In this session, Bethan Francis, Managing Director at Stratcom UK will explore the real drivers behind great fundraising calls — and it all starts with the fundraiser. We’ll unpack the qualities and instincts that make some fundraisers exceptional, and what can (and can’t) be taught. From natural empathy and conversational confidence to resilience and active listening, we’ll dive into the key traits that matter most on the phone.

We’ll also share practical insights into how to recruit, train, and retain brilliant callers — including how to keep teams motivated, engaged, and continuously growing in their role. Whether you run a calling team or partner with an agency, this session will give you a fresh perspective on what makes a good call truly great.

Key learnings from this session: - A great call doesn’t start with a script — it starts with a great fundraiser - What should you look out for when recruiting a new fundraiser - What skills and behaviours should you nurture and develop Want to continue your learning? Join us at our Face-to-Face and Telephone Fundraising Conference coming up on Thursday 23rd April f you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again!

And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.

Welcome to the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast, today, we’ve got something a little bit different for you.

To celebrate our upcoming Face-to-Face and Telephone Fundraising Conference coming up on Thursday 23rd April, we’ve decided to hand the mic over to our guest host Rory White in this special series of episodes called 'It Started On The Street'.

Rory will be chatting to some brilliant leaders in the charity sector and beyond about their journeys since they started their careers as dialogue fundraisers. "If you caught our previous conversation with Danny McDonnell, you’ll know we love speaking to the dynamic figures who helped shape this sector. Richard is certainly one of them — a one-man dynamo, hugely respected, and someone who’s been at the forefront of face-to-face fundraising since the early days of Gift Fundraising.

I first had the pleasure of working with Richard when he joined Shelter, where he took charge of their fundraising team. He’s obsessive about his craft — deeply passionate about the organisations he works for, and hugely motivational to everyone around him.

Over the years, he’s worked around the world, bringing his unique energy and expertise to countless projects. Now based in Dublin, he runs his own organisation, Emerald Fundraising, which — no surprise — is thriving.

I know you’ll find this conversation as inspiring and energising as I did."

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again!

And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.

The biggest data change for UK charities since GDPR is here — and it's an opportunity you can't afford to miss. In this episode, host Josh Leigh, Co-Founder of Hynt, the digital fundraising agency, is joined by a panel of expert; fundraising compliance specialist Cam St-Omer Donaldson, people and processes consultant Kirsty Mooney, and digital marketing expert Sarah Crowhurst to break down everything charities need to know about the new Email Soft Opt-In rules.

In this episode, we cover: - What Email Soft Opt-In actually means and what's changed under the new Data Use and Access Act 2025 - Why we're still waiting on ICO guidance — and what you can do right now while you wait - Which teams, systems, and processes across your organisation need to be involved - Why this change is NOT retrospective — and what that means for your existing data - How to document your decision-making to protect your charity - The massive opportunity to grow your email and SMS audiences — and how to make the most of it - What a strong supporter communication programme looks like once you've implemented the change

Want support implementing Email Soft Opt-In at your charity? Email hello@hynt.studio with code PODCAST20 for 20% off.

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to hit follow and enable notifications so you'll get notified to be first to hear of future podcast episodes. We'd love to see you back again!

And thank you to our friends at JustGiving who make the Fundraising Everywhere Podcast possible.