‘John’s Journey’ voted most world changing good fundraising by National Convention delegates

Following three days of voting at this year’s Institute of Fundraising National Convention, the Motor Neurone Disease Association’s ‘John’s Journey Campaign’ took the accolade of greatest world changing fundraising.

‘John’s Journey’,  the first of its kind for the association, was a national campaign featuring photography and the personal accounts of John before he lost his life to Motor Neurone Disease aged 32 in 2007.  The campaign aimed to boost public awareness of what research showed was not considered a terminal illness and raise £50,000 – a target they beat almost five fold.

The campaign featured in the Good Work Gallery at the Convention, a selection of the most inspirational fundraising initiatives, campaigns and appeals that have changed the world as chosen by 12 sector experts.  We united experts including Third Sector Editor Stephen Cook – who put forward the winning piece – senior fundraisers, industry body heads and private sector leaders for the Gallery.

Stephen Cook, Editor, Third Sector said:
“When I saw the first poster on the Underground, it stopped me in my tracks. When I saw the last one 20 months later, it was like a punch in the stomach. Yet this shocking campaign was not confected and gratuitous, but raw and honest.t changed the sector, which sometimes misuses shock, by showing that it can be used without offence. It was also an excellent model of integrated campaigning.”

To view the winning piece and entire Good Work Gallery online please visit www.thegoodagency.co.uk/goodwork

Matthew Sherrington, Managing Director of The Good Agency said:
“Stories that are real, relevant, close up and personal, have always engaged people emotionally, and connected them with the cause.  This was jaw-dropping and the real deal – with John talking to you himself.” 

Adam Bryan, Director of Partnerships at the Institute of Fundraising, commented: “We were absolutely delighted to have worked with The Good Agency to create this exciting new feature for Convention.  We had a wonderful panel of curators who chose work that really inspired them and we hope that by visiting the Good Work Gallery some of our 2,300 delegates found inspiration too.”

Roger Lawson, Reuben Turner, Dan Dufour and Debbie Clarks also shared their fundraising, branding and integration expertise in several speaker sessions at the Convention. 

- ENDS –

Notes to editors:

The Good Work Gallery was curated by:

- Stephen Cook, Editor, Third Sector
- Mark Astarita, IoF Chair and Director of Fundraising, British Red Cross
- Ken Burnett, Founder, SOFII
- Tanya Steele, Director of Fundraising, Save The Children
- Liz Tait, Director of Fundraising, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
- Alison Cowan, Head of Marketing, Comic Relief
- Lyndall Stein, ActionAid
- Ellie Gray, Director of Fundraising, Mencap
- Stephen George, Revenue Fundraising Director, Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres
- Vicky Browning, Director, CharityComms
- Joe Saxton, Driver of Ideas, nfp Synergy
- Reuben Turner, Creative Director, The Good Agency