One charity close to the heart of the Rotary Club of Brentwood is Saint Francis Hospice.
Rose Bolton is one of one million-plus members, in more than 35,000 Rotary clubs, in over 200 countries – all volunteering their time to serve their communities.
‘The Hospice only receives 23% of its total running costs from the Government,’ she said. ‘We’ve always done our best to help find the £21,000 a day that will ensure the charity survives.’
‘When the lockdown was announced back in March, the Hospice’s funding was reduced overnight, or in some cases, cut off entirely. Our members were used to working face-to-face in large gatherings. Amid social distancing, we wanted to consider new ways of working to remain active and relevant in our community.’
The members of the Rotary Club of Brentwood agreed on a crowdfunding campaign to help the charity through the pandemic. Aware of the collaboration opportunity between Rotary and GlobalGiving – a crowdfunding community that connects organisations around the globe – the Rotarians put in an application to be part of the scheme.
‘GlobalGiving has been fantastic and supported us every step of the way. They trained two members of our Club so that we could build on our learning, expand our network, and get more people involved.’
Offers came in from graphic design and social media professionals to promote the campaign, pro bono.
‘Until there’s a vaccine, the Hospice needs us to meet their goal of helping local people when they need it most,’ Rose said. ‘I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved so far.’
‘Our Hospice has supported over 400 patients every month during the lockdown,’ revealed Jane Frame, Saint Francis Hospice’s Director of Fundraising and Marketing.
‘Thanks to the Rotary Club of Brentwood raising £8,000 during the pandemic, we’ve been able to support our patients and their loved ones too. Those who have needed end of life care have not been alone. In a lovely, happy ending to the Club’s first crowdfunding venture, GlobalGiving topped up the donation to make it £15,000.’
There are many ways your club or company can do something incredible for local people living with life-limiting illnesses – be it through fundraising, volunteering, or a cash collection pot sitting on reception or in your place of work.
If you’d like to find out how you can make a difference, while having lots of fun along the way, then Saint Francis Hospice would love to hear from you at fundraising@sfh.org.uk
