In this new article about her time with AIDS charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, Lyndall Stein says, ‘…I have learned that it is a privilege to be a fundraiser. When you are working on the toughest issues in the hardest times, you know that your blood, sweat and tears will be turned to gold, that your work will be meaningful, relevant and will matter…’ 

Nicole Schmidt is convinced that we should all be copying J K Rowling by telling our stories they way she told Harry Potter’s. Ms Rowling, of course, sold millions of books and made a huge amount of money. Will we fundraisers raise millions for our causes if we adopt her techniques?

When Lyndall Stein’s article on the ANC first appeared on SOFII it prompted the comment: ‘This is a great piece! Wow, the power of fundraisers!’ However, one part of an ANC campaign had a serious flaw. Here Lyndall owns up to that mistake, and others, and tells SOFII users what she learned from them.

Latest addition to our favourite ads feature is from the Everyman campaign. It’s fun, clever and grabs attention to a serious, sensitive subject.

The SOFII team would like to thank you all for your support this year and wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Margaux Smith, a new and enthusiastic fundraising copywriter, tells us how hard she struggled at first. Her love of fundraising compelled her to persevere until at last she heard: ‘Perfect!’ She must have felt just great.

Fundraisers all over the world have been working frantically in recent weeks to get their Christmas mailings out. Have they been wasting their time? Yes, according to Andrew Papworth’s friend Miss Stevens.

We don’t want to encourage bad behaviour but this ad is funny and in a simple way shows how we shouldn’t be too ready to jump to conclusions. Is there a lesson for fundraisers here too?

A great addition to SOFII’s showcase on How to be an effective client, John Lepp’s 10 pillars of great relationships.

Here’s what you can learn from a seven-year-old and an 11-year-old.

These days it’s just as important to know where to look as it is to know what you are looking for. SOFII can help. Click on the links below to see some of SOFII’s sites worth seeing.

This remarkable article from Lyndall Stein that describes the fundraising campaign she and other volunteers organised for the African National Congress when South Africa was in the grip of apartheid.