Reflections from our company Autumn Conference 2025
Fundraising is storytelling and the way we tell stories is evolving. That’s why this year’s Autumn Conference focused on how fundraisers can use narrative and design to connect people to causes and inspire action.
Held in London, the event brought together colleagues and collaborators from across the organisation for a day of reflection, learning, and inspiration.
The day began with opening remarks from Managing Director Paul Molloy, who spoke about the power of stories and the remarkable journey of Compton, which began almost 70 years ago in Australia.
The morning continued with a session led by Keith Doyle, former BBC journalist and Director of Media Woman, who explored how we can equip ourselves to extract stories we need to inspire giving. Keith shared practical advice on how we can do this with care, respect and trust – vital skills especially for fundraisers working closely with vulnerable individuals and communities.
Throughout the day, we explored how storytelling is changing. Catherine Jackson, COO and Managing Consultant and Francesca Allievi, Senior Consultant, shared how our Resources Study case statements evolved from long-form narratives to visual pitch books, documents that are more emotionally engaging, more accessible and better suited to today’s donor.
A highlight of the day was the keynote session delivered this year by Dom Bailey, Founder and Strategic Director at Baxter & Bailey. Dom spoke about design as a catalyst for change, sharing examples from charity campaigns and public art strategies developed by their award-winning agency. His talk showed how good design helps people understand complex ideas and importantly inspires them to act.
The day concluded with reflections from our Special Advisor, Sian Hansen and informal networking over drinks. Thank you to everyone who joined us. We left feeling energised and inspired.
