTOK Live to launch a series of innovative initiatives including:

Pudsey Games: Some of the platform’s most popular content creators took part in ‘Pudsey Games’, a series of hilarious challenges designed to raise awareness and funds for the cause.

Live gifts: The charity released six limited edition Pusey gifts. Every time a gift was sent online, TikTok made a donation to Children in Need.
In total, 20.9 million gifts were sent, raising £513,000 for the charity.

The Bearpee Challenge: The charity used the platform to launch The Bearpee Challenge. Headed up by Children in Need ambassador, Joe Wicks, the challenge saw schoolchildren across the country take part in a sponsored exercise challenge where they completed 1,000 ‘bearpees’ each day across Appeal Week.

Every pound raised was matched by the Postcode Education Trust, supported by the People’s Postcode Lottery, and 17,000 schools across the UK joined in.

Of the TikTok initiatives, Hoyle said “They’ve given us some good insights to build on, particularly about what works, where the points were during streaming that drove more donations, and which of the creators resonated most with our target audiences. The metrics show you what works and what doesn’t.

We’re keen to build our social media presence and see where it can take us.”

The future of the telethon

Despite the year-on-year decline, telethons remain a powerful fundraising tool.

They drive much-needed awareness and raise tens of millions of pounds for good causes.

But to keep the donations rolling in, they need to move with the times.

Meeting donors where they are (online), enabling digital payment methods, and optimising commercial opportunities on social media platforms are just three ways charities can adapt to re-engage the public and boost income.

Looking to add to your fundraising team? We can help. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get the conversation started.

Katharine House Hospice trials innovative CO2 till displays to promote sustainable shopping

In a recent blog post, we talked about the impact of climate change. We said that global average temperatures are 1.2°C higher than in the pre-industrial era and it’s on track to increase by 2.7°C by 2100.

If this happens, it will render parts of the planet uninhabitable.  

The environmental crisis has global implications and must be tackled collectively for meaningful change to happen.

Regardless of their cause, charities have a vital role to play in promoting the dangers of climate change awareness. 

And that’s exactly what Katharine House Hospice (KHH) is doing. 

Since August 2023, the Stafford-based charity, which provides free palliative care services for adults, has been promoting sustainable shopping in 14 of its charity shops with intelligent till displays that show customers how much CO2 has been saved through their second-hand purchases.

The technology, provided by software company, Eproductive, calculates the average CO₂ required to make items brand new and shows the total sustainability savings made by buying second-hand at the end of the transaction.

One customer, who saved 40.2 kg CO₂ with their purchase, was told that the saving would almost cover a flight from Manchester to London for one passenger in economy, (which uses between 60-100 kgs of CO₂).

They said, “wow, that puts things into perspective. It’s interesting to see that you can save so much CO₂ by shopping second-hand.

It’s a good deal and it helps the environment”.

The charity estimated that buying an outfit of seven items would save about 32.3kg of CO₂, which is just more than the amount of CO₂ used to drive 80 miles in an average car.

Breaking the mould

Katharine House Hospice is the first charity in the UK to show sustainability savings in its shops. And Simon Dodd, the charity’s retail general manager hopes more charities will follow suit.

Of the initiative, he said, “we want to get the sustainability message across to every customer … it’s great that we can show customers how much good each sale is doing and the difference that shopping with us is making. And to be the first in the UK to do it is amazing.

He went on to say he hoped the charity sector “could work together to expand the data for standard CO₂ savings across all departments, including furniture and electronics.”

Final Word

According to the UN, fashion is the second-most polluting industry, behind big oil. It accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions and 20% of wastewater production.

The UK’s 11,000+ charity shops play a crucial role in decreasing the UK’s carbon footprint by reducing waste that would otherwise end up in landfill.

Demonstrating the impact customers are making at the point of purchase is a powerful way to communicate the gravity of the climate crisis whilst encouraging them to choose preloved.

Looking for an environmentally conscious fundraiser to add to your team? We can help. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or email us at info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get started.

Introducing the Charity Mentoring Network

How do you fancy upskilling your fundraisers, for free? You can, thanks to a new charity mentoring scheme.

Launched on October 27, the Charity Mentoring Network (CMN) is “a community platform that connects organisations, staff, and volunteers together so they can support one another and share their knowledge and expertise”.

The UK’s first nationwide mentoring scheme, it aims to connect people working across the sector and help them become more effective in their roles.  

How does it work?

Any organisation in the UK’s third sector can join the network.

