Following the COVID-19 pandemic, St Clare Hospice wanted to find a way to thank people for their support. The hospice held a two-day ‘thankathon’, where colleagues from all over the hospice phoned supporters to thank them in person.
This included anyone who had supported the hospice in the last year – from one-off donors to regular donors, major donors and event participants.
As well as contacting people directly, the thankathon was promoted on social media and in the local press.
Outcomes
The thankathon proved very successful. The team phoned just under 1,000 people and received very positive feedback. If someone did not answer the phone, the team left a voicemail message.
Several people donated more money to the hospice as a result of the conversation, but this was not the aim. Many people also asked about hospice services, either for themselves or a friend.
Facilitators, challenges and advice
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Key facilitators
The hospice’s strategic principles include engagement with the wider community. This has allowed the fundraising team to focus on building relationships with supporters, rather than solely chasing money.
The team put together a rota so that all departments could be involved in the thankathon. Over the course of the two 2 days, a buzz developed about the event and staff began to compete to see who could make the most calls!
Challenges
Some staff members were nervous about the idea of calling a supporter unexpectedly. The fundraising team helped overcome this by providing a script with different scenarios that people could follow. They were also on hand to help answer any tricky questions.
Tips and advice
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It can be quite worrying to receive an unexpected call from a hospice. Make sure you explain quickly what the call is about, to avoid causing distress.
Make sure you have someone available to provide emotional support, if the call prompts a supporter to want to talk about someone who has died or is nearing the end of life.
Future development
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The hospice hopes to repeat the thankathon as a regular event. The fundraising team is working to further develop its engagement with supporters, using a ‘relationship fundraising’ approach.
The next stage is to look at the donor journey, finding out how people interact with the hospice and how this can be improved.
