# Thank you, Sir Terry

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/02/02/thank-you-sir-terry/
- Published: 2016-02-02T17:08:30+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**What I learned about charities from Sir Terry Wogan.**

I was a TV-watching child of the 1970s and 1980s, and Sir Terry Wogan was ubiquitous
on that medium during those decades, presenting his chat shows, fronting programmes
including Blankety Blank and Children in Need, and of course commentating on the
Eurovision Song Contest.

News of his death really struck me and got me thinking this week about how much 
I learned from him, and in particular what charities can learn from his example.

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## Don’t take yourself too seriously

Many will remember Wogan for his hilarious, often bemused, sometimes cynical commentary
on coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest. I also loved his self-deprecating singing
of The Floral Dance.

What do I take from both of these? He didn’t take himself too seriously. Yes, there
are some things that we need to be passionate or serious about, but I learned from
him that I should guard against earnestness. It’s not an attractive quality, and
life is an absurd, rich, song-contest of a pageant that should be celebrated with
an indulgent smile.

## Stay loyal to what you believe in

Wogan presented [Children in Need](http://www.bbc.co.uk/cin) for over 30 years, 
and I can’t think of many other examples of such high-profile longevity of charity
association. This is important because it flies in the face of the accusation that
celebrities and personalities will flit between causes. Not Sir Terry. He stayed
loyal to what he believed in and what he was passionate about. And I’ve learned 
from his example the importance of staying true to my values.

## Speak to one person, not to many

And of course, he was a giant of radio as well, and the mellifluous quality of his
voice, his humour, his superb timing, and his ability to convey real emotion lent
itself superbly well to that medium. He built himself a huge, dedicated following
of listeners (often referred to as “TOGs” or “Terry’s Old Geezers/Gals”). Clearly,
listeners felt he was speaking directly to them. He was able to make a real singular
connection. I think charities can learn so much from this. Let’s stop considering
we’re addressing groups of supporters with our communications. Let’s remember how
Wogan made direct connections with his listeners and move away from anything beginning“
Dear all…”

## Be yourself, no matter who you’re with

So many of the tributes to Sir Terry Wogan have made the same point: he was the 
same person off-air as he was on-air – genuinely amusing, friendly and without airs
or graces. This to me speaks of his absolute authenticity. Do we show different 
sides of ourselves to different audiences, and if so why?

All of our supporters are important. All of our supporters deserve to see the real
us.

## Charities are interesting and important

And finally, through his presenting of Children In Need, Sir Terry brought the wonderful,
important world of charities into the front rooms of millions of people. He helped
show the world that our work is interesting, vital, relevant and of course worthy
of support. As a well-respected and loved broadcaster, he also gave our causes tremendous
legitimacy. We could see how important the work was to him and shared his delight
as the sums raised were announced.

I’ve learned from this that helping charities to achieve their mission is not only
a valuable vocation, but that understanding and supporting charities is both exciting
and life-changing, not just for me but for millions of others.

Thank you, Sir Terry.

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