My approach to pulling this paper together was to firstly reach in to the depths of my own experiences over the past 16 years. Having worked as and managed face to face fundraisers for over 10 years at Gift Fundraising I had personal experiences that proved invaluable in pulling this together. Having then moved from the agency to St John Ambulance, and remained in touch with so many of the people I have been fortunate enough to have worked with in both capacities, I was able to reach out and meet with many of them. Meeting Tim Longfoot from Open it was wonderful to have discovered that he had developed the props for my personal favourite of the case studies from Sense. So simple, and yet so obviously effective. Many of the contributors have also been attending a regular meeting of face to face fundraising experts. Where we could share best practices in the hope that we would begin to offer hop, and re-galvanise optimism after a very torrid year across the sector. It has almost become a regular counselling group for us; “I am a face to face fundraiser, and I have been addicted to it for the last 16 years.” 

Others have been very courteous and generous with giving me their time, and arranged to meet with me off the back of the announcements made at the IoF convention in 2016. What has certainly worked for me, and is obviously fitting for the subject matter, is that everyone I have had contributions or guidance from (thank you Dominic Will), has met with me face to face. There were many notable individuals that I haven’t been able to meet with, almost, but not quite on many occasions, but then they have passed their thoughts and advice through colleagues of theirs that I have. 

Face-to-face fundraising (F2F) is one person stopping another individual to talk to him or her about something that they both care deeply about, the talker offering the listener something practical and effective that he or she can do about it that will be worthwhile and satisfying for both. This is a very valuable method of fundraising . In essence it is fundraising in its purest form. Historically, this is the way it must have been done since year dot, with one human representing a cause, and inspiring another to fund the need and help. So, safeguarding it, and ensuring that at the very least it survives, but with the hope that it can be reinvigorated and thrive, is not just enjoyable work, it is work that really should be done. Thank you to everyone who continues to do it.