Cancer Research UK and Save the Children UK are among charities that have commissioned new technology projects recently.

Cancer Research UK

Suppliers: RedWeb, Vitae VR and Surround Vision

Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has created a virtual-reality laboratory tour to show people what its scientists do. The charity has worked with RedWeb, Vitae VR and Surround Vision to create the three-and-a-half-minute tour.

Michael Docherty, director of digital at CRUK said: “This virtual lab tour is another way in which we are bringing the public and our supporters closer to that life-saving research, while continuing to lead the sector in exploring and adopting innovative technology.” CRUK is testing the tour at a number of events and plans make it accessible via a smartphone app in the future.

Do-it

Supplier: LShift

Volunteering charity Do-it has moved to a new web agency, LShift, to focus on back-end development and improve its database to enhance the user experience for volunteers and recruiters.

Children’s Society

Supplier: Positive

The Children’s Society is the first charity to use a new fundraising platform developed by Positive, which links a campaign to JustGiving in order to capture supporter data. The platform was built for the charity’s “Tough n Buff” fitness challenge, and could now be used by any other charity using the Drupal content management system.

Bipolar UK

Supplier: Redbourn Business Systems

Bipolar UK has opted for the Advantage NFP Fundraiser customer-relationshipmanagement system from Redbourn. The charity wanted a new database to help it diversify its income streams.

Save the Children UK

Supplier: PXtech

Save the Children has appointed PXtech to upgrade the technology in its charity shops by rolling out new tills, card terminals and business intelligence solutions in its 130 shops. The project will introduce web-based reporting and Pxtech will also provide a helpdesk service six days a week.

The first 35 shops had the new systems installed in November, with the rest scheduled to be upgraded by September 2016.

Kidney Research UK

Supplier: CC Grant Tracker

Kidney Research UK has implemented CC Grant Tracker. It is initially using it to monitor its fellowship and studentship schemes but, will extend the system to other grants schemes later in the year. The charity wanted an online system that could provide it with room to grow.

British Ballet Organization

Supplier: Advanced Computer Software

The British Ballet Organization will implement accounting software from Advanced Exchequer as it embarks on a rebrand project. The new software will go live in January 2016 and the charity expects that it will reduce the amount of time staff spend on administration by one day per month. After shortlisting five providers, BBO selected the Exchequer solution because it can support the charity’s plans for growth.

Autism Bedfordshire

Supplier: Access Group

Autism Bedfordshire has chosen the thankQ CRM system from Access. The charity was prompted to upgrade its database after it hired a corporate fundraiser but found it had no way to track their activity.