We stand together: behind the scenes of our annual charity appeal
|
Version 0 of 1. “National surveys show Guardian readers are twice as likely as the average to give donations to charity.” So said an article launching the paper’s first charity appeal back in 1998. That generosity is still typical, if the response to this year’s refugee appeal is anything to go by – in just over a week, it reached the £400k mark. Related: The plight of refugees is the crisis of our times | Katharine Viner The six charities that will benefit from this year’s appeal were chosen after research and discussion. “We ended up with two themes to choose from: the environment and the refugee crisis,” says Patrick Butler, the Guardian’s social policy editor, who led the work on this year’s appeal. “We chose refugees because the Guardian has a very clear view on the crisis; it’s the humanitarian issue of our time. In news terms, it’s the biggest story of the year and will continue to be for a long time to come. “Any long-term solution to the situation has got to be political. Our appeal is an emergency response to a dire need and, apart from the financial aid, we want to show solidarity with the people affected and open people’s hearts.” Planning Planning for the annual charity appeal starts in September when a panel of journalists from the Guardian and Observer get together to agree on a theme for that year’s appeal, having sought input from colleagues across the business. This year, once the theme had been pinned down, the organising committee contacted New Philanthropy Capital (NPC). Their role is to identify and analyse potential charities that could benefit from the appeal. They check out how charities operate, making sure they are financially robust and will use any contribution in an effective and an efficient way (you can read about NPC’s approach here). They put forward a list of 15 charities, which were winnowed down to these six: “This year, for the first time, our US and Australia offices are getting involved in the appeal in different ways,” explains Butler. “We’re supporting the Melbourne-based ASFC while the New York office is donating ad space to American refugee charities.” Support Again this year, there’s also an appeal blog. It’s part of an attempt to reach out to younger donors, via social media and online networks. This is being complemented by a series of articles and features, about the charities and the work they do, both in the paper and online. There have been messages from the editor-in-chief to Members and subscribers asking for support, the Guardian Bookshop is donating 20p from every sale to the cause and there are “donate” buttons all over theguardian.com. The team who put the Cook supplement together acquired prizes from leading chefs and restaurants that will be raffled off at their first Christmas Fair on Saturday 5 December. And some readers have organised their own events, such as tea parties and cakes sales, to raise cash. Competition Internally, the annual appeal unleashes the competitive spirit among colleagues, with different floors in Kings Place vying with each other to raise the most from cake sales, raffles and other fundraising activities. On Saturday 12 December, dozens of Guardian writers and editors will be in the London office to answer the phones for the annual appeal telethon. The event always gives the fundraising a significant boost. This year, readers can call 0203 353 4368 to donate and speak to, among others, Tim Dowling, Polly Toynbee, Larry Elliott, Jonathan Freedland, Catherine Bennett, Gary Younge, Simon Hattenstone, Amelia Gentleman, Zoe Williams, Peter Bradshaw and John Crace. Lines will be open from 9.30am to 6pm. The appeal runs until 15 January 2016. After that, the money will be divided between the six charities. “The charities are always grateful for the money but they are equally grateful for the enhanced profile they receive as a result of being chosen,” reflects Butler. “It helps them, both in terms of attracting future funding and in reaching out to people who may need their services and support.” There will be follow-up articles in 2016, looking at how the six charities are using the money they receive. “From an organisational point of view, I think this has been our most successful year yet,” says Butler. “We adopted a more co-ordinated approach and brought together all the skills and expertise we have in the building – editorial, marketing, events, social media expertise to name just a few – and the response from everyone has been very enthusiastic. We just need to keep the momentum going.” • You can donate to the Guardian and Observer’s 2015 charity appeal here. |