# British Red Cross books entire staff on the first BAME Fundraising Conference

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/07/20/british-red-cross-books-entire-staff-on-the-first-bame-fundraising-conference/
- Published: 2020-07-20T15:11:56+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**The British Red Cross has booked every one of its staff on the first BAME Fundraising
Conference, which takes place online later this month.**

 

Now 4,000 staff will have access to the event, curated by fundraising consultant
[Martha Awojobi](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marthaawojobi/) and hosted by [Fundraising Everywhere](https://fundraisingeverywhere.com/).
Staff will be able to attend on the day or watch recordings afterwards.

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This is very likely to be the first time that a major national charity has booked
its _entire staff_ to attend a single training event or conference. Indeed, it would
not have been possible when conferences were primarily, and often exclusively, in
person events.

 

The idea was proposed by the British Red Cross to Fundraising Everywhere, and a 
fee arranged for mass attendance. Tickets for the event are available on a ‘pay 
what you want’ basis, to help ensure that no fundraiser or charity staff member 
is excluded from attending purely on cost terms.

 

 

 

> I have to take a moment to really take this in.
> This is my first time curating a conference and over 4000 people are attending.
> I haven't even announced speakers.
> Shows how much the sector has been crying out for this. It's going to be amazing
> for real! 🔥🔥🔥 [https://t.co/elfjPOHkcc](https://t.co/elfjPOHkcc)
> — Martha Awojobi (@MarthaAwojobi) [July 8, 2020](https://twitter.com/MarthaAwojobi/status/1280823880974848002?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

 

 

## BAME Fundraising Conference

 

The one-day event on 29 July “will feature incredible BAME speakers, in fundraising
and beyond, who will share their insights and techniques for fundraising success”.
It will “provide organisations with the tools, connections and resources to do brilliant
fundraising”.

 

Its sessions will “explore how leaders can recruit and support staff of colour to
thrive within their organisation by creating truly inclusive cultures, and focusing
on personal development and leadership opportunities”.

 

Fundraising Everywhere emphasise that “we will be platforming BAME speakers who 
will be sharing their talents and achievements in fundraising, not just talking 
about diversity and inclusion”.

 

Katie Simmons, Director of Fundraising Strategy, British Red Cross, explained why
the charity had made the booking. She said:

 

“The BAME fundraising conference is an important event for our sector. We want to
ensure as many of our staff as possible are able to attend and take part in these
conversations. We’re pleased our investment will support the event, including helping
to pay for speakers.

 

“We know there is a huge appetite in our organisation to share experience, listen
and learn. Recently, over 700 colleagues joined an Anti-Racism and Allyship workshop
held by the British Red Cross BAME network, and we wanted to provide more opportunities
for colleagues to continue this conversation.”

 

 

 

> Hey [@BritishRedCross](https://twitter.com/BritishRedCross?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)–
> we have something for you…
> 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
> BRC have recognised the importance of this month's [#BAMEOnline](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAMEOnline?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> to build a fair & inclusive sector & have booked for their ENTIRE STAFF to attend.
> Your move, charity sector[https://t.co/DbTWPyhxgO](https://t.co/DbTWPyhxgO)
> — Fundraising Everywhere (@FundEverywhere) [July 13, 2020](https://twitter.com/FundEverywhere/status/1282572710552440833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

 

 

Nikki Bell and Simon Scriver of Fundraising Everywhere said:

 

“We’re beyond excited, and not surprised, about British Red Cross’ attendance at
the BAME Virtual Conference. The conference has been curated by our event curator,
Martha Awojobi, following research into the challenges faced by people of colour
in the charity sector, and by organisations led by and/or for people of colour. 
The British Red Cross has experience across all of these areas and their proactiveness
shows commitment to doing the right thing.”

 

They added that they hoped other charities would follow the British Red Cross’ ambitious
approach, but none had done so so far.

 

Nevertheless, even before the booking by the Red Cross, this conference had, according
to Bell and Scriver, resulted in “the fastest-selling tickets for any event” that
the platform had run since it was established last year.

