Long-Standing Member Series: In Conversation with Marion Allford

We had a lovely catch up with the brilliant fundraiser Marion Allford, who was not only a part of the Chartered Institute in its infancy, but also played an integral role in shaping it from the very beginning. 

After 7 years qualifying and practicing corporate Public Relations with ‘blue chip’ companies, I went to Geneva to work for a new development agency, attached to the UN. In Geneva, I met a group of bright, idealistic young people who were determined to solve some of the world’s problems – and I was hooked! I came back to the UK and halved my salary in order to join Help the Aged (now Age UK), as it was a cause close to my heart. In the 70’s, staff were paid very little as many charities were entirely run by volunteers. Often women did not work and could afford to put their time and effort into their considerable charitable activities.

At Help the Aged, my first role was to run a national study into the need for day centres for lonely elderly people. Then, because of my marketing skills, I moved over to fundraising and set up a department to raise funds for day centres for the elderly in London Boroughs. It was easy to motivate our staff - all they had to do was to see for themselves the appalling housing conditions of so many defenceless, elderly people, often with no family, living on their own and sometimes harried by heartless landlords trying to evict them to make more money. I soon realised that dedication to the cause is, in fact, the most important element of being an effective fundraiser.

It was exciting to be on the Steering Group which set up what was to become the ICFM (the Institute of Charity Fundraising Management), later becoming the Institute of Fundraising before achieving its chartered status. What first stimulated the development was some fraudulent fundraising, which was reported in the Sunday Times. We wanted to set up an Institute with a code of conduct, to develop professional training and qualifications for charity fundraisers and a forum to share knowledge and support fundraising members. It is rewarding to see that those ambitions have been realised and, today, the Chartered Institute of Fundraising has fulfilled our dream and stands for everything that is best practice in our profession.

However, developing the Institute was not without some tribulations, which, at the time, led me to write the attached ditty.

In 1985 the Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital planned to raise £20m to fund a new wing. I was recruited as the Director to set up and run the appeal. Due to high inflation at the time, the target increased and, eventually, we raised £54m. In addition, we were able to negotiate a contribution of £30m from the Government.

We named the appeal ‘The Wishing Well Appeal for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital (WWA)’ and its success illustrated just how important the cause and its profile are to any appeal.  Although we had to build the fundraising structure from scratch, so many parents and families owed their children’s lives to the hospital and were glad to have an opportunity to give back - an amazing example was when I received a call for someone who had sadly lost his daughter at the hospital 4 years previously. Having received so much care and support from the hospital during this heart-breaking time, he decided that he was going to donate his Lamborghini to the appeal and organise a Vintage Car Auction at Brockley Hall, run by Christies. He did just that - the event raised £1.5m and, during the auction, he and a friend jointly bought back his Lamborghini!

The person who inspired me most was Dame Joan Bartlett S.S.I., O.B.E., D.S.G. She was working for the BBC during World War 2 and noticed so many elderly, confused people wandering around aimlessly. They had been left homeless by the bombs and general destruction of London. Many had no support, nowhere to go and no one to care for them. As a result, she decided that, if she survived the War, she would dedicate the rest of her life to housing and caring for elderly people. This was a pledge she achieved and, in the process, she set up the housing association, Servite Houses, which provided sheltered and residential housing schemes all over the country. She was still running it well into her own old age, and the organisation still continues as part of a different housing association.

Joan was a brilliant fundraiser. She raised many millions of pounds for numerous housing projects for the elderly. She had a special aura about her, and regularly took on multi-million-pound housing projects for the elderly. Many seemed like impossible tasks, with no obvious way of obtaining the necessary funds – yet she always achieved her target. So, Joan taught me to believe and aspire in order to deliver what disbelievers could not even imagine.

This is a difficult question as different types of fundraising require different personalities, characteristics and skills. However, the following are key:

• The capacity to care deeply about your cause and the ability to persuade others to care too
• Determination to do something about the need and to make a difference
• Using your imagination and aiming your sights high
• A willingness to listen and learn - about your charity, its cause and programme, those who care and why donors might give or become involved
• The use of sophisticated marketing and fundraising methods and knowledge of the latest achievements in these fields (i.e., best practice and other case histories)
• Developing and following a strategy and detailed plan of action
• Showing leadership skills and empowering and motivating others
• Being patient, thoughtful and courteous when building and maintaining good relationships with potential and actual donors.
• Being able look at things through other people’s eyes   

Today, the fundraising profession offers a varied, worthwhile career. However, if you feel your role is more of a ‘calling’, your job satisfaction will definitely be enhanced. When being interviewed for a new role, take care to respectfully ask your own questions to ensure the need for funding is well thought through and persuasive. If you are not convinced, delve deeper and, if it does not really make sense to you, it is best to walk away. There are so many wonderful charities with causes and leadership that inspire.

When applying for a new post, make sure you identify all the skills which would be ideal for the role. If there are gaps in your knowledge or experience, it is best is to admit it and explain how you intend to fill the gap as you are especially attracted to the role they are seeking to fill. Remember there are many successful fundraisers who are only too pleased to help and share their knowledge.  Don’t be afraid to look for help and make sure you become a member of the Chartered Institute.

It is amazing how communities have come together in recent years, especially since Covid. Many streets have active WhatsApp groups and generally a feeling of togetherness and helpfulness has emerged. As fundraising completely relies on good communications, the benefit of social marketing generally, offers immense opportunities for successful fundraising.

However, as ever, there is much competition for charitable funding, and new and imaginative methods must continue so that fundraising can be seen to be effective, innovative, fun and a rewarding way to support others. Also, with the speed of communications, charities must be careful to develop and maintain an excellent reputation and not, on occasions, attempt to hide negative aspects. Better to admit failures and show how such situations will be addressed and overcome.

Serendipity brought me to the world of charity and I am so glad as it gave my life a meaning. What a wonderful calling/profession/career a fundraiser has!  At the end of your working life, not only have you earned a living, but you can look back with pride, knowing you have made a positive difference to the lives of so many people in need. What a privilege.