Cystic Fibrosis Trust

The Cystic Fibrosis Trust recognised that, as a charity in which the condition they were seeking to address was responsible for early death, the subject of legacies was a difficult one to introduce to their core audience and beyond – people with CF and their families and friends.

As part of a wider strategy to engage supporters, they ran a single campaign to engage in a light-hearted, fun and humorous way that helped to deliver the message that planning for the future, taking care of family, friends and charities that people support, need not be daunting. This means simply making sure that people have thought about the future.

The campaign injected a humorous element using a memorable title - The Ancient Egyptians got it wrong. It sought to showcase the ease and importance of writing wills, and to let supporters know about the importance of considering including a gift to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust when making such arrangements, as well as how it will ensure that the Trust can continue fighting cystic fibrosis long into the future. 

The campaign had a limited budget, but using a talking point and humour caused it to stand out, and it secured 212 new enquiries. It organised a fancy dress walk as part of the campaign, which ended with the signing of wills and including a gift to the Trust. This showcased how obtaining gifts in wills can make use of a fun and light-hearted approach while being incorporated into the general fundraising combination. 

Michael Clark, Legacy and In-memory Manager at the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said

‘Gifts in Wills need to form part of the everyday conversations with supporters about how they can financially support your organisation’.