New year, new podcast — and this one you won’t want to miss! JustGiving is proud to share What Have I Done?, a podcast hosted by award-winning fundraiser Caroline Jones. The series spotlights amazing fundraising campaigns and the exceptional people behind them.
Ten Inspiring Stories
Across 10 episodes, What Have I Done? explores the stories of fundraisers who’ve collectively raised more than one million pounds for charity. A common thread in each story is the grit and determination required to sustain campaigns and bring them over the finish line. Even then, the podcast’s guests make it clear that that their individual fundraising journeys are only just beginning.
“Someone, Somewhere, is Doing Something Amazing”
The host of What Have I Done? is Caroline Jones, who may be familiar to longtime readers of the JustGiving Blog. After losing her mother to breast cancer, Caroline embarked on a fundraising journey that inspired many for its creativity and longevity.
Through her Knickers Model’s Own campaign, Caroline modelled a different second-hand outfit every day for a year and raised over £55,000 for Cancer Research UK. Caroline has since gone on to fundraise for many important causes.
The podcast’s title was inspired by the question Caroline frequently asked herself during the 12 months of her first fundraising challenge.
“Every day, someone, somewhere is doing something amazing,” Caroline says. “Often driven by grief, emotion, or trauma, they are not doing it for themselves, for the accolades or for the spotlight – it is very often for a cause close to them.
“Fundraising is hard work and behind every single person is a story, one that this podcast hopes to unravel and explore.”
Celebrating the “Just-Givers”
What Have I Done? is part of JustGiving’s 2024 Ordinary People Being Extraordinary campaign, which turns the spotlight on those unsung heroes we like to call the JustGivers. Some of the JustGivers featured in the podcast include:
· Phil Heckles, who sold “rubbish” pet portraits using his young son’s crayon collection to raise over £170,000 for Turning Tides, a charity dedicated to ending homelessness.
· Leah Chowdhry, who became the first ever British Asian woman to swim the English Channel. Leah’s 13-hour feat raised an incredible £50,000 for the British Asian Trust.
· Max Woosey (the youngest guest at just 13!), who slept in a tent every night for three years to raise £650,000 for North Devon Hospice in honour of a family friend lost to cancer.
An Engaging Learning Opportunity
New episodes of What Have I Done? drop every Monday until the finale on March 4. The series is sure to be an engaging learning opportunity for green and veteran fundraisers alike, as well as charities themselves.
As Caroline says, “It’s an inspiring listen to anyone thinking of taking on their own challenge, and for the wider charity sector to understand what it takes to work alongside an often fast-paced campaign.”
So, what are you waiting for? Click here to listen to the first two episodes of What Have I Done? with Caroline Jones.
KICK OFF YOUR 2024
Create a Campaign Page
Kick off your 2024 by bringing all your fundraisers and donors together. Launch a campaign page for any event, appeal, or project to empower people to make a difference for your charity.
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