The London Clinic

Being crystal clear about your charitable focus and who benefits most from the work that you do, is fundamental to any fundraising case. It’s also a top priority if your organisation is perceived to be prestigious or typically associated with a more privileged community. Whether you’re an independent school sharing facilities with local groups, or a niche heritage attraction keen to involve a much more diverse audience in your story, it’s important to communicate precisely what makes you a charity.

The London Clinic is one independent hospital charity doing just this by providing world class cancer care not only to private patients, but to those on NHS waiting lists. In fact, its Centenary Campaign is dedicated to funding outstanding facilities, rapid diagnostics and cutting-edge technologies that will transform the cancer pathway for thousands of patients in underserved local communities.

“When we were invited to advise on the hospital’s strategy for Phase II of the Centenary Campaign, the fundraising message was already well established,” says Gifted’s Andrew Day. “Phase I, which featured the completion of a new £11m Rapid Diagnostics Centre in Harley Street, was all about beginning the process of delivering fast and efficient cancer detection for up to 5,000 NHS patients a year. A £1m Supporting Communities Fund formed an integral part of the picture, involving open access to health and education pop-up centres in and around the city.”

Building on success

As the hospital moves into its next phase of fundraising with a £20m plan to increase access to treatment, collaboration with other charities will also be important.

“Phase II of the campaign is about building on what’s already been achieved,” adds Andrew. “When The London Clinic opted to remain independent in the 1940s, it made a choice around autonomy and innovation. Over the years, its outward-looking approach has enabled the development of ground-breaking research and novel treatments. This next phase of fundraising sees the charity writing its next chapter with clinical facilities and equipment that rival the very best in the world. The fact that these are being made increasingly available to NHS patients, many of whom may be struggling with the stigma of symptoms or misconceptions about treatment, sends a powerful message to the hospital’s community of givers.”

Executive Director Rachael Church added, “We have a small team here at The London Clinic, so the support of Gifted has been invaluable to ensure we progress fundraising plans at pace. The Gifted team’s experience mixed with their approachable nature ensures it’s always a pleasure to work with them on achieving our ambitious goals.”