Nightingale House Hospice

In 2006, Nightingale House asked Wootton George Consulting to carry out an audit and develop a strategy to strengthen the income generation of the Hospice for both revenue and development costs. The comprehensive review identified several areas of income generation where there were significant opportunities to improve the amount of funding being raised.

At the time of the review, the department was lacking direction and leadership and this situation was not helped by the fact that three members of staff had left in a relatively short space of time. We identified the need for an experienced and effective Head of Income Generation to develop the skills of existing staff and to recruit and manage additional new staff with specific fundraising experience.

We assisted the Hospice with the recruitment process which, due to the lack of experienced people in the area, took some eight months to achieve. However, the Income Generation Manager took up the post in January 2007, and within a short time had motivated existing staff, recruited new members for the team and established systems to ensure best practice.

The Income Generation Department is now on course again. For example, last year's Midnight Walk attracted 820 walkers generating some £80,000 compared to just 80 walkers the previous year.

As John Savage, the charity's General Manager says: "The timing of the review and receipt of the report came at a critical time for the hospice as it was going through a difficult time in all areas of income generation which was not being helped by the lack of leadership and direction. The report enabled the hospice to clearly identify funding opportunities in the short, medium and long term and its recommendations on structure and direction were fully accepted by the hospice Management Team and board of Trustees. A number of the recommendations have already been put in place including the recruitment of staff with relevant experience to implement the proposed plans. The hospice has already started to see the positive benefit in terms of increase in revenues and will continue to build on these over the next few years."