Craig Savage represents one of the supported charities at the business club- Greater Together Manchester. He has a wealth of experience in the field and draws on this to explain how to maximise the benefits for the charity from donations.
Redeveloping the relationship between business and charity.
All charities at some point have received this very generic email which reads: “we have 15 staff who are available for charity work on the 31st of October for 6 hours” The awkward feeling and dread of responding always kicks in…
It’s not that charities aren’t grateful for the offer of help and support but the nature of charities is often reactive and so it’s very often quite challenging to put a list of tasks together for a specific date or hold things until that time. With the work Greater Together Manchester does, there are also considerations for safeguarding, protecting vulnerable people, food hygiene, health and safety…the list goes on.
So unless we roll out the classic ‘could you fundraise for us?’ and it’s accepted, there is not a lot of consensus between the charity need and the business offer. This is why businesses that ask and then listen are most appreciated.
Many groups have started to make this shift into asking what charities need before offering a set number of hours. A pleasant surprise and a privilege of linking with the businesses in Bowdon Business Club. Each week the simple question ‘how can we help your charity/business?’ gives opportunity to explain what we need to support our rough sleepers as much as we can. But far from an empty plea – there is a response. In the past year, Bowdon Business Club has supplied its charities with monetary donations, clothing, bedding, beds, discounted work, fundraising efforts, word-of-mouth advertising, targeted support and most importantly, their time.
It is important to support and give to charities who are often working flat out to meet their aims and support their own guests, clients, and service users. But 60 seconds of that time taken to listen to what’s needed can mean a greater deal with much less effort all round.
Greater Together Manchester
Church House
90 Deansgate
Manchester
M3 2GH
United Kingdom
Contact: Craig Savage
Night Shelter Coordinator
Changing Lives and Communities Together
Registered Charity Number: 1167704
