Remember A Charity Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode we will be exploring the topic of innovation in legacy fundraising. So keep listening to hear our guest’s views on what problems might need solving in the sector as well what they think the biggest areas of opportunity are for gifts in Wills – and how to apply that in your own charity.

This episode has been produced in collaboration with the Legacy Futures Awards. The Innovation Award (for which podcast host, Lucinda Darby, is one of the judges) is open to any organisation this is looking to innovate in the area of legacy or in memory giving and create a big impact.

Find out more and apply the awards here.

Applications close on 31st March - good luck to all who enter! 

The guests in this episode were:

Ashley Rowthorn – CEO, Legacy Futures

Georgina Hyman  – Head of Legacy and In Memory Giving, Alzheimer's Research UK & Chair of the Legacy & In Mem SIG

Michael Clark – Head of Legacy Development, World Cancer Research Fund & committee member of the Legacy & In Mem SIG

The questions we explored were:

1. What does the word ‘innovation’ mean to you? 

2. Which areas of legacy fundraising do you think need innovation the most?

3. As a larger charity, or one who invests a lot in legacy fundraising do you have examples of how you have been innovative in the past? Or future plans?

4. Vice versa, what does innovation in legacy fundraising look like for a smaller charity?

5. What do you think the future of legacy fundraising holds?

If you have any questions about anything we have spoken about, please email us at info@rememberacharity.org.uk and we can pass your questions on to the guests.

This episode has been recorded to celebrate the recent launch of our joint report on the Scottish legacy market with Legacy Foresight, ILM and Smee & Ford, which is available to download from our website HERE.

The key findings of the report will also be presented by Remember A Charity and Legacy Foresight at the next Scottish Legacy Forum meeting on Thursday 25th November. Register in advance for the meeting HERE.

In this episode we were joined by a panel of guests who helped contribute to the Scottish legacy market report:

Meg Abdy - Development Director, Legacy Foresight

Iain McAndrew – Director of Development and Communications, CHAS

Ali Macleod – Head of Fundraising, National Trust for Scotland

Rob Cope – Director, Remember A Charity

The questions we explored were:

1. Has the pandemic driven a different attitude to both giving and mortality? And what might this mean for legacies? 

2. Who do you think are the priority audiences to reach out to, in order to grow the legacy market?

3. How can charities balance the tension between delivering their short-term income targets and investing in legacy fundraising? 

4. How can collaboration grow legacy giving in Scotland? 

5. How do you create an organisational culture that embraces legacies?

If you have any questions about anything we have spoken about, please email us at info@rememberacharity.org.uk and we can pass your questions on to the guests.

In our latest podcast episode we host a panel discussion focusing specifically on the challenges and opportunities for charities in Scotland in response to the pandemic.

 The panel members include:

• Robyn Friel; Head of Fundraising & Communications - Epilepsy Scotland
• Iain McAndrew; Director of Development & Communications – Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS)
• Gordon Michie; Head of Fundraising - Poppyscotland
• Simon Turner; Director - Insight Consulting

Our guests are some very experienced members of the fundraising community in Scotland. We invited them to share how they have been managing and adapting during the pandemic. Then looking ahead to the wider impact on fundraising in Scotland, including the challenges and opportunities for returning to legacy fundraising.

Topics covered include:

1.    What were your charity’s biggest challenges going into lockdown and how did you respond to these? What was the response from your supporters?
2.    There's been a lot of debate in the charity sector about how best to return to legacy fundraising. What are your views on how to do this sensitively? Have you seen any good examples of how charities have done this well? 
3.    Looking ahead, what do you think the impact will be on fundraising in Scotland in the medium to longer term? 
4.    What are the risks and opportunities for the sector in Scotland?

If you have any questions for the panel please email us at info@rememberacharity.org.uk and we will happily put you in touch.

In this episode we are joined by Helen, Sarah and Stuart from Cancer Research UK. Helen is a Senior Legacy Manager who works closely with Sarah and Stuart as Community Legacy Managers - all three had different journeys into the legacy sector and each bring their own insight from their experiences.

Many of us are new to legacies, either as individuals or as charities, and with this area of fundraising comes its own challenges, pre-conceptions and rewards. One of the biggest challenges we hear of is how to talk about gifts in wills with supporters, so this is something we explore in this episode.

Questions covered include:

1. How did you get into legacies?


2. When you first started in legacies what were you most worried about?


3. What mistakes have you made and learnt from?


4. For those listening who are new to legacies – how would you suggest to get started?


5. What are your top tips for broaching the topic with supporters?

If you have any questions for Helen, Sarah and Stuart please email us at info@rememberacharity.org.uk and we will happily put you in touch.

In the third Remember A Charity podcast we discussed all things Virtual Legacy Events with Harriet Langston from Brooke and Emily East from BHF.

Harriet shared learnings from a few virtual events she has already hosted at Brooke, and Emily conversely shared how BHF have been recently planning to roll out virtual events including collaboration with other internal teams.

