I work for Cancer Research UK and my role is Product & Programme Manager for Payroll Giving. I am a member of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising and as part of my membership I am also chair of the Payroll Giving Special Interest Group.
One of the things I find most valuable about my membership is the new connections that I have made with other fundraisers outside of my own charity. I really enjoy being part of the Payroll Giving group and helping other charities to discover payroll giving.
We only recently re-started this group as it had been in hibernation for a few years. There had been an independent Payroll Giving Forum where a limited amount of charities met quarterly, however we wanted to reach out to more charities and felt that with the Chartered Institute, we would be able to expand our reach. There has been more interest amongst charities after the launch of Payroll Giving Month and we especially want to reach out to smaller charities so they can make the most of this source of income.
Being part of the payroll giving group is really positive because it gives me another ‘team’ to be part of. Often in charities it might just be one person or a very small team working on payroll giving, so being able to work with others in this field is a good way to learn and support each other.
As well as being able to learn from other charities, I am also able to help people who are at the beginning of their fundraising career in payroll giving. Being part of a group, and membership of the Chartered Institute is a great way to expand your knowledge, share with others and it’s a fantastic personal development opportunity.