Membership is priced on a sliding scale:

• Small charities (under 50 employees) will be able to use the service free of charge. (The cost will be covered by corporate sponsorship)

• Medium-sized charities: £500 a year

• Large charities: Either £1,000 or £2,000 a year, depending on income. 

Once signed up, members can invite staff and volunteers to register either as mentors, mentees, or both. They’ll then be automatically matched to a selection of people either offering or looking for support in specific topics.

The network is also open to corporates, who can use their volunteering days to mentor third-sector employees while accumulating CPD points.

What’s included in the membership?

Mentor Matching: Charities will be able to match staff and volunteers to mentors and mentees across the third sector, via the network’s mentoring software platform, PushFar. 

Reporting: Members can monitor the progress of their mentoring activity via bespoke reports that track engagement.

Support and resources: Monthly mentoring training will be included in the package, plus access to technical support during working hours.

Opinion

Thirty charities have signed up for the initiative, including the Royal Voluntary Service, St John Ambulance, Shelter, Alzheimer’s Society, and Epilepsy Action. And they’re welcoming the launch of the scheme.

Mary-Anne Fiorini, director of people and culture at Quo Vadis Trust, a provider of social housing, care, and support for people living with mental health needs, believes the network will benefit the charity sector.

“Having someone you can turn to for guidance and support is essential for acquiring confidence in your own abilities and encouraging leadership skills to grow. Developing a network within our charitable community can only help strengthen our sector as a whole, as the collective knowledge and experience shared from mentor to mentee helps underpin new ideas and decisions whilst forming alliances and sharing best practices.” 

Another proponent of the scheme, Heather Blanchard, learning and development business partner at housing association CHP, said, “having the Charity Mentoring Network available to our employees gives us a greater range of experience that our employees can tap into, both for growing in their own careers but also sharing their wealth of knowledge with others. We aim to use the CMN platform in particular to support our apprentices and graduates, as well as employees who are progressing into new roles internally.”

Final Word

Mentoring is an effective way to develop your workforce, particularly if you’re a small organisation with a limited training budget.

Drop CMN a line to find out how mentoring can benefit you.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a fundraiser, we can help. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 to get started.

Team Talks: Conán’s hurling

Recruitment is a people business. So, we thought we’d introduce you to the people behind Bamboo in our new ‘Team Talks’ series.

In this post, Recruitment Consultant, Conán talks about his passion for hurling.

Let’s start with the basics. What is hurling? 

It’s a fast-paced team sport played with a wooden stick (hurley) and a small leather ball (sliotar). In terms of a comparison sport, it’s a mixture of rugby, cricket, and lacrosse. 

Along with Gaelic football and handball, it’s one of Ireland’s ‘big three’ native games. And it’s a big part of our culture and our history. 

How long have you been playing? 

I started playing at the age of three in my hometown of Midleton. And it’s been a big part of my life ever since. 

Is there a strong hurling community in London? 

Yes. The Irish have been emigrating to the UK for a long time, so it’s well established - more so in West and Northwest London because that's where a lot of Irish settled.  

There are big communities in Cricklewood, Kilburn, Ealing, and Ruislip, where the main pitch is.  It’s also big in South London, where I’m based.  

I play for Fulham Irish.  

Does it attract a crowd? 

On a championship day, there'll be two or three games at McGovern Park (Ruislip). You might get between 50 – 200 people watching. But it’s a different story in Ireland, especially in small villages, on a championship day, shops, pubs, and everything else will close for the day, as everyone will be at the game.  

In 2009, Ballinacurra (the village next to Midelton) won the county final, and the whole village shut down for two weeks. Everyone was drinking and partying, as they hadn't won a championship in 70 years. 

How often do you play? 

Pre-season, we train twice a week. Once the season gets going, we train twice a week and have a game on the weekend. If there's no game, we train three times. 

Is it tiring? 

Yep. It's the fastest field sport in the world and it's extremely physical. My hands and shins are battered from getting hit. 

Is it easy to pick up?  

From a skills perspective, it’s complicated.  

Because I've been playing since I was three, it all comes very naturally. However, we welcome & encourage people from all walks of life into our national sports.

What do you get out of it?  

I'm a really competitive person. I love to win (which is why I love recruitment), so I enjoy the thrill of the game.  

I've won county championships in Cork, which is known as one of the strongholds of hurling in Ireland. The thrill of winning something like that, for the village or town you're playing for, is indescribable. 

Aside from the thrill factor, it’s a great way to meet people. 

When I first moved to London and joined a team, they really looked after me. I built some strong friendships from it.  

I’d never have met them without hurling. 

How can people get involved?

Come get involved with my team Fulham Irish http://fulhamirish.org/