Rotary club looking at new methods of increasing donations
The Rotary Tree of Light in Shrewsbury continues to be popular, but new methods of increasing donations need to be explored, members of Shrewsbury Severn Rotary Club have been informed.
The 2024 Tree of Light raised £4,445 which will increase to £5,025 when gift aid is added. But the total sum is still £400 below last year’s donations.
“It is still nevertheless an excellent result considering a reduced database,” secretary Gareth Watkins has told members of Shrewsbury Severn Rotary Club.
“Ten years ago the Tree of Light would take between £6,000 and £7,000. However, it would incur costs of around £1,000 in purchasing an actual tree, church fees and postage etc. Our only cost now is making seasonal gifts to accountants Dyke Yaxley as a thank you for their excellent support in preparing the donor letters for which we are indebted.”
He has told members that the only way to achieve an increase in donations was to enlarge the Tree of Light database and ask more people to commemorate a loved one. At the same time, the club has agreed to explore greater use of social media to enhance ‘hits’.
Said Gareth: “The message to potential donors is if you would like to remember a loved one through their name appearing in the Shrewsbury Chronicle and Shropshire Star make a contribution and we will put the money to good use. Anything we raise will be spent locally to help charities.”
The club agreed the Tree of Light should form part of an overall Christmas fundraising review.
