Sometimes it can all seem a little overwhelming. Looming recession, an autumn budget that evokes Osborne’s ghost of austerity past, predictions of £2.2bn in lost income for charities by 2024, a cost-of-living crisis not seen for 50 years. Next they’ll be telling us there aren’t enough turkeys for Christmas... Oh.
It can be bleak reading at times. But I’ve been covering this sector for nearly a decade and the one thing that never fails to intrigue me is the resilience and perseverance of charities, and in particular fundraisers. My various social feeds and email inbox are not pits of despair – they are filled with innovation, adaptation and creativity. Sometimes campaigns fall short of their targets; sometimes they don’t catch on. But failure is embraced, learned from and shared. And then sometimes they do succeed, and sometimes they raise transformative amounts.
People will most probably be giving less this Christmas, and spending less in general. But the return of face-to-face events, as well as street fundraising, is likely to give a boost over the Yuletide. And virtual channels are now embedded in fundraising strategies, which can help to drive income and expand audiences. And even in hard times, people still want to give. So there are glimmers of hope during this longest of winters.
It is important, once the festive campaigns have run their course, that fundraisers take some time to recuperate and recharge in preparation for the year ahead. It’s not going to be easy for anyone, but that is exactly why charities must fight to survive. And that is exactly why they need their fundraisers to keep being positive and determined.
Stephen Cotterill is the editor of Fundraising Magazine @stevejcotterill
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