Team Talks: Conán’s hurling

Recruitment is a people business. So, we thought we’d introduce you to the people behind Bamboo in our new ‘Team Talks’ series.

In this post, Recruitment Consultant, Conán talks about his passion for hurling.

Let’s start with the basics. What is hurling? 

It’s a fast-paced team sport played with a wooden stick (hurley) and a small leather ball (sliotar). In terms of a comparison sport, it’s a mixture of rugby, cricket, and lacrosse. 

Along with Gaelic football and handball, it’s one of Ireland’s ‘big three’ native games. And it’s a big part of our culture and our history. 

How long have you been playing? 

I started playing at the age of three in my hometown of Midleton. And it’s been a big part of my life ever since. 

Is there a strong hurling community in London? 

Yes. The Irish have been emigrating to the UK for a long time, so it’s well established - more so in West and Northwest London because that's where a lot of Irish settled.  

There are big communities in Cricklewood, Kilburn, Ealing, and Ruislip, where the main pitch is.  It’s also big in South London, where I’m based.  

I play for Fulham Irish.  

Does it attract a crowd? 

On a championship day, there'll be two or three games at McGovern Park (Ruislip). You might get between 50 – 200 people watching. But it’s a different story in Ireland, especially in small villages, on a championship day, shops, pubs, and everything else will close for the day, as everyone will be at the game.  

In 2009, Ballinacurra (the village next to Midelton) won the county final, and the whole village shut down for two weeks. Everyone was drinking and partying, as they hadn't won a championship in 70 years. 

How often do you play? 

Pre-season, we train twice a week. Once the season gets going, we train twice a week and have a game on the weekend. If there's no game, we train three times. 

Is it tiring? 

Yep. It's the fastest field sport in the world and it's extremely physical. My hands and shins are battered from getting hit. 

Is it easy to pick up?  

From a skills perspective, it’s complicated.  

Because I've been playing since I was three, it all comes very naturally. However, we welcome & encourage people from all walks of life into our national sports.

What do you get out of it?  

I'm a really competitive person. I love to win (which is why I love recruitment), so I enjoy the thrill of the game.  

I've won county championships in Cork, which is known as one of the strongholds of hurling in Ireland. The thrill of winning something like that, for the village or town you're playing for, is indescribable. 

Aside from the thrill factor, it’s a great way to meet people. 

When I first moved to London and joined a team, they really looked after me. I built some strong friendships from it.  

I’d never have met them without hurling. 

How can people get involved?

Come get involved with my team Fulham Irish http://fulhamirish.org/

RSPB fiasco highlights the risks of campaigning

No charity is immune from a crisis, as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) found out earlier this year.

On August 30th, the conservation charity launched a scathing attack on X (formerly Twitter), aimed at PM Rishi Sunak, Housing Secretary Michael Gove, and Environment Secretary Therese Coffey.

The post, which has been viewed over 10 million times, raged, "you said you wouldn't weaken environmental protections... And yet that's just what you are doing. You lie, and you lie, and you lie again. And we’ve had enough.”

The attack related to government plans to scrap pollution rules to build new homes near sensitive UK areas like rivers and waterways.

The RSPB then proceeded to cite Tory manifesto lines and quotes from the three ministers about ‘supporting environmental protections’, which it claimed were false.

Response

The charity was praised by clean rivers advocate Feargal Sharkey, who congratulated the charity for “taking a stand”. But it also faced harsh criticism.  Conservative MP Mark Jenkinson accused the RSPB of becoming “a political campaigning organisation” and called on the Charity Commission to strip it of its charitable status.

The post also infuriated RSPB trustee, Ben Caldecott. In a tweet, he said, "whatever one thinks of the government's policy proposals and their record on nature, these tweets are not an appropriate contribution. We can strongly disagree and make our case without calling people 'LIARS!'."

