#share7 Campaign Smashes Target With £20k Total

We’ve been following the progress of #share7, an ambitious campaign to raise £17k for seven charities in 2018, by Search Seven. As the year draws to a close and the final cheques are tallied, we talk to Gavin Willis, MD of the Hove-based digital marketing agency, to look back on all they’ve achieved with this remarkable initiative.

Tell us about #share7 and the ethos behind it  

“I started Search Seven with the goal to make it a business that gave back. That has always been at the heart of everything we do, hence our name. We pledge to give 7% of our profits to charities and the local community. In 2018, our seventh anniversary year, I wanted to make a statement about how a small business could do something big. I set the goal to match the funds raised in our previous six years, in one. That meant raising £17k, at the same time as keeping the business going.

“Rockinghorse’s Trevor Mann Baby Unit, who nursed me through pneumonia when I was a baby and helped save my godson (Ted’s) life six years ago, is our flagship charity. But #share7 gave us the opportunity to make a difference to other organisations. We decided to put the funding towards seven charities in total, each being chosen by a member of Search Seven. Everyone needs to have something to drive them and having a personal connection to the charities was a real inspiration to the team. Alongside Rockinghorse, they chose: Group B Strep Support, Alzheimer’s Society, RISE, The Sussex Beacon, The Clock Tower Sanctuary and the Nkuringo Foundation in Uganda.”

How did you set about raising such a big number?

“Every year we do a big event but we knew that to reach our goal, we had to up the ante. We put on three events and got creative about finding more fundraising opportunities and bigger auctions, raffle prizes and sponsorship ideas.

“First, we hosted a charity football match at the Amex stadium. I was completely overwhelmed by the generosity of businesses in Sussex who donated free prizes: everything from a night’s stay at Drakes hotel to a champagne trip up the i360. It’s the prizes that really make the money and we walked away from that match with just under £8,000, nearly half of our target.

“Our second event was a charity golf day hosted at Mid Sussex Golf Club. We knew from experience that the football game would be a success, but golf was more of an unknown entity. It actually ended up raising more money than expected, due to the fantastic sponsors, auctions and prizes.

“The final event was a charity quiz at Grand Central in November. It was great to have everyone at such a fun evening. We knew we were very close to the total before the Quiz night started, so it was always going to be a celebratory night as we went past the target. As the evening went on, the atmosphere was electric – everyone knew it was the finale and that we needed to end in style, although we didn’t expect to raise so much on that evening itself.

“When I was handed the total amount I was amazed, we were now up to £19,200 and way over target. We did a final push and added in more ourselves to bring the total raised to £20,000.

“It’s easy to donate or hand over a cheque, but to put on events takes time, effort and a lot of work. But it is worth it, because events bring people together in a way that simply donating can’t, getting everyone in the community involved. It also gave our charities a platform to talk about what they are all about and to raise much needed awareness.”

Who else played a part in #share7?

“There are so many people I’d like to thank, starting of course with the Search Seven team who have shown so much passion and dedication. I’d like to thank Sussex Business Times, Face Media Group, Tuesday Media, Me & You Create, Creative Blend, Mid Sussex Golf Club, Brighton & Hove Albion FC, Classic Collection Holidays, Tates Portslade, Oakwood lofts ltd, Shutters of London Ltd and TK Installation, other advertisers, friends, family, clients, partner agencies and businesses supporting via raffle and auction prizes and all those that participated and donated. It’s a community effort and we’ve all come together to do something pretty special.”

What will be the #share7 legacy?

“We sent out an email to every charity and told them what we were going to give to them. Their responses of gratitude and stories of what they are going to do with the money had me in tears as we are now understanding the real impact that #share7 will have on people’s lives.”

“For a small agency to dedicate so much time and effort to organise such innovative events as part of their charity ethos is amazing. The funds raised by Search Seven will make a huge impact in the treatment of premature and sick newborn babies.” – Rockinghorse

“With the money that you raised we can help pay for more people with dementia to access our National Dementia Helpline.” – Alzheimers Society

“Thanks to Search Seven… we are reaching more and more families with potentially life-saving information about group B Strep.” – Group B Strep Support

“We have just started a campaign to raise enough money to provide a lifesaving operation to Gilipina – a young lady with a tumour behind her eyeball. The money raised will give Gilipina the funds to start her treatment, as well as help towards beds and books at both the primary and secondary school” – Nkuringo Primary & Secondary School, Uganda

“We will commit Search Seven’s donation to helping vulnerable 16 to 25-year olds to move from crisis to independence.” – The Clock Tower Sanctuary 

“The campaign has created a real buzz. It was great for us to be able to spend time with the other charities and there are real possibilities for future collaboration between us, sparked by #share7” – The Sussex Beacon

“It has been a real pleasure to be part of the #share7 initiative. You’ve raised a fantastic amount of money and this will help provide desperately needed shelter and support for domestic abuse survivors in Sussex, so thank you!” – RISE

“We recently surveyed our clients and found that that 9/10 of them feel proud of us for being a business that gives back to the community. That’s how I feel. I’m so proud and so happy. It just feels amazing really and something that I will look back on in years to come with immense pride on what we have helped to achieve.”

Visit Search Seven to find out more.