Load up the Irn bru, Noordwijkerhout here I come
Howard Lake | 14 October 2009 | Blogs
Yesterday, somebody asked me what was so special about the IFC – was it really worth a week out of the office? It’s hard to convey to a first timer what is so unique about it, but I’ve given it a shot.
I am a self-confessed IFC addict as, having attended for over a decade, it is the conference of all conferences in this profession. Holed up together for four or five days in a decidedly small and flat part of Holland, you just have to give in to the whole experience – from the training sessions and masterclasses through to your pirate outfits for Thursday night’s gala dinner.
When it comes to learning, you can’t help but learn from your peers and the host of international speakers who give their time to share their experiences and stories. The opportunity to talk to and learn from the likes of Kay Sprinkel Grace, Tony Elischer, Jenny Thomson, Tony Myers, Al Clayton, Balzacs Sator and Marcelo Iniarro (and his facebook friend Lucy)… to name but a few, is hugely inspiring.
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The IFC ensures that it is at the forefront of all the cutting edge techniques in our industry and you can be assured to bring back techniques and skills that can be implemented into your own strategies. A truly international programme gives a broad perspective on key issues and challenges facing charities in all parts of the world.
Networking is a given – after all, you can’t ignore someone when you keep on bumping into them at breakfast, in sessions and on the disco floor!
In short, I would encourage you all to live and breathe the full conference programme – even if it is just this once. I hope to see you there!
And, just to explain the title… A few years ago, two bottles of 75cl Diet Irn Bru were at the centre of a fierce battle between two very well known agency bods at the IFC. In true fundraising spirit, the end result was that the Fundraisers Fund (Guy Stringer Bursary fund as it was then) ended up over €1000 better off!
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.