Apology

Hours later, the charity issued an apology on X, saying, "we are in a nature and climate emergency and that demands urgent action. The RSPB is deeply frustrated by the government's reneging on its environmental promises. But that frustration led us to attack the people not the policy. This falls below the standard we set ourselves and for that we apologise. We will continue to campaign vigorously on behalf of nature, but we will always do so in a polite and considered manner."

The following day, RSPB’s chief executive, Beccy Speight, appeared on Radio 4’s Today programme to explain the outburst.

She said: "The reason that has made us so frustrated and led to that original tweet is that it [the nutrient neutrality change] completely goes against the commitments that the government has made many times in the past, not to weaken environmental protections, most recently when the retained EU law bill was going through in the summer.”

When asked why the charity issued an apology, she said “we believe that the nature of public discourse does matter and that we have a role to play in that, and that we campaign on policy, not on people. The framing of that tweet, where we called out individual people, we felt was incorrect and inappropriate, and we apologise for that."

Fine line               

There’s a fine line between promoting conservation and political campaigning. The RSPB has walked it for years. But have they overstepped the mark this time?

Charity sector lawyers gave their view in a Civil Society article.

Suhan Rajkumar, senior associate at Bates Wells, said: “ahead of an election – there’s a risk that policy-based commentary which focuses on individual politicians might be misinterpreted as having a party-political aim. The Charity Commission focuses heavily on these kinds of reputational risks.”

Pippa Garland, partner at Russell-Cooke, said the post was “driven by RSPB’s concerns about the weakening of environmental protections, which I would say falls within their charitable remit. While the tweet may have been against RSPB’s own policy on campaigning, if a charity felt that this framing was the most effective way of furthering their purpose, it should be permitted to do so – subject to the usual legal restrictions, including the laws of defamation.”

She added, “the Commission’s guidance states that charities ‘can campaign using emotive or controversial material, where it is lawful and justifiable in the context’.”

Tom Murdoch, partner at Stone King, said that defamation could be a potential issue. “You can say something harmful to a person’s reputation if it is factually correct. However, here it is arguable; I expect the three named ministers would hotly deny that this is factually correct.”

The Charity Commission’s response

Mixed views. But what does the Charity Commission say?

A spokesperson said “it is encouraging that the RSPB acknowledged the post was inappropriate and took swift corrective action to issue an apology. However, as this was a serious mistake, we are keen to be assured of the trustees’ work to investigate how the incident happened, and what action they are taking to ensure such mistakes do not occur in future.”

Final Word

It remains to be seen how RSPB will emerge from this scandal, but it makes one thing clear: if you’re engaging in any sort of campaigning, be sure to stay the right side of the law. The rules are clearly laid out in this government guidance.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a policy-savvy fundraiser, give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk.

Joe Lycett’s political trolling results in an early Christmas present for Crisis UK

Brummie comedian Joe Lycett is notorious for his playful political trolling, but his latest attack resulted in more than £66,000 for Crisis UK, and a ton of unexpected PR.

Let’s dive in.

On 4 November, Lycett launched a spontaneous fundraising campaign, after the Financial Times reported that the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman wanted to restrict the use of tents by people sleeping rough, and to fine charities that supplied them. 

She said: “We will always support those who are genuinely homeless. But we cannot allow our streets to be taken over by rows of tents occupied by people, many of them from abroad, living on the streets as a lifestyle choice.”

In response to her comments, Lycett issued an epic takedown on Instagram.

He said, “my old friend Suella Braverman has described rough sleeping as a ‘lifestyle choice’. I always thought lifestyle choices were things such as cargo pants, fishing, and decorating your bathroom with a bowl of potpourri.

Let’s see if this image I found on Google described as ‘Wooden Botanical Fragrant Potpourri Bowl With Lemon’ can raise £50,000 for homelessness charity @crisis_uk”

Little did Lycett know how strongly the public felt.

The 35-year-old TV personality hit his target in just two days. And he celebrated in his inimitable way – sending the ‘cruel’ Home Secretary an open letter which was dripping in sarcasm.

