Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust (AVCT)

Role: Development Manager (part-time, one year).
Employed: to maximise the last year of a four-year Heritage Lottery Fund matchfunding opportunity. £180,000 had been already raised over three years (averaging £60,000 p.a), doubled that figure – £120,000 – in the final year. AVCT’s For a Lifetime campaign raised £297,205 (doubled to £594,410).
Overview: Arnos Vale Cemetery is not your typical cemetery, it is: a heritage site with with 31 Grade II listed buildings and monuments; natural conservation area and park; working cemetery; wedding, peformance arts and business venue; café. It offers educational activities for children and tours for adults. It’s a community resource in a deprived area. It’s a proposition quite tricky to communicate.  

“Arnos Vale is a community project that aims to both remember and celebrate life. A regular schedule of events and activites takes place throughout the year. It’s unique among cemeteries in the UK and internationally”
Mike Coe, CEO

AVCT: Re-framing the fundraising proposition*

Overview: The slogan "Saved but not safe" had helped a community campaign save the historic cemetery from housing development: it was surprisingly still the focus of fundraising efforts, though the site had opened in 2010 and developed its business model, community offer and relationships. I reflected its importance to the community in the fundraising campaign, putting people at its heart, and better explained the four-year match-funding opportunity – HLF would match funds we raised to a maximum of £50k. The previous three years' Endowment Fund Challenge (below left) confusingly stated “£50k has been awarded to Arnos Vale” and the branding was weak and unengaging.

See For a Lifetime campaign case-for-support documents 

Campaign branding before and after:

brand communication charity third sector

See also Arnos Vale Cemetery Fundraising events and income: Spring Eternal Gala and Fundraising Comedy Weekend