The comms blog

Communication from a volunteer’s point of view

The words thank you written in colourful script

It’s Volunteers Week 2021. The theme this year is ‘A time to say thanks’. Organisations will be thanking their volunteers in a variety of ways. They simply wouldn’t be able to do what they do, make the difference they make, without the people who voluntarily give up their time and skills to make things happen. … Read more

What if we believe ordinary people have the power to do extraordinary things

During 2021 I’m sharing stories of kindness. Speaking up about the things that people do to help others and make their day better. Each month I’m going to publish a ‘What If…’ blog to inspire us all to think about how we already make the world a kinder place and ideas for things we could … Read more

Carrying out an internal comms audit

Over the summer I am sharing examples of some of the projects I’ve been involved with over the years. I love the variety of clients I am lucky enough to work with and the ways in which I can help them communicate better in order to achieve their objectives. If you are taking the summer … Read more

Guest post: Growing a sales mindset in a charity

Building a sales mindset can be hugely powerful for your charity – but where should you start? This month’s guest post comes from sustainable income advisor, Ruth Dwight, who has provided some great ideas for how to discuss the need to grow income in new ways with your employees and volunteers. As the funding environment … Read more

10 key points from the Strategic People conference

This was my second year at the Strategic People Conference from Agenda Consulting. This year’s theme was ‘Thoughtful leadership for a healthy culture’. Once again I came away with lots of new ideas and questions to consider in my work with my clients. Throughout the day there was ample opportunity to learn from different perspectives … Read more

#YouMadeItHappen – my favourites

This week charities have been using the hashtag #YouMadeItHappen to thank their supporters and celebrate the difference they make. An email from NCVO’s Aidan Warner, sent to members to launch the imitative, said, “When we ask the public what they want to hear from charities, one thing comes through loud and clear. They want to … Read more

Communication with volunteers

The literacy charity for which I am a trustee, ABC to read, was recently awarded the Investing in Volunteers quality mark. Like many organisations, we are only able to do the work we do, changing children’s lives, because of our amazing volunteers. So we were delighted to receive recognition for the support we offer them. … Read more

Don’t embarrass your mother and other thoughts on effective communication

This afternoon I am talking to the local Women’s Institute (WI) group about ABC to read, the literacy charity of which I am a trustee. It’s a chance to spread the word about the work we do to change children’s lives by supporting them to develop their literacy skills. As with many small organisations, we … Read more