# Sailing through the fog of furlough together: the story of the Furloughed Fundraisers Chat group

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/10/16/sailing-through-the-fog-of-furlough-together-the-story-of-the-furloughed-fundraising-chat-group/
- Published: 2020-10-16T23:43:54+01:00
- Author: Guest Blogger

**When the furlough scheme was announced it was viewed as a lifeline for charities,
many of whom would simply not exist today if it wasn’t for those difficult decisions
being made back in March.**
But what was the impact on fundraisers up and down the
country who suddenly were furloughed? For me, the initial feelings reminded me of
the five stages of grief. I was angry, I felt cast aside, useless to the organisation
I had given the last 14 years of my working life too, saddened that I was not able
to help at a time when I felt it was needed most. Quickly enough I moved on, to 
acceptance, knowing it was the best thing for the charity, which is after all, what
was the most important thing, right? But for me, like many fundraisers, a people-
pleaser, suddenly there were no people, no pleasing to be done. I felt lost, unfocused
and, I don’t mind saying, very much alone.Finding the [Furloughed Fundraisers](https://www.facebook.com/groups/229754464809011/)
chat group on Facebook was amazing. To find what was, at the time, a small community
of people who were in the same boat, trying to navigate the same storm, meant I 
could turn a corner and find some direction amidst the fog of furlough. I watched
as the group grew in the first couple of weeks, taking solace from those brave enough
to comment about how difficult they found it being on the outside of their organisations,
and inspiration from those who, straight out of the starting block, were looking
for ways to keep busy and help the sector through volunteering for other charities.

I wanted to get involved, to be part of the society that was forming through the
group, and in a lightbulb moment I realised I had a skill might just be of interest
to some, so I reached out to the founders Nikki Wrench and Claire James and offered
my time, to host a [Makaton workshop](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6662729140954820608/)
online. The response was great and the success of the sessions led to a request 
to become a moderator. Looking back this was a pivotal moment in my furloughed life,
the start of my journey in supporting the group and feeling a real sense of achievement
every day.
Over the last five months, the group has grown to 1,900 members, an army
of exceptionally talented and passionate fundraisers, who rally round each other
with support and suggestions whenever a post is made. The moderator team, along 
which some fantastic support from the wider third sector community, have responded
to the chat of the group, producing content and online live sessions from supporting
mental health to inspirational words from sector leaders. To date 30 Zoom sessions
have taken place, supported by companies like Remarkable Partnerships and featuring
fundraising legends like Ken Burnett.  This is a great opportunity to thank everyone
who has passionately supported the group by hosting or speaking on a session, so
many knowledgeable people, giving their time and energy.As the months have gone 
on, alongside a large number of the group, Nikki, Claire and myself all faced the
uncertainty of redundancy, consultation, application, interview and new roles. We
got through this together, and we are working hard to help other members on their
personal journeys too.

One member says “FFC has really supported me when I was made redundant in July. 
Being able to share my feelings with like-minded people has been a real game-changer
for me and motivated me through the difficult times. The training courses/meetings
have been really useful and so relevant for the members of the group. Having this
group and sharing thoughts and ideas has been important for all members and thank
you to Louise, Nikki and Claire for keeping us motivated”
 

## Advertisement

## Next steps for the group

So what now for the group? As some members return to their previous roles, some 
to adapted ones, many now find themselves unexpectedly and nervously in the job 
market, but as furlough ends, the group will remain, As Ken Burnett said:  “It’s
a piece of fundraising history”. So as long as the members stay, then we will keep
working with and the sector to create supportive and useful content.

If you think you can help the group, as an inspirational speaker or a skills sharer,
please do get in touch, you will find us at  [Furloughed Fundraisers Chat](https://www.facebook.com/groups/229754464809011/)
on Facebook.
 _**Louise Bingham** is Corporate Partnerships Manager at The Felix
Project but is writing in a personal capacity._ 

## WATCH: a video summary of this blog post