Legacy Summit survives the COVID lockdown – virtually

[DESPITE THE PRIVATIONS of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Legacy Strategy Summit will take place this year as a digital event – #LSS20. The event will take place on 11 November, providing insights into current trends in legacy giving and opportunities to explore legacy fundraising in the post-COVID era.

The online event has been designed to allow those attending to have access to everything they would expect at a live conference, with real-time presentations and peer interactions, panel discussions and audience polls. They will also benefit from exclusive access to a range of on-demand materials and resources.

Why attend?

According to organisers Wilmington Charities: “Whether you are looking to build, grow or re-invigorate your legacy strategy, #LSS20 will provide you with the latest techniques and tactics to take yours to the next level. We have designed this event so that legacy teams can come together to pick and choose sessions and materials that will suit them – from senior level down to those looking to build a legacy strategy.”

In response to the challenges and opportunities posed by the current environment, this year’s summit format will be: • Interactive – this year’s digital platform enables those attending to watch the content from home or office, either as live and interactive sessions or via links to recorded sessions after the live dates. • Accessible – a shared experience can be created by watching the summit with

several colleagues from across a charity, where they can learn new techniques and be inspired together. • Packed with extra resources – delegates will benefit from access to a library of useful links and research to further their knowledge of legacy strategy, including prerecorded sessions on specialised areas of

Help for those with failing sight

[FAILING EYESIGHT is nothing short of a personal catastrophe. Do you have a family member, friend or neighbour who is gradually losing their sight?

Reading, recognising friends and living skills are all affected as your sight is going – and it’s much harder if you live alone.

The National Federation of the Blind of the UK(NFBUK) keeps its members in touch with general information, help and updates on what’s going on.

The charity produces bi-monthly news magazines and circulars in audio, braille or electronically, which members can read independently. It also encourages blind and partially sighted people to play a fuller part in society. q • For further information contact NFBUK on 01924 291313, email legacy fundraising, technical legal issues, data management developments and communication techniques.

The summit has been designed to be relevant to all levels of charity and legacy professionals. There will be sessions for all levels of the team and all sizes of charity: from those new to legacy fundraising, experienced legacy team members looking for inspiration and insight and senior leaders and board members wanting more insight into the income and engagement opportunities that can be created from legacy fundraising.

Wilmington added: “We also hope that our new format will allow some charities from the UK and abroad, who have not been able to participate previously due to distance, to join in and enhance the conversations.”

The 2020 summit will look at legacy giving from four perspectives, allowing delegates to shape their conference experience to their own interests and requirements. These areas will be: • Building a legacy strategy – for charities just starting to plan their legacy fundraising • Growing a legacy strategy – for charities with established legacy campaigns looking to move to the next level • Global legacy fundraising – showcasing best practice examples and international inspiration for developing and strengthening legacy campaigns • Legacy fundraising post-COVID – demonstrating how fundraising techniques, technology and teams have changed since lockdown and how charity legacy giving teams are recovering from the crisis.

In early August the organisers released the listing of the headline speakers. The impressive line up includes legacy professionals from major charities Cancer Research UK, Samaritans, Alzheimer’s Research UK and Marie Curie and smaller charities based round local hospices, as well as Mark Pincher from Smee and Ford and • To register for #LSS20 visit the website at legacystrategysummit.com

specialist consultant Richard Radcliffe. q admin@nfbuk.org or visit www.nfbuk.org.

Sending out an SOS for the owls

[ESTABLISHED IN 2001, the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary – known, appropriately, as S.O.S. – operates a comprehensive facility for the rescue, care and rehabilitation of owls across East Anglia. It also promotes the need for the conservation of endangered owl species throughout the UK and beyond with its Saving Britain's Owls initiative.

The S.O.S. owl and raptor hospital at Stonham Aspal is unique in the region. It is specially equipped for the care and treatment of the many injured wild owls and other birds of prey that are brought there every year. The reasons for their being there include road traffic accidents, mishap, starvation, trauma, disease, poisoning and sometimes even shooting or trapping.

Many of the birds can be given a recuperative, short-term pick-me-up before being re-released into the wild. Those that are more seriously injured but stand a chance of recovery are given medical aid and/or surgery, as determined by their vet. The birds are then allowed space and time to fully recuperate in one of the secluded recovery aviaries, before being carefully returned to the wild.

S.O.S. also operates a wild owl nest box scheme, in conjunction with volunteers from the Thornham Owl Project. That includes building and locating long-lasting, environmentally-friendly nest boxes in appropriate locations, to replace the gradual erosion of natural nesting sites. It also involves the careful monitoring of nesting activity within the scheme, for the annual reporting of raptor population information to regulatory authorities.

S.O.S. is funded purely by donation, and like many small charities faces an on-going, uphill struggle as they strive to survive. q