Marion Allford to retire
Howard Lake | 28 January 2017 | News
Marion Allford, Principal of fundraising consultants Marion Allford Associates, is to retire after 40 years’ service in the charity sector.
To mark the occasion, she has donated the 600 remaining hardback copies of her book, “Charity Appeals: the Complete Guide to Success”, to the Institute of Fundraising, for their members and students and to the University of Kent, for students taking their Master’s in Philanthropic Studies.
The book, one of the early advanced guides to fundraising campaign management in the UK, shared her expertise and experience of running the high profile £84 million Wishing Well Appeal for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, which concluded in 1988.
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She devised the strategy, set up and directed this campaign to its successful conclusion, and also ran several other multi-million pound charity capital appeals.
While writing the book she advised HRH The Prince of Wales on his special interest charities, which led her into the consultancy role.
Marion Allford Associates
In 1990, Allford established her fundraising consultancy, Marion Allford Associates, which has advised and guided hundreds of charities across Britain and abroad over the past 25 years. This included helping voluntary organisations and Government bodies, especially medical causes, and included the start-up of new charities such as The Healing Foundation (now called the Scar Free Foundation) and The Eve Appeal.
Lifetime contribution award
In 2014 Allford received the Lifetime Contribution Award from the Institute of Fundraising at its National Awards.
Commenting on her retirement, Allford said:
“What a privilege it has been working with such dedicated, inspiring people and playing a small part in helping to change the world for the better. I want to take this opportunity to thank most sincerely the charities which have given me the chance to become involved in their visionary work. It has been moving, challenging, rewarding and exciting. Who could ask for a more satisfying career?
“I also must particularly thank my colleagues and the thousands of volunteers who have supported me in all of these endeavours. Without them little would have been achieved.”
She added that she would not completely stop sharing her advice, saying:
“In the future, when needed, I shall be happy to give some initial, voluntary advice to charities considering setting up a capital appeal.”
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.