‘I woke up this morning to see that a picture of a bowl of potpourri I posted just over two days ago has raised £50,000 for Crisis. A huge thank you to everyone who donated for their generosity. Of course, my main thanks must go to Suella: without your lifestyle choice, of being callous and cruel towards the most vulnerable people in society, none of this would’ve happened.”

He added: “There’s another choice coming to all of us soon. It’s known as an election. Best of luck with it babe x.”

Charity leaders’ concerns

Crisis is one of 15 homelessness charities calling for an “urgent reversal” of the Home Secretary’s plans to ban tents on streets.

In an open letter, the charities, which included the National Housing Federation, the Chartered Institute of Housing and Centrepoint said, “sleeping on the street is not a lifestyle choice. Laying blame with people forced to sleep rough will only push people further away from help into poverty, putting them at risk of exploitation. At the extreme end we will see an increase in deaths and fatalities which are totally preventable.”

The Home Secretary put the policy forward for inclusion in the government’s legislative programme that was due to announced in the King’s speech.

However, her plans didn’t make the cut. A shrew political move in light of the upcoming election? Surely not.

Final Word

Looking to add to your fundraising team? We can help. Give us a call on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get the conversation started.

The power of podcasting

Whether you love them or hate them, there’s no denying podcasts are a growing medium. Over 19.1 million Brits regularly listen to podcasts, and the number is on the rise.

Contrary to popular belief, podcasts aren’t just for celebrity gossip - they’re an untapped marketing and fundraising resource for charities.

Why podcast?

Besides raising awareness, building authority, sharing stories, and giving your brand a voice, podcasting is a low-cost and effective way to reach potential supporters and turn them into donors.

And they’re convenient, engaging, and incredibly accessible for people to listen to. It’s a win-win.

Who’s podcasting?

A growing number of charities are recognising the power of podcasts and incorporating them into their marketing & fundraising strategies.

Let’s look at a few examples.

British Red Cross

British Red Cross’s award-winning podcast, ‘More about the kind place’ gives a voice to the millions of people they support each year.  

It features powerful and moving conversations with beneficiaries, including refugees and asylum seekers, who tell their stories first-hand.

The podcast focuses on a range of topics from mental health to loneliness, grief, and masculinity.

On their website, British Red Cross explain the purpose of the podcast:

“It’s only through the power of personal experience that we can step into another’s shoes and see the world through their eyes. We hope that our podcasts build empathy and understanding for the people we support.”

Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK takes a different approach with their podcast, Cancer Research Matters.

The podcast features interviews with various researchers behind cancer research.

The aim is to break down complex medical topics and provoke conversation around cancer science, and how it shapes our understanding of the disease.

The first series celebrates the 20th anniversary of Cancer Research UK, by focusing on the various discoveries and breakthroughs made in cancer research over the past two decades.

The Fire Fighters Charity

Shout! explores the health and wellbeing of the UK’s fire services community.

It offers a unique insight into the physical, mental, and social challenges facing those who work on the front line, and their family and partners.

The charity’s clinical team offers tips and advice on a variety of health-related topics, from dealing with trauma to nutrition, exercise, and injury prevention.

Listeners are encouraged to take part in the show by sharing their stories and asking the experts for advice on their physical and mental health issues.

Benefits of podcasting

We’ve looked at some examples of podcasting in action. Now let’s turn our attention to the benefits of podcasting.

It’s easy to get started

All you really need to get started with a podcast is a laptop, recording software, a microphone, and a decent internet connection. Nothing fancy or expensive.

Obviously, if your podcast hits the big time, you’ll need to invest in better equipment to improve the quality, but you don’t need anything fancy to begin with.

Competition is low

While there are 60 million active Facebook business pages (including charities), there are just 5 million active podcasts (the number shrinks further when you search by topic). With this low level of competition, you’re better off having a podcast than a social media page.