Topics covered in the episode include:

1. Why virtual events now? 


2. Steps to take before setting up a virtual event


3. How to choose the right platform


4. What sort of content could you include and how to choose your host


5. How to create the best supporter experience


6. Their top technology tips

With plenty of practical tips and takeaways, this episode is a must-listen for anyone thinking about running a virtual event.

If you have any questions about anything in this podcast, please email Harriet (Harriet.Langston@thebrooke.org) or Emily (eastem@bhf.org.uk).

Or get in touch with us at Remember A Charity - info@rememberacharity.org.uk

In this podcast we focus on legacy stewardship during Covid-19. We are joined by Dr Claire Routley from Legacy Fundraising and Michael Clark from St Nicholas Hospice Care.

Claire and Michael discuss:

• What should legacy marketers be doing at this time?


• What needs to adapt in legacy strategy?


• What can charities learn from this time in terms of legacy income?


• What long-term legacy lessons are we now aware of?

It was another positive conversation with plenty of practical tips and advice from Claire and Michael to take away.

In the first of a series of Remember A Charity podcasts, we are joined by Matthew Lagden from the Institute of Legacy Management and Ashley Rowthorn from Legacy Link to talk all things legacy admin, covering the challenges and opportunities faced during the COVID-19 crisis.

It was a very positive and hopeful discussion, with both Matthew and Ashley sharing their combined insight and expertise.

Topics covered include:

• How to keep cashflow moving during lockdown


• Striking the right tone in legacy admin communications


• Ensuring Wills are legal and valid


• What might be next for legacy administration

At 48 minutes long, it is perfect to listen to during your hour of outdoor exercise…!

We hope you find it useful and interesting. If you have any questions or suggestions for future podcasts please contact us.

It’s Remember A Charity Week! 

To coincide with our favourite week of the year we have recorded a couple of podcast specials.

In this episode we are joined by three lovely legal professionals to explore Remember A Charity Week and legacy giving from their perspective:

Eleanor Evans – Partner and Head of Trusts and Estates Administration Department, Hugh James

Charlotte Ponder – Legal Director, Countrywide Tax & Trust Corporation

Richard Honey – Senior Associate, Charles Russell Speechlys

The questions we explored were:

1. How will you be celebrating Remember A Charity Week?

2. Have you noticed any changes in client behaviour or attitudes towards will-writing since the start of the pandemic?

3. Charlotte, you recently became a trustee at charity - What is that dynamic like, coming from a legal background and acting as a trustee at a charity? What is their attitude towards legacy fundraising?

4. Is there more we (as charity sector and Remember A Charity) could be doing to encourage charitable conversations between professional advisors and their clients?

5. Do you have any practical tips or advice for charities listening when it comes to the administration of a legacy gift?

If you have any questions about anything we have spoken about, please email us at info@rememberacharity.org.uk and we can pass your questions on to the guests.

It’s Remember A Charity Week!

To coincide with our favourite week of the year we have recorded a couple of podcast specials.

In this episode we are giving listeners a sneak peek behind the scenes of Remember A Charity Week, to shine a light on the amazing work of our agencies and to give a little more insight into the planning and delivery of the awareness week – along with some extra tips and advice.

Our guests were:

Louise Rudaizky – Managing Director, Atomic London

Andy Nethercleft – Operations Director, Atomic London

Rachel Isaacs – Account Manager, Hope&Glory PR

The questions we explored were:

1. For those listening who might not know, please can you explain who Atomic London and Hope&Glory are, and what your roles have been in delivering Remember A Charity Week this year?

2. What would you say have been the biggest challenges and/or opportunities in creating this year’s campaign?

3. When it comes to reaching our target demographic are there any marketing insights you can share? 

4. How can charities utilise the PR around this week for their campaigns? 

5. If there was one thing a charity could do to maximise the week, what would it be?

If you have any questions about anything we have spoken about, please email us at info@rememberacharity.org.uk and we can pass your questions on to the guests.

In this episode we focus on the role that employers can play in supporting their staff with long term planning including last wishes and Wills. But we also explore wider areas around attitudes towards death, dying and future planning, with charitable giving as an important part of that.

We were lucky to speak to a panel of guests from different organisations who all work together to help employees with their future planning:

Ian Dibb – CEO, Once I’ve Gone

Mark Edmondson - Head of Commercial Partnerships, Once I’ve Gone

Lisa Lund – Director, Adroit Legal Services

Stacey MacDougall - Wellbeing Manager, John Lewis Partnership

The questions we explored were:

1. Do you think the public’s attitude towards thinking about and planning for death has changed?
2. What challenges do you think the public are currently facing when it comes to estate planning and what can we do to help? 
3. What role do you think employers can play in helping their staff with future/estate planning? 
4. How do you think the charity sector and employers could better work together to achieve shared goals? 
5. Do you think there might be an appetite amongst other employers to encourage more of their staff to write their wills and get their estates in order?

If you have any further questions about this episode, please email us at info@rememberacharity.org.uk.