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.

How to protect your charity from cybercrime

As a result of the pandemic, the last few years have seen charities rely more heavily on digital operations, including fundraising.

While digital fundraising is a quick, easy and effective way of soliciting donations, it brings with it an increased risk of cybercrime.

The evidence

Recent research from the Charity Commission found that, one in eight charities experienced a cyber-attack in 2022. This is a 38% increase on the previous year. The survey also highlighted a lack of awareness from charities of the risks they face, with just over 24% having a formal policy in place to manage them.

Cyber-attacks affecting a charity's services, funds, or compromising the sensitive data of donors can be devastating financially and reputationally, so, it’s crucial that charities protect themselves.

Types of cyber fraud

Phishing

Phishing is where cyber criminals, also known as hackers, use fake emails or text messages to trick users into sharing personal information such as bank details. Phishing attacks are often part of an impersonation scam i.e., criminals pretend to be real businesses to tempt people into sending money. 

If you or one of your staff click on a link in a phishing message, it will take you to a fake website. Viruses can then be downloaded onto your computer or mobile phone. A virus is malicious computer code that can corrupt systems, destroy data, or steal passwords.

Once your computer is infected, criminals can steal money from your charity. They can also access information such as donor email addresses and phone numbers.

How to spot phishing messages

• Check the sender details in the message as it could be a spoof email pretending to be from a genuine person. Look for spelling alterations in the name, email address or website domain name

• Check for grammar and spelling errors. They can indicate it’s not from a legitimate organisation

• If the message includes a link, hover over it, but don't click, so you can see the preview of the site it’s sending you to

• If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Hackers will try to hook you in with irresistible offers

This article from IT Governance provides some handy tips and advice of what to look out for, along with some real-life examples.

Malware

Malware is malicious software that can destroy, damage, or exploit computer systems.
There are various types of malware including:

Viruses

A virus is malicious software that attaches itself to a computer attachment or file. It stays dormant until the attachment/file is opened. It can then spread throughout your computer system causing damage and data loss.

Viruses can be spread by scam email and text message attachments, and internet and app downloads.

Signs that your computer has been infected by a virus

• Your PC runs slowly and programmes take a long time to open

• It regularly freezes or programmes crash

You get unexpected pop-up windows that encourage you to visit unusual websites

Unknown programs start when you switch on your computer

Ransomware

Cyber criminals use ransomware to lock a device or steal information. They then demand a ransom to restore access or return the information. Payment is usually demanded via a crypto currency such as Bitcoin.

Ransomware can spread in various ways. Methods include clicking on malicious links in an email or using an infected USB flash drive.

A famous example of ransomware is the 2017 WannaCry attack. It targeted computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system. Users were told to pay Bitcoin to get access to their computer systems, effectively shutting down operations for many organisations.

Signs of ransomware

• You receive suspicious emails that show signs of criminal activity (see the phishing section above for more information)

• New file extensions are added to the end of your file names

• Your computer is locked with a message demanding a ransom

The Government’s Cyber Essentials website has useful tips for defending against an attack, including securing your online connection with a secure firewall, ensuring devices are set to secure, using strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and encryption.

Educate yourself

One of the most effective ways of looking after your cyber security is to educate yourself and your team about the different tactics of cyber criminals.  

There’s lots of information, advice and free cyber security training on the National Cyber Security Centre website. There’s more advice and recommendations in the NCSC’s Cyber Threat Report for the charity sector.  

Looking for a savvy fundraiser who can sniff out a scam? We’ve got you covered. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or email us at info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get the ball rolling.

Social Media Fundraising: Part One

If you’re new to social media fundraising, or you don’t have a digital bod on your fundraising team, listen up!

Over the coming months, we’re going to publish a series of posts to equip you with the tools and knowledge you need to succeed at social media fundraising. We’ll look at the demographics, pros and cons, and fundraising capabilities of each platform, and help you figure out which one/s to use for your fundraising campaigns.

While we’re at it, we’ll highlight some successful campaigns to get your creative juices flowing.

But before that, let’s look at why social media is an indispensable tool for charities.

