# Volunteer fundraiser of the year

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/06/16/volunteer-fundraiser-year-973/
- Published: 2011-06-16T12:29:52+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

For any volunteer who has made a major contribution to fundraising, over a significant
period, for one or more organisations.

 

The shortlisted entries in alphabetical order are:

## Advertisement

 

Harry Becher & Catriona Blampied

 

Isabel Hudson

 

Polly Odbert

 

**Harry Becher & Catriona Blampied**

 

Harry and Catriona came up with an innovative fundraising campaign to raise £1m 
for the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre. After both their mothers were
diagnosed with breast cancer, they launched an online, social-networking, fundraising
campaign called Too Many Women (TMW) which would embrace the digital world and use
all their networks and skills to capture the imagination of a new generation of 
fundraisers. They asked 201 individuals to become ‘ambassadors’ of the campaign 
and to raise £500 each in any way they like. These 201 then asked nine friends to
join them and to raise £500 each. The result is 2010 individuals, inspired by Harry
and Catriona, raising more than £1m for Breakthrough during 2010/11. TMW is an incredibly
creative, home-grown fundraiser which has encouraged fast and efficient awareness
raising and very effective giving. This wouldn’t have been possible without Harry
and Catriona’s energy, passion and selflessness over the last three years.

 

**Isabel Hudson**

 

Isabel joined Scope in 2004 as a volunteer on a business networking committee known
as the Business Development Board (BDB), becoming chair in 2009. She tasked the 
BDB with leading a specially created dinner ‘Sporting Inspirations’ to be held at
a London hotel. The event would raise unrestricted funds for Scope, rejuvenate the
BDB and access new networks of high value supporters. Following the success of this
evening Isabel worked with Scope’s head of philanthropy to develop an appeal for
the transformation of one of Scope’s services for disabled adults, at the heart 
of which was a ‘venture philanthropy’ product targeted at private donors and grant
making trusts. The appeal went on to raise £1.8m in donations and interests-free
loans.

 

**Polly Odbert**

 

For 19 years Polly has volunteered an average of 40 hours every week for Watford
New Hope Trust. She is passionate about the plight of homeless people, and is an
extremely popular character among the homeless community of Watford as she is notorious
for offering care and support to those most in need. For 15 years she has been the
sole full-time voluntary manager of the WNHT charity shop. This shop is the largest
charity shop in Hertfordshire and during the past five years it has generated a 
consistent profit of at least £120,000 a year, enabling WNHT to run its drop-in 
centre. Polly is an extremely humble lady whose commitment to raising funds to help
those who are homeless and vulnerable goes largely unnoticed.

 

 * **[Institute's National Convention wins conference award](https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/06/21/institute039s-national-convention-wins-conference-award/)**(
   21 June 2011)
 * **[Best use of legacy fundraising](https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/06/30/best-use-legacy-fundraising-815/)**(
   30 June 2011)
 * **[Best use of the telephone](https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/06/30/best-use-telephone-874/)**(
   30 June 2011)