October 2004 - Victoria Carpenter

October was the month I had been waiting all year for. As part of my experience this year I was off to Holland to take part in the 24th International Fundraiser’s conference. Every year this event takes place in the largest conference venue in Europe at a little town called Noordwijkerhout, nestled beside the North Sea. During the summer it’s a resort town, but in October the coast looked pretty bleak.

The Conference centre is purpose built to sleep, feed and educate about two thousand people at a time and was extremely easy to get lost in.

The total number of delegates was 847 from 50 different countries around the world.

All the classes were conducted in English, but outside of the class rooms people gathered to network and exchange information in their own languages. Many of which I had never actually heard spoken, Finnish, Danish, Croatian, Kenyan. It was a massive eye-opener just wandering around between classes!

The classes were broken into master classes, workshops and mini-courses, game shows, panel discussions, national get together groups and not to mention the constant networking over breakfast, lunch, dinner and breaks.

I don’t think that I have ever worked so hard making friends and meeting people.

Unfortunately, there were no other Muscular Dystrophy Associations there, but three other stalwart kiwi organisations made the trek.

On the final day my morning workshop almost made the whole trip worth it by itself, the class was entitled ‘Essential Communication Skills for Effective Fundraising,” and I was able to glean loads of ideas and experience-based examples, perfect for this organisation.

One thing that really hit home for me as part of this conference was the very cultural nature of fundraising. Some of the examples from my classes in corporate fundraising talked in millions(!) of Euros, and not every idea would work in an antipodean framework, but it was certainly a great forum to get the creative juices flowing.

Once that was all over, I returned to London where I spent three days at Muscular Dystrophy Campaign in London. They are a massive organisation based in Clapham with 8 regional branches. They employ of 75 people nationwide and raise over £5.5 million per annum. They fund a lot of research into possible cures with money from the UK government, but raise the bulk themselves. It was great to spend time with them. They impressed me with their professionalism and dedication, and I am happy to say very generous with time and ideas.

Finally, on my day off in London I just got to go the Tate Modern and walk across the Millennium bridge. The old power station building was huge, and the art is arranged by subject rather than chronologically. Imagine my shock and surprise when I encountered a painting by Christian Schad called, “The Pigeon-chested man and Agosta the black dove,” a study of two people who worked in a traveling circus in the 1920’s, and the man clearly has FSH Muscular Dystrophy!! I am glad that there are more employment alternatives than side shows for people these days. I am now talking to an Art Historian to see if an explanation can’t be attached to the painting in some way so that people will be aware of what they are looking at.

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