RHS launches first appeal to its US members
Howard Lake | 16 July 2003 | News
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has launched its first ever international fundraising appeal targeting American members, with a request to support conservation work at the Society’s Lindley Library.
The charity sent 6,000 RHS members in the US a special appeal from its President, Sir Richard Carew-Pole, asking them to help preserve the Lindley Library’s unparalleled collection of rare and historically important horticultural literature.
The special appeal has been developed by social marketing agency Whitewater, which is also responsible for the RHS’ UK-based donor acquisition and supporter appeals direct marketing programmes.
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The Lindley Library’s archive of books, periodicals and original drawings, dating from the 16th century, include volumes such as Capability Brown’s personal Account Book, Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s signed and annotated copy of the 1768 Flora of Switzerland, and a 1514 copy of Pliny’s Natural History.
Donors who give $5,000 will be offered the opportunity to sponsor personally a rare book and have their name recorded alongside its entry in the digital catalogue. In addition, all donors sending in $250 or more will receive a limited edition RHS print and those donating $1,000 will additionally receive an RHS garden stake.
It is the first time that the organisation’s American members have been sent a fundraising appeal. If successful RHS fundraisers plan to include overseas members in the charity’s upcoming Bicentary campaign, to be launched in 2004.
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.