Search Seven: 100 percent (charity) effort

With their 10th anniversary still fresh in the memory and the end of 2021 being a high point, after an incredible charity fundraising target was met, Sussex digital marketing agency Search Seven is raring to go yet again. This time, the team has set themselves the challenge of bringing their fundraising total to £100,000 by end of 2023 – part of a new #S7100 campaign.

We spoke to Managing Director Gavin Willis to find out more about the exciting new charity campaign. 

The #share77k campaign was a great success, what is different this time with the #S7100 campaign?

Yes, the #share77k campaign really was quite amazing, given we launched the campaign just days before the pandemic was announced in March2020, and despite having to cancel and postpone events, and pivot some to online events, we dug deep and still managed to raise over £26,000 in 18 months to hit our target.

The money raised was shared amongst 10 charities, each nominated by the team. From our grand total, we were delighted to hit another landmark, in that £50,000 of our fundraising since we first began went to our flagship charity, Rockinghorse.  

With the new #S7100 campaign, we have continued to support the team and the charities that are close to their hearts, and as well as the usual events where we involve the whole Sussex community and beyond, like our annual Golf Day and quiz nights, we have some new events lined up too, as well as a flagship event, which we hosted in April this year.

With the team seeing rapid growth, from five at the start of 2021 to 14 come the start of September this year, we are introducing more team events where we can fundraise together, as well as encourage team charity and volunteering.

What fundraising events have you got lined up in 2022?

We have already organised one event, teaming up with Sam Thomas and the County Business Clubs to host the inaugural Rockinghorse Ryder Cup, a two-day golf event with 32 players competing against one another. The scores couldn’t have been closer, with team yellow just pipping it at the end (sorry Sam!), with an incredible £4,000 being donated to Rockinghorse, a charity that’s very special to the both of us.

In October, we have our annual S7 Charity Golf Day, which this year is being hosted at the Dyke, and as ever there will be fun and games throughout the day to make it entertaining for everyone that comes along.

How can people get involved in the Golf Day?

We have only just launched the event, and they always fill up fairly quickly, so if anyone is interested in entering, then please contact Toby at TPG Sports Events or book online here – https://www.tpgsportsevents.com/events/searchseven 

It’s £360 for a team of four, which includes breakfast on arrival, 18 holes of golf, prizes for nearest to the pins, longest drive & Beat the Pro, putting competition, and winning team and individual. There are hole-in-one prizes, including £5,000 cash, plus a meal after the round, along with a raffle. The event date is Thursday October 20th 2022.

Which charities are you supporting as part of the #S7100 campaign?

It’s important that the team chooses charities that are close to their hearts. We always support our flagship charity, Rockinghorse – and have done since day one. The other charities have all been nominated by the rest of the team.

It’s fantastic working with so many different charities, both local and national, who are doing such amazing work across the world; from supporting animal charities, mental health charities, children’s hospitals right here in Sussex, to national charities that support the elderly. Meeting with the people who set up the charities is humbling and reminds me of why I set up our 7% charity pledge in 2011.

Does your charity fundraising boost team morale?

It really does. Everyone in the team has said that our charity ethos, to use Search Seven as a vehicle to make a difference, was one of the key reasons why they joined, and we are delighted to build such a fantastic, talented, and caring team, filled with people wanting to come together to really help make an impact.

One employee said: “I joined Search Seven as a Paid Media Executive (Apprentice) in May 2022. Completely new to the Digital Marketing scene, one of the unique selling points was Search Seven’s strong charity focus and overall team mentality. I was encouraged to research and reach out to my chosen charity; an organisation that was so specific and meaningful to me. It feels so rewarding to build a relationship with them by raising awareness and taking part in fundraising events, making a difference through my work.”

Amy Moore, Paid Media Executive, said: “Before I came to work for Search Seven, I was beginning to feel like my work was first and foremost to help push the numbers up for companies. I wanted to find a way to ensure that my work was pushing forward a goal outside of digital marketing. It’s the reason I joined Search Seven. Not only working with clients that have an impact beyond profits, but also for the non-client work we are doing that is fundamental to us. I have never worked within a more driven, caring or enthusiastic team. I used to be pushing up numbers, now my old colleagues are commenting on how fulfilled I am and asking for guidance on how to introduce it in their own careers.”

Will Davis, Senior SEO Manager, said:

“Search Seven match the money our team members raise via their own fundraising too, contributing up to £250 in their first year with us, and up to £150 thereafter.”

How else can people support the #S7100 campaign?

Please do keep an eye out on our social media channels and website for announcements of our latest charity events. 

We are really excited about our next charity venture and are very determined to reach our new target as soon as possible. A massive thank you to all our S7 supporters and volunteers, and a special mention to all the amazing charities that we are delighted to support – keep up your fantastic work!

Website: www.searchseven.co.uk
Email: events@searchseven.co.uk
Socials: Find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram @searchseven