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Charities working with BritMums

ONEMums bloggers in Ethiopia

BritMums co-founder Jennifer Howze and Mummy from the Heart Michelle Pannell (in centre holding sign) in Ethiopia with US bloggers and ONE

Working with charities has been core to BritMums’ mission from the beginning. We strive to use our reach, influence and authority to amplify charities’ messages as well as working to connect causes with the passionate bloggers who support them.

We work with charities in 3 main ways:

  • We match organisations with bloggers who are interested in blogging about their causes and goals
  • We support specific campaigns either via our member bloggers who are involved with them or by working directly with the charities organising them. We highlight campaigns on our blog, our social media and in our newsletter
  • We feature charities and causes prominently at our annual blogging conference BritMums Live: in discussion sessions, as speakers and in the exhibition space. We have sessions aimed at helping bloggers and charities work together effectively. We also help charities raise awareness and recruit advocates to carry through their messages throughout the year.

Here are some of the charities and foundations we’ve helped to get blogger support:

charitylogos

 

 

 

Guidance for Charities on how to work effectively with BritMums bloggers

BritMums, the largest and most influential network for lifestyle bloggers, set up a new initiative in early 2012.  It’s called Charity Connections – Blogging It Forward. In simple terms, it is all about charities harnessing the promotional power of bloggers to spread awareness of their needs and campaigns. Commercial organisations utilise bloggers all the time and BritMums wants to help charities make the most of the goodwill and powerful influence of bloggers.

Response

Lots of charities get in touch saying they want to be involved with the parent blogging community. Some have very definite ideas on how they wanted things to work. Most are not quite sure but just feel the offer of FREE promotion and publicity is too good an opportunity to ignore. Scores of bloggers have already registered to say they want to connect with good causes and blog it forward.

What Can Bloggers Help With?

  • Bloggers can highlight a charity’s need for volunteers or Trustees.
  • Bloggers can show their support by carrying a charity’s badge on their blog.
  • Bloggers can encourage their readers to get involved in specific campaigns and events.
  • Bloggers can take part in fundraising challenges and blog about their experiences.
  • Bloggers can volunteer and describe their experiences.
  • Bloggers can carry surveys and other consultation tools.
  • Bloggers can cover stories about raffles and other fundraising tools.
  • Bloggers can promote goods and auctions that raise money for charity.
  • Bloggers can visit charitable projects and report back.
  • Bloggers can nominate their charity of the year and promote them all year round.

How charities can best use bloggers via BritMums’ Charity Connections – Blogging It Forward

Feedback from bloggers shows:

  1. Individual bloggers are most likely to help when they feel strongly about an issue and/or it has affected their family/friends.
  2. Bloggers see their involvement as a form of volunteering as it requires them giving their time.
  3. Although bloggers may not know about every charity, they would like to learn more and to be kept informed of campaigns.
  4. Bloggers in general don’t want regurgitated press releases and won’t feature them on their blogs. They like to add that personal touch.
  5. Bloggers would like charities to give them plenty of notice for campaigns and events.
  6. Bloggers want charities to know that they combine blogging with other demands on their time especially as busy parents.  This means they will not always respond immediately.  If charities have a deadline for involvement, they need to say so and be realistic.
  7. As with any partnership, things work best with a little give and take.
  8. Bloggers are really keen to hear how individual charities see this initiative working best so please do send your feedback, concerns and ideas to kateonthinice@gmail.com who is the Co-ordinator for BritMums – Charity Connections – Blogging It Forward.

Examples of Good Partnerships Between Charities and Bloggers

There are several good examples of where partnerships between charities and bloggers have worked well.  Here are some which give some clues as to how things might work best.

  1. ActionAid held a tea party for bloggers. It was a fun event where bloggers and Action Aid could meet and discuss things.  Bloggers returned home and blogged about the event and what they had learned.  Some bloggers sponsored children as a direct result of this initiative.
  2. Save The Children sent 3 mum bloggers to Mozambique.  They reported on their experiences before, during and afterwards.  They also harnessed the power of the parenting blogger community to sign petitions and the like.
  3. ONE, the campaigning organisation took a group of UK and US bloggers to Ethiopia. The bloggers created written, video and audio content on the programmes affected by foreign aid.
  4. Tommy’s have forged a good relationship with several bloggers. It is keen to engage with more bloggers.
  5. The Cats’ Protection League launched a blogger network.

Relationships between bloggers and charities work best where they meet up close and personal, whether face-to-face or online in networks.

If you would like to know where you can find out more about the good practice examples quoted, please email kateonthinice@gmail.com.

 

Terri Hyde

Thursday 16th of May 2019

Hi My name is Terri Hyde and I work for The Royal British Legion within their events Team. I love reading your post and articles sharing real mummies experiences. I was reading this and it got me into thinking, that we have a lot of family friendly events within The Legion that not many people know about. I was wondering if you might be able to help me, as using your bloggers influence could be hugely impactful for the vital work we do, whilst mummies getting to have a lot of fun with their kids. please get in touch if this is something that you can help me with, it would be a fantastic opportunity for you to partner with our highly trusted brand.