A FRESH PAIR OF EYES...

The charity welcomes Chris Millard, Managing Director of Emprise Group which comprises The R66T Academy and The Barmy Army; Shane Beard, CEO of Sheffield’s independent commercial boutique gym group Firehouse Fitness; karting champion Rowan Campbell-Pilling; and Britain’s Got Talent star Maxwell Thorpe. Charity Ambassadors are a group of people who have committed to raising awareness of Sheffield Children’s Hospital in their highly-specialist fields. They have pledged to utilise their expertise and enthusiasm to support our upcoming events and fundraising efforts.

All four of the new ambassadors are Sheffield born and bred and they all have a personal connection to the hospital, making it a cause close to all their hearts.

Chris Millard, who lives in Greenhill, says: “I am over the moon to become an ambassador for the wonderful Sheffield Children’s Hospital. I owe my life to this amazing place and I’m so delighted to support the cause in this way.”

As a child, Chris received lifesaving care at the hospital, so it’s particularly special for him to be able to give back in this way, to help raise the profile of Sheffield Children’s and the service provided to his family.

“I am keen and committed to amplifying the integral support that the charity gives to the children of Sheffield and the surrounding areas,” says Chris. “I’m particularly excited to share their work and get involved in any way I can.”

Have you got together with your Trustees, Directors and operational staff to audit your funding over the last 12 months? Have you looked at which applications for funding worked? Do you currently have a funding deficit or are reserves above your policy minimum? Have you an understanding of what is required for the next 12 months and how this is going to be secured for the next 12 months? Have you researched every possible potential funding source? Have you considered business sponsorship or CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)? Do you have enough volunteers to carry out the delivery this year? Will your community events meet your fundraising targets? It is useful to understand how your funders perceive you? How could you be more fundable? Maybe devise some audit research questionnaires?

Having a fresh pair of eyes on funding is very useful - perhaps ask a Trustee or a nonoperational Director to undertake this work – or ask me? It’s something that I can do from the outside looking in and recommend useful ways of working differently maybe?

Know what funds need raising, know what you want to deliver for your beneficiaries and where this money will come from, then you will have the basis of a funding strategy to work with all year and measure you successes by at the end of the year.