They’re engaging and convenient

Unlike blog content, which has to be read, or videos that require audiences to sit and watch, all a podcast listener has to do is hit play and listen. That makes it the perfect content type for multi-tasking, which most of us do on a daily basis.

Podcast audiences are loyal

Developing a podcast audience ahead of the competition is incredibly important because listeners are loyal to their favourite programmes.

They establish relationships with the hosts and want to check back each time there is a new podcast episode.

If you can establish a strong audience before the podcast boom, it’ll be hard for your competitors to tempt them away from you.

This loyalty also translates to other marketing channels. For example, podcast listeners are 20% more likely to connect with a brand on social media.

Final Word

If this post has inspired you to launch your own charity podcast, keep an eye out for the second part of this series, where we’ll give you the lowdown on how to start a podcast.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a tech-savvy fundraiser to manage your podcast, get in touch. We’ve got talented applicants on tap. Call us on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk.

Six ways a recruitment agency can supercharge your job hunt

Looking for a new fundraising job? Your timing couldn’t be better. Today’s candidate-driven market means you’re in a strong position to find one.

But is the do-it-yourself approach the most effective way to find one? Not necessarily.

If you’re spending hours trawling job boards, filling out endless application forms, and not getting any responses, it might be time to try a different approach.

This is where professional recruiters come in.

Having a top-notch recruiter in your corner is like having your own personal advocate, someone who can help you find the right role, help you prepare for interview and negotiate the salary.

The best bit? It won’t cost you a penny.

With this in mind, here are six benefits of using a fundraising recruitment agency.

1.     They do the heavy lifting

You know that endless trawling we mentioned earlier? You won’t need to do that if you partner with an agency, as they’ll do it for you.

They’ll sift through the jobs and present you with roles that fit your skillset, qualifications, and interests.

All you have to do is decide which ones you want to apply for. 

2. Access to more jobs

Some fundraising jobs aren’t advertised on job boards. Some charities only post roles on their website. Others work exclusively with recruitment agencies to find high-quality candidates.

If you partner with one, it’ll open the door to lots more opportunities.

3. Coaching

The best recruiters don’t just find people jobs. They coach them through the process.  

They know what employers are looking for and what an ideal candidate looks like.

They’ll use this insider knowledge to help you improve your CV, hone your application, and interview like a pro.

4. Influence

Recruitment agencies put a lot of time and effort into developing strong relationships with their clients.

As a result, they have a lot of influence when it comes to recommending candidates.

A good recruiter will advocate for you. They’ll highlight your talents and skills to the employer and vouch for your soft skills. This is important as soft skills are difficult to gauge from a CV and cover letter, but they’re crucial to employers.

In fact, research by PeopleScout found that 92% of employers value soft skills equally, or more than hard skills. 

Another benefit of having a recruiter in your corner? If you don’t interview well but they know you’re a great fit, they may be able to sway the hiring manager’s decision.

5. Feedback

Lack of feedback is a major bugbear for jobseekers.

According to a study by StandOut CV, 63% of candidates are unhappy with the lack of communication they receive from employers after applying for a job.

This won’t be a problem if you go down the recruitment agency route.

You’ll receive feedback at each stage of the process. And, if you don’t get the job, the agency will tell you why and give you some handy pointers to help you bag the next one.

6. Negotiation

Job seekers are often their own worst enemies when it comes to negotiating salary.

Some are so excited to receive a job offer; they snap up whatever salary is on offer without question. Others lowball themselves and accept a salary they’re not happy with out of fear of asking for too much and not getting the job.

This is where working with a recruiter pays dividends.  

Their access to the latest market trends and salary data means you’ll have an ally with sector-specific insight and acumen to negotiate a compensation package you and your new employer will be happy with.

Final Word

When it comes to finding a job — that is, finding the right job — two heads are better than one. And when it comes to fundraising, you won’t find a better ‘second head’ than Bamboo.

But don’t take our word for it. Give us a call on 020 3750 3111 to find out how we can help.