Fundraising celebrated at House of Commons

The Institute of Fundraising showcased the best of charity fundraising in the UK to a  reception at the House of Commons in January, in an event attended by MPs including Minister for Civil Society, Rob Wilson MP, and the Opposition Shadow Minister from the Labour Party, Steve Reed MP.

The event celebrated the achievements of the 2016 National Fundraising Awards winners, giving MPs from all parties and parts of the country the chance to meet with the award winners as well as fundraisers from across the sector. It was hosted by Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Charities, Susan Elan Jones MP, as part of the IoF’s ongoing work to strengthen the relationship between fundraisers and MPs in Parliament.

Introducing the event, Susan Elan Jones MP, who was a charity fundraiser and IoF member before becoming an MP, said that the contribution that fundraisers make to society was phenomenal. She also spoke about her own experience before entering Parliament as a charity fundraiser in Wales, and the training and qualifications that she had received from the IoF as part of her professional development.

Rob Wilson MP and Steve Reed MP (pictured, with Susan Elan Jones MP) also spoke at the event, with Wilson welcoming the positive fundraising work shown by the award winners, as well as the IoF’s new strategic framework.

In his speech, Reed stated that the work of fundraisers has never been more important due to the pressures facing the charity sector. He highlighted his own experience of charity fundraising and working with the charitable sector in local government, and welcomed the work of all of the National Fundraising Award winners.