Best New Charity Event
Alzheimer’s Society – GLOW
GLOW is Alzheimer’s Society’s newest walking event after dark. Having seen huge success with Memory Walk, we wanted to test and diversify our offerings as a Society, providing events that would not only appeal to new audiences, but reengage existing supporters with a different offering.
After an initial cycle of audience research, small scale testing and identifying a gap in the market, GLOW launched in 2019 with three walks in London, Manchester and Bristol.
GLOW’s year one targets included recruiting 2,000 walkers and raising £141,000 gross/£48,000 net income. Alongside this, the goals from the start were to build GLOW into a well-known, well attended awareness and fundraising event, while engaging a new audience to Alzheimer’s Society. Our clear USP was to create a truly family friendly night walk.
Alzheimer’s Society – Trek26
Launched in 2017, Trek26 is Alzheimer’s Society’s flagship trekking series. The series of six events are all 26 or 13 mile circular treks in beautiful and iconic locations around the UK. Driven by customer insight, innovative marketing and excellent supporter stewardship, Alzheimer’s Society have increased income by over 100% between 2018 and 2019 to £1.6million and are projecting to raise £2.3million from almost 6,000 participants in 2020
JDRF – Cycle for a Cure
JDRF set out to revitalise its partnership with Ford by launching a new pilot that could offer something truly different in a crowded market. This required weekly phone calls with Ford to ensure that tasks were being completed, ideas could be generated and conversation could lead to innovation. The dedication to these weekly calls was a strong factor in the success of the event and a catalyst to ensure that both JDRF and Ford could innovate and achieve mutually beneficial results.
The Cycle for a Cure made use of Ford’s Dunton Campus and test track- areas normally sealed off to the public- and created a ride village within the space tailored to informing and entertaining all who attended. The Cycle smashed its targets and raised over £40,000 profit for JDRF, while also cementing itself as an annual event for the future, co-run by JDRF and Ford.
Samaritans – Samarathon
In July 2019 Samaritans launched its first virtual mass participation event, a marathon called Samarathon, which challenged supporters to run, jog or walk 26.2 miles over the course of a month.
Samaritans have taken a new insight led approach to developing their product portfolio, developing ideas with, and in order to reach out to, new audiences, volunteers and warm supporters alike.
Hosted on the fundraising platform Everyday hero, participants were able to register for the event for free, and seamlessly create their fundraising page and link their fitness trackers.
Samarathon recruited over 1,750 participants. 41% of those became active fundraisers, who together raised an incredible £120,000 – four times the initial income target. For more than 80% of those who registered this was their first-time supporting Samaritans too, proving the targeting of new audiences had worked.
This pilot event, developed with the agency Killer Creative, turned out to be a profitable venture achieving outstanding results which beat every KPI set.
With a huge amount of learnings gathered, both from the cross-organisation project delivery group and from the in-depth feedback gathered from participants, Samaritans and Killer are now developing Samarathon 2020 and look forward to building on the success of 2019.
Shelter – HomeRun
Following on from the success of HomeRun’s pilot in 2019, Shelter’s first ever virtual running and walking challenge is returning this year to give even more supporters the opportunity to raise money and fight homelessness. Our vision was to create something for everyone, regardless of where they live, how fit they are or how busy their life is. HomeRun is truly accessible to everyone. Supporters from across England and Scotland can set their own fundraising and distance targets and in their own time and space, take on their personal challenge throughout April to support Shelter.
In year one HomeRun smashed targets when 1,200 supporters raised an amazing £60,000 against a target of £22,500. This year we are hoping to double that income by focussing on making our HomeRunners feel as supported, valued and a part of the wider Shelter cause as any of our physical event participants. This will be achieved by excellent digital communications, stewardship calls, HomeRun t-shirts, wristbands and a superior digital experience. Last year we had 97% of survey respondents say they would take part again. This year we are hoping to welcome them back and increase that to 100%.
Shelter – Sleep Walk for Shelter
Christmas is an integral time of the year for Shelter, with the public’s heightened awareness of homelessness. In 2018, Shelter identified a gap its event portfolio, launching Sleep Walk for Shelter: a mass participation 10km walk through central London.
This inaugural event exceeded both recruitment and fundraising targets, drawing in new audiences which highlighted the public’s appetite and desire to support Shelter’s mission to defend the right to a safe home.
Building on this success, in 2019, Sleep Walk for Shelter grew extensively: increasing London targets, launching in Manchester and creating a D.I.Y product encouraging people across the UK to organise their own Sleep Walk.
This nationwide campaign enabled Shelter to showcase the breadth of our services as well as give participants the opportunity to support beyond a financial donation. ‘Organise your own Sleep Walk for Shelter’ allowed supporters to personalise their own walks around local needs.
Through an integrated media and marketing strategy, Shelter surpassed fundraising and recruitment targets with over 4,085 supporters raising an outstanding £901,553, drew new audiences to the charity, and most importantly met supporters desire to ‘Take Steps to fight Homelessness’
We are excited to continue growing Sleep Walk for Shelter in 2020 and beyond.
Unicef UK – Soccer Aid for Unicef Gala
Soccer Aid for Unicef is the world’s biggest charity football match, raising over £37 million since 2006, with a star-studded line-up of ex-footballers and celebrities battling it out between England and the Soccer Aid World IX.
In 2019 Unicef UK decided to grow on these successes by moving into the High Value space with the first ever Soccer Aid for Unicef Gala.
The Soccer Aid for Unicef Gala brought together the worlds of Soccer Aid of Sports, Entertainment and celebrity in a way that brought joy to all involved. The event felt fun, fresh and exciting whilst also managing to raise £800,000 for children.
Guests arrived at the Science Museum to walk down the real grass carpet, through a players tunnel to the sounds of cheers to make a splash on arrival. The football theming continued with their football shirt escort cards and match day themed programme bringing elements together.
The star studded evening had speeches from Mark Wright, Roman Kemp, David Harewood and ended with a fantastic performance from Soccer Aid Gala committee chair, Robbie Williams.
