My Week in Marketing and Fundraising at Longfield Community Hospice
Spending a week in the Marketing and Fundraising department at Longfield Community Hospice was an educational and rewarding experience. I got to see firsthand how marketing and fundraising plays a vital role in raising awareness, attracting support, and making a real difference in this charity. From writing a press release to brainstorming a volunteer recruitment campaign, I gained valuable insights into the world of marketing – especially within the charity sector.
Day 1: First Impressions & Getting Started
On my first day, I was welcomed by the team and given a tour of the hospice. I learned about the important work Longfield does – providing free hospice care and support to those with life-limiting illnesses. Marketing and fundraising helps make all of this possible by engaging the community, securing donations, and recruiting volunteers.
I was given an exciting opportunity to contribute my own advertising ideas for an upcoming event, “Run the Rainbow.” My task was to brainstorm ideas that may make the event more appealing to a younger demographic, so I decided that incorporating bold colors and some social media ideas would be a good start. It was exciting to have the chance to bring a fresh perspective to the campaign right from the start!
Days 2-4: Press Releases & Volunteer Campaigns
As the week progressed, I got involved in some more hands-on projects:
Writing a Press Release – With the help of the team, I put together a press release for an upcoming charity concert. I learned that a press release needs to be clear, informative, and engaging to grab people’s attention.
Creating a Volunteer Recruitment Campaign -Going into this project we wanted to involve existing volunteers and their insights and personal stories to help inspire potential volunteers. I worked with the team to come up with ideas for a campaign to encourage more people to get involved. We focused on:
- Highlighting real stories from existing volunteers to show the impact of their work. We tried to incorporate younger and older volunteers to show a range of stories and reasons for volunteering.
- Using social media creatively – for example, we came up with plans for social media posts and posters that will hopefully encourage people to sign up to volunteer.
- Making it easy for people to sign up to become a volunteer at one of Longfield’s shops
It was fascinating to be involved in the process and how the marketing team build on each idea to create a full campaign.
Day 5: Ball & What I Learned
On my final day I helped the team prepare for an event which was the following day. This gave me an insight to a more creative side to the job and also lead me to see all of the different jobs that need to be carried out when organizing an event.
Final Thoughts: During my time at Longfield I have been able to learn valuable skills, adapt to new challenges, work effectively in a team and boost my confidence. This experience has also given me industry experience and personal growth. All of these factors I will be able to use in any line of work I decide pursue.