What’s it all about?
Every day for the last 12 months Caroline Jones has worn a different outfit, entirely made up of clothes from Cancer Research UK’s (CRUK) charity shops. Jones posts pictures of her ensembles on social media and so far she has raised nearly £40,000.
How did it start?
Jones set up the Knickers Model’s Own campaign after her mother died of breast cancer last year. “Grief is a huge black empty space, and this is an attempt to fill that,” she says. Jones came up with the idea on New Year’s Eve last year and started sourcing her outfits at the Harpenden CRUK shop, where her mother volunteered.
Six days, numerous outfits, and a BBC interview later, she was gaining so much attention that she had to contact CRUK for press support.
How has the campaign maintained interest?
Being a quirky idea with a personal story has helped the campaign’s growth on social media. Every day, for every outfit she wears, Jones uploads photographs of herself and writes detailed posts on social media. These warm posts and Jones’ fashion nouse have helped to build a dedicated following online.
Any advice for solo fundraisers?
Jones thinks it’s vital to understand your target social media audience inside out, and to never miss a post. Facebook has been the most important platform, with 10,000 likes on her page, but she also uses Twitter and Instagram. “I’ve got three audiences on social media.” Jones explains that on Facebook the audience is predominantly female and connects with her on a more personal level.
She finds Twitter best for connecting with fashion brands, and on Instagram she describes her audience as “dynamic creative types. They are interested in the colours, textures, the way the picture’s taken”. Jones posts on all three at least once a day.
She recommends working with local communities. “I’ve been paid for quite a few public speaking events. It’s a good way to raise money in your local community. Smaller businesses get ignored. People go to the big banks, but it’s much harder to get decisions from them. At a smaller level it’s easier to connect.”
It’s also important to realise how mentally challenging solo fundraising can be, Jones says. “Campaigning on your own, running a marathon, whatever you’re doing, it can be very lonely ... I think if you set yourself a long challenge just break it down into days.” Much as she would advocate working in a group, Jones says some fundraisers need to just run with ideas on their own. “Go for it, don’t ask too many people what they think about it, because there’s a always a reason not to do it.”
And charities?
If you get a left-field idea from a volunteer on the shop floor, listen to it. Jones was a volunteer in her local charity shop, like so many who give their time for free, because of a personal connection the charity’s cause.
Highlights?
Cancer Research UK helped Jones with some ad hoc press support at first, but as the interest grew the charity assigned a project manager to the campaign. Jones has been able to borrow clothes from any CRUK store, curated a “Model’s Own” rail in the Harpenden branch and has sold some of her outfits on eBay to raise money for the charity.
Jones has received an award from CRUK, and was also named creative fundraiser of the year at the JustGiving Awards. “These sorts of things are a way to really boost a fundraiser’s morale,” she says.
What next?
Jones is now putting together a book reflecting on her year, which is set to come out in the spring, with all proceeds going to CRUK. And she’s keen to keep up with her community on Facebook.
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