National Trust gives Power to the People

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 18 Feb 2010

Let it never be doubted that the National Trust is as rock’n’roll as the next charity.

And not just rock’n’roll – but democratic too (although one could argue the case for rock’n’roll being perhaps the most democratic of musical genres, but then you have the argument for 1970s hip hop… I digress).

The National Trust is potentially coming to the rescue of Abbey Road studios. After EMI announced it would be selling the property earlier this week, former Beatle Sir Paul (Not Short of a Few Bob) McCartney kindly suggested that National Trust fork up the dough for Abbey Road studios. The Trust is now dutifully weighing up whether to step in and buy the property.

Critically, the Trust is not weighing up its decision in a boardroom. It is using social media and plain old email to ask its members, and anyone else with an interest, whether it should buy the property for the nation.

The charity is used to reacting quickly when historical properties come on the market, but deserves special credit for mounting a quick, wide-ranging and public campaign to scope interest before it embarks on a capital campaign. The media matches the cause - fun, popular and close to the hearts of many. And, by doing it all on social media, the trust will no doubt be securing the contact details of a whole new range of donors, rather than members, who many never have thought to support the National Trust before.

Given that I have managed to get through a whole blog about an iconic Beatles building without any song references or puns (aside from my title), I think I deserve one cheap shot. May I suggest that the major donor fundraisers approach their prospects with the opening phrase ‘Baby, you’re a rich man’.

Any other (better) puns are welcome.

Directory: National Trust

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Celina Ribeiro is the editor of Fundraising magazine and daily contributor to CivilSociety.co.uk.

Follow Celina @Celina_Ribeiro_

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