Did you know that there are 4.7 billion social media users worldwide, spending a combined ten billion hours on social media every day? Or that 350,000 Tweets are sent every minute on Twitter, users spend an average of 2 hours and 31 minutes on Facebook every day, and 40% of LinkedIn users visit the site every day?

It’s hard to get your head around the numbers, isn’t it? But one thing’s for sure. With that many people at your virtual fingertips, you’d be foolish not to utilise social media as part of your fundraising strategy, particularly if you consider that 55% of people that interact with charities end up taking some sort of action, and 59% of these individuals go on to donate.

The benefits of social media

If the numbers haven’t convinced you of the importance of social media as a fundraising tool, maybe the benefits will.

Here are just a few of the many things social media enables charities to do:

• Raise awareness: with more than half of the world's population active on social media, it’s safe to say your charity has the potential to reach a LOT of new donors for little to no cost.

• Demonstrate impact: the power of social media lies in its potential for storytelling. Using photos and videos to show your charity in action and tell the stories of your beneficiaries is a powerful way to show donors how their money is helping your organisation achieve its mission.

• Non-targeted fundraising: unlike direct mail, social media is a great way to share information about your organisation and ask for donations without donors feeling like they’re being targeted or solicited.

• Forge emotional connections: text on a page is great for getting information across, but images, videos and human reactions bring the scope of your work to life. Potential volunteers are more likely to get involved if they can picture the people they will help. And donations will be more forthcoming if people can identify with the human angle – the idea that their donation could help someone like them/their mum/child/friend.

• Generate income: Facebook has a suite of free fundraising tools to help you collect donations and enable supporters to fundraise on your behalf.

Final Word

Now you know why you should be utilising social media for fundraising; we’ll move on to how you can utilise it. Keep an eye on the Bamboo blog for the next post!

Don’t forget, if you’re looking for a digital whizz to help you manage your social media fundraising, we can help. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 or info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to find out more.

Spotlight on The Church Revitalisation Trust

The Church Revitalisation Trust is one of four charitable entities within the Holy Trinity Brompton Group:

1. Holy Trinity Brompton Church

2. Alpha International

3. St Paul’s Theological Centre

4. Church Revitalisation Trust

Forward thinking and entrepreneurial, the organisation exists to reverse the declining trend of the Church in the UK, bringing community and faith to those who need it most.

They do this through a programme of church planting. In conjunction with Church of England dioceses, they establish churches in inner city and underserved communities, and work with church leaders to ensure they have the operational, administrative, and financial skills to thrive and grow.

The charity provides ongoing support to its network of churches by way of coaching, mentoring, online training, events, conferences, and retreats. They also provide financial support by awarding grants to support strategic growth and social action initiatives.

To date, the charity has successfully established over 100 churches, which are now home to vibrant, worshipping communities.

Transforming society, one church at a time

Supporting the vulnerable and marginalised is an important part of mission and outreach. They do this through their ‘Love Your Neighbour’ programme. It works through a network of 90 church Hubs across the UK, which partner with local organisations to provide crisis support, debt advice, employment support, and wraparound care to vulnerable people in their communities.

Want to be part of the Church Revitalisation Trust’s mission?

We’re working with the charity to help them fill two fundraising roles. If you’re evangelical about revitalising the church and transforming communities across the UK, check out the vacancies and get in touch today!

Grants & Trusts Manager

• Salary: £40,000

• Permanent

• Full-time

• South Kensington, London

Reporting directly to the Head of Development, you’ll be responsible for managing and developing the charity’s portfolio of grant making trusts, foundations, and statutory income.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a seasoned fundraiser, as it’s a brand-new role that you can make your own, but with solid partnerships and resources already in place.

Corporate Partnerships Manager

• Salary: £38,000

• Permanent

• Full-time

• South Kensington, London

Reporting to the Head of Development, this brand-new role will see you manage and develop the charity’s portfolio of corporate partnerships to achieve growth in support, awareness, and income.

If you’re a skilled partnership scaler with a knack for connecting corporates to causes they might not usually consider, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

Ready to apply?

Do these roles sound heavenly? Amen! Give us a call to chat today on 020 3750 3111 to discuss them further.