 

Bell said that they were happy to provide similar all-access passes at a discounted
rate for any team that wanted to attend. 

 

She said: “We need more organisations to follow suit and show their commitment to
creating a just sector for all. They’ve posted their statements and started work
to create more inclusive places of work, and here is a full-day conference they 
can attend in their own time that literally tells them how to do it.”

 

 

 

## Conference topics

 

![Outline of BAME Fundraising conference 2020](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/
2020/07/bame-fundraising-conference-speakers.png)

 

 

 

## Martha Awojobi

 

> Introducing [@MarthaAwojobi](https://twitter.com/MarthaAwojobi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> curator of [#BAMEOnline](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAMEOnline?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> 🖤
> She's…
> ⭐Worked in the Sector for almost 10 yrs
> ⭐One of 25 under 35⭐A member of [#CharitySoWhite](https://twitter.com/hashtag/CharitySoWhite?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)'
> s organising committee⭐Planning an AMAZING event!
> Tickets 👉🏾 [https://t.co/1pxMOz8pzl](https://t.co/1pxMOz8pzl) [#FundraisingEverywhere](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FundraisingEverywhere?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> [#Fundraising](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Fundraising?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> [pic.twitter.com/XQ8o6Kir3H](https://t.co/XQ8o6Kir3H)
> — Fundraising Everywhere (@FundEverywhere) [July 13, 2020](https://twitter.com/FundEverywhere/status/1282782031953494016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

 

 

**[Martha Awojobi](https://twitter.com/MarthaAwojobi/)** is a consultant who has
worked in the charity sector for almost a decade in fundraising roles, from face
to face, individual giving, to crowdfunding, digital and corporate. She is a member
of #CharitySoWhite’s organising committee and has been working with the Institute
of Fundraising to transform the fundraising sector and make space for fundraisers
of colour.

 

She is co-presenting the conference with **[Camille St-Omer Donaldson](https://twitter.com/Camalamalamz)**
at the British Red Cross.

 

Awojobi has worked hard to recruit some outstanding speakers for the conference.
She tried to secure Stormzy, but he declined the invitation:

 

 

 

> I want Stormzy to speak at the first ever BAME Fundraising conference 😎
> He is one of the most exciting Black Philanthropists in the UK and we MUST hear
> what he has to say!
> I'm starting a campaign today to get Stormzy on my lineup – like/retweet/go wild
> if you're with me ✊🏾💫
> — Martha Awojobi (@MarthaAwojobi) [July 1, 2020](https://twitter.com/MarthaAwojobi/status/1278284207643676672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

 

 

Nevertheless she has recently secured a contribution from the actor Jay Jackson (
Perd from _Parks & Recreation_):

 

 

 

> I AM DEEEEAD! I can't actually handle the fact that my name and 'YA HEARD' are
> in the same sentence.
> I feel like the conference is now truly blessed by the hands of Perd, aka Jay 
> Jackson.
> 😍😍😍 [https://t.co/nqD9sC2enb](https://t.co/nqD9sC2enb)
> — Martha Awojobi (@MarthaAwojobi) [July 18, 2020](https://twitter.com/MarthaAwojobi/status/1284495086638825472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

 

 

 

Booking for the [BAME Fundraising Conference](https://fundraisingeverywhere.com/bameonline/)
is still open, whether for individuals or entire charity staff teams!

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

_Editor’s update: 21 July 2020_

 

Another organisation has signed up to book all its staff on this conference: Open.

 

> Welcome [@LifeAtOpen](https://twitter.com/LifeAtOpen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) – the
> newest sponsor to [#BAMEOnline](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAMEOnline?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> 🎉
> The ENTIRE Open team will have access to next week's virtual conference and will
> have front-row tickets to some of the BEST speakers and sessions your virtual 
> conferencing eyes have ever seen. [pic.twitter.com/ewiOJkH1ZW](https://t.co/ewiOJkH1ZW)
> — Fundraising Everywhere (@FundEverywhere) [July 21, 2020](https://twitter.com/FundEverywhere/status/1285488935